Silly to add this to my update letter?

[nocluewhati'mdoing]

I have a number of substantial research updates I'm planning on sending to medical schools receptive to update letters. On top of the research stuff, I wanted to add that I've been fostering a sick shelter dog for about a month. Multiple (non medical) people have told me it would be silly to put this info in my update letter.

Is the foster dog volunteering erroneous to my update letter? I construe it as non-clinical volunteering, so something I should note. But so many people questioning my thinking made me want to get other opinions. Thanks!

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[Dr. Scribe]

I wouldn't talk about the dog lol

 

[nocluewhati'mdoing]

Ha fair enough, thanks!

 

[Dr. Scribe]

Ha fair enough, thanks!

Research is significant enough to update a school mainly because its verifiable...even if you are housing immigrants from Syria who you rescued yourself in a homemade raft, there's no real way to prove that lol plus it trivializes an activity you are supposed to be doing out of altruism instead of for your app (or something like that)

 

[Goro]

I have a number of substantial research updates I'm planning on sending to medical schools receptive to update letters. On top of the research stuff, I wanted to add that I've been fostering a sick shelter dog for about a month. Multiple (non medical) people have told me it would be silly to put this info in my update letter.

Is the foster dog volunteering erroneous to my update letter? I construe it as non-clinical volunteering, so something I should note. But so many people questioning my thinking made me want to get other opinions. Thanks!

Do you really think that the Admissions dean will run out of office and scream out to his/her secretary: " We have to invite nocluewhati'mdoing for an interview!!!! S/he's fostering a dog!!!!"


?????

 

[Dr. Scribe]

Do you really think that the Admissions dean will run out of office and scream out to his/her secretary: " We have to invite nocluewhati'mdoing for an interview!!!! S/he's fostering a dog!!!!"


?????

Is this what admissions deans do when they get an update about someone recently publishing their research? I think an update is a good way of showing interest and that you are continuing to work on your app in a meaningful way. OP can mention the dog fostering, but only in a small amount of detail and likely in a short paragraph in which OP is describing all of the other activities (besides research) that he/she is currently involved in.

 

[nocluewhati'mdoing]

Good points all around, I'll keep it out. Thanks for the input!

 

[rabbott1971]

I kind of wonder how much of a sense of humor, or vague interest in the personal side of an applicant, that any adcoms might have. So would they think it was humorous or enjoyable to hear any of these "updates?"

"I recently mastered the shotokan kata and received my red belt in karate."
"I lucked out in an ebay bidding war and got a HyperX Fury DDR4 16GB RAM stick for $30, and was finally able to put together my new computer made completely from used spare parts."
"I've been going nuts on my slow-cooker lately, with the cold weather, and just this last week I made butternut squash soup, chile verde, and bread pudding."
"My daughter and I have been putting in some work on her flipturns, and it has paid off: at the last swim meet she dropped four seconds in her 100 freestyle."

I probably wouldn't risk this, but at the same time, if I were an adcom, I could see myself enjoying a quick sentence or two with a personal update that reflects a lighter side of the applicant.

 

[Goro]

I am howling at the moon over this

you dog you

 

[ClamChowderrr]

This is going to come off rude, and quite franky I don't care. Goro is the rudest member of this community. You,Sir, are not God's gift to pre-meds and should exhibit more tact.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Do you really think that the Admissions dean will run out of office and scream out to his/her secretary: " We have to invite nocluewhati'mdoing for an interview!!!! S/he's fostering a dog!!!!"


?????

i would actually be more likely to take them as i love dogs! haha

 

[Goro]

This is going to come off rude, and quite franky I don't care. Goro is the rudest member of this community. You,Sir, are not God's gift to pre-meds and should exhibit more tact.

People don't come here for hugs and kisses, but realistic advice.

 

[getdown]

You ask a stupid question, you're bound to get a stupid answer or made fun of. Premeds these days need to develop thicker skin and stop being so whiny or you're gonna have a hell of a time on the wards.