Suggestions to Round out Application?

[wanderingstudent10.10]

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Hi All,
I was just looking for a little input on where I should go from here. I'm looking to round out my application and I'm trying to decide where I should focus my energy (besides just grades and the MCAT) for the next year or so before I apply. I'm more than open to (and planning to apply to) both MD/DO. I'm a junior right now, and planning to take a gap year.
GPA: 3.6
E.Cs:
Volunteer at a hospital (4hrs/week for the past 9 months)
CNA at a dementia care facility (20hrs/week for the past year)
Volunteer crisis counselor with a mental health crisis intervention nonprofit (4hrs/week for 4 months.. ongoing)
Some random shadowing but nothing substantial

This upcoming year I plan to stay with the crisis counseling service, leave the hospital when summer ends and leave my CNA job. I'm quitting the hospital as I don't think it has been valuable or worthwhile and leaving my job as it has become too demanding with my course load, I've also been injured many times while working. Some of my options for next year are research, I was offered a job as a peer facilitator/grader in organic chemistry by my professor so I might do that, shadowing, and continuing community service work (like volunteering at planned parenthood or a free clinic... I'd like to get experience working with underserved populations). There's so much to do, I'm a little torn on what I should focus on! If anyone could offer input on what you think would be most advantageous to focus on, I would appreciate it!

 

[Hierophant]

Some encouragement to become involved in research is likely to follow, so another idea might be to devote some time to a commitment outside the realm of medicine. It sounds like you have some very good clinical experiences, maybe pursue an intramural sport or develop a hobby you can write about to truly round out your app.
$0.02

 

[mitch8017]

Some encouragement to become involved in research is likely to follow, so another idea might be to devote some time to a commitment outside the realm of medicine. It sounds like you have some very good clinical experiences, maybe pursue an intramural sport or develop a hobby you can write about to truly round out your app.
$0.02

Can you really include intramural teams in your ECs and have it valued by an adcom?

 

[ndafife]

Can you really include intramural teams in your ECs and have it valued by an adcom?

Yeah. Its called having a life and not being a box checker

 

[mitch8017]

Yeah. Its called having a life and not being a box checker

Well my question is tailored more towards whether or not an adcom would care or if it is just fluff/filler that could even be looked negatively upon. I have a girlfriend too, which is part of life, but I would highly doubt any adcom would care and would laugh at an app with something like that.

 

[ndafife]

Well my question is tailored more towards whether or not an adcom would care or if it is just fluff/filler that could even be looked negatively upon. I have a girlfriend too, which is part of life, but I would highly doubt any adcom would care and would laugh at an app with something like that.

Whatever man. Don't put it on there then.

 

[Goro]

We like seeing that our applicants are real human beings with interests outside of Medicine. The wise LizzyM has written eloquently on the value of listing your hobbies.

Well my question is tailored more towards whether or not an adcom would care or if it is just fluff/filler that could even be looked negatively upon. I have a girlfriend too, which is part of life, but I would highly doubt any adcom would care and would laugh at an app with something like that.

 

[wanderingstudent10.10]

Thanks for the input! Life outside of medicine is my real life, like having time for my marriage and being somewhat social haha, but I may try to get involved with something I can relax and have fun at a little more if it truly is valued by adcoms. I have a strong interest in research, however, I live 2 hours away from my college campus so it's very hard for me to get there more than I need to.

 

[lostpremed123]

Can you really include intramural teams in your ECs and have it valued by an adcom?

Well, physical fitness requires motivation and self-discipline so it's certainly not going to look bad to adcoms. It'll show that you're willing to get off of your butt. You're allowed to still have a life.