Teaching High School as a Extracurricular?

[Mynameis1324]

Hey so it appears that I am probably not going to get into medical school this cycle unless some WL magic happens. My old high school chemistry teacher came up to me yesterday at the gym and offered me to be a high school biology teacher next year as they are short on staff. I am considering doing so as I could make decent money to prepare for medical school, but it would take up most of my time.

My application is pretty education based, in fact I had tutoring both privately and for a company as activities on my application. Being a teacher would certainly fit, but I am worried my time would be better used doing other activities. I already have about 2000 clinical hours (I was a scribe full time for my first gap year) and about 500 research hours with an ongoing project. If i were to teach full time I do not know if I would be able to complete this project.

How favorably would teaching full-time be viewed? And additionally what specific schools like an education based mission as I am currently working on my updated school list for next cycle

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[Goro]

That's employment. That's always good, and I personally admire teachers.

But you distill need to have service to others in a volunteer setting. Medicine is a service profession, after all.

 

[Mynameis1324]

That's employment. That's always good, and I personally admire teachers.

But you distill need to have service to others in a volunteer setting. Medicine is a service profession, after all.

I have about 200 non-clinical volunteer hours. I am also starting clinical volunteering on weekends, I will have about 400 by the end of the year.

 

[chilly_md]

I have about 200 non-clinical volunteer hours. I am also starting clinical volunteering on weekends, I will have about 400 by the end of the year.

This is unnecessary if you scribed for a full year already. Your time is better spent helping at your local homeless shelter, food bank, soup kitchen or similar activity with those less fortunate.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Hey so it appears that I am probably not going to get into medical school this cycle unless some WL magic happens. My old high school chemistry teacher came up to me yesterday at the gym and offered me to be a high school biology teacher next year as they are short on staff. I am considering doing so as I could make decent money to prepare for medical school, but it would take up most of my time.

My application is pretty education based, in fact I had tutoring both privately and for a company as activities on my application. Being a teacher would certainly fit, but I am worried my time would be better used doing other activities. I already have about 2000 clinical hours (I was a scribe full time for my first gap year) and about 500 research hours with an ongoing project. If i were to teach full time I do not know if I would be able to complete this project.

How favorably would teaching full-time be viewed? And additionally what specific schools like an education based mission as I am currently working on my updated school list for next cycle

Getting hired as a teacher helps, especially if your school is resource-challenged (as in public, lots of meal assistance). But I would warn you that having so much teaching would make me wonder why you wouldn't want to be a teacher before becoming a doctor.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

what specific schools like an education based mission

Every school values medical education and teaching so you need to be more specific by what you mean.

 

[Mynameis1324]

Getting hired as a teacher helps, especially if your school is resource-challenged (as in public, lots of meal assistance). But I would warn you that having so much teaching would make me wonder why you wouldn't want to be a teacher before becoming a doctor.

Well in my personal statement I discuss how I have always been a inquisitive person and with my personal history with health scares (multiple family members passing away before 60 from cancer) I want to be able to apply the pursuit of knowledge to medicine specifically while being able to maintain the human aspect that comes with practicing medicine versus doing strictly research.

I also discuss how I believe it is important for physicians to be able to communicate advanced topics to patients and keep them educated on their health in order to both foster the physician-patient relationship and also improve patient health outcomes. I know of many physicians who struggle in explaining to the laymen and I hope my teaching history would allow me to be better.

 

[Mynameis1324]

Every school values medical education and teaching so you need to be more specific by what you mean.

Pretty much which schools value people with a history in educating the most I suppose it correlates with research emphasis most likely. That may be vague but I am not sure how to differentiate what medical schools would actually value the most.

I have a WARS of 77 so I am trying to find realistic schools to apply to since I am aware the schools most likely to emphasis research and education are the "higher tier" ones.

 

[chilly_md]

Pretty much which schools value people with a history in educating the most I suppose it correlates with research emphasis most likely. That may be vague but I am not sure how to differentiate what medical schools would actually value the most.

I have a WARS of 77 so I am trying to find realistic schools to apply to since I am aware the schools most likely to emphasis research and education are the "higher tier" ones.

It would be easier to see a full breakdown of your stats and ECs in the below format:

*~*~*~*IMPORTANT: How to Format Your WAMC Thread for Optimal Results and More!!*~*~*~*

Hello, and welcome to the What Are My Chances (WAMC) forum. The purpose of this forum is to Post threads about your chances of acceptance to MD and/or DO schools Have your school list critiqued and modified by other members of SDN Determine how to strengthen your current application General...

forums.studentdoctor.net

1 II with a WARS of 77 suggests different issues than not targeting schools with an emphasis on education. Relying on projected hours (if that applies to you) could be one if that was the majority of your clinical experience on the last app.

 

[Frigidcold]

Definitely

 

[Mynameis1324]

WARS score 77
LM 74

School List currently.

Anything I could add/subtract

ORM FL 3.7/3.61 519

2000 clinical
500 research + 500 expected
200 non clinical volunteering
TAing
Tutoring

MD

1. UM
2. FSU
3. UF
4. FAU
5. FIU
6. USF
7. Nova
8. UCF
9. Case Western
10. Pittsburgh
11. Emory
12. Quinnipiac
13. Dartmouth
14. Temple
15. Tufts
16. Wake Forest
17. Cincy
18. Albany
19. Einstein
20. NYMC
21. Sidney Kimmel
22. Drexel
23. Michigan
24. V Tech
25. Geisinger
26. Seton Hall
27. UCSF

DO
Nova
MSU
PCOM
VCOM

 

[chilly_md]

What did your clinical experience and non-clinical volunteering involve? Where did you receive interviews? If you applied DO in a timely manner and did not receive any, there may be a red flag in your app.

 

[wysdoc]

WARS score 77
LM 74

School List currently.

Anything I could add/subtract

ORM FL 3.7/3.61 519

2000 clinical
500 research + 500 expected
200 non clinical volunteering
TAing
Tutoring

MD

1. UM
2. FSU
3. UF
4. FAU
5. FIU
6. USF
7. Nova
8. UCF
9. Case Western
10. Pittsburgh
11. Emory
12. Quinnipiac
13. Dartmouth
14. Temple
15. Tufts
16. Wake Forest
17. Cincy
18. Albany
19. Einstein
20. NYMC
21. Sidney Kimmel
22. Drexel
23. Michigan
24. V Tech
25. Geisinger
26. Seton Hall
27. UCSF

DO
Nova
MSU
PCOM
VCOM

I’m curious if your first application was submitted late?

 

[chilly_md]

Threads merged and moved to Re-applicant forums.

 

[Mynameis1324]

What did your clinical experience and non-clinical volunteering involve? Where did you receive interviews? If you applied DO in a timely manner and did not receive any, there may be a red flag in your app.

I received my II to Case Western,
I scribed for clinical and did crisis text line for non-clinical. Last cycle thought the vast majority of my scribing hours were projected, now they will be "real"

Edit: I also shadowed in person for like 100ish hours and did online shadowing during COVID


I did not apply DO last cycle

 

[Mynameis1324]

I’m curious if your first application was submitted late?

No, I submitted every secondary by August. My Case interview even took place in August

 

[chilly_md]

I received my II to Case Western,
I scribed for clinical and did crisis text line for non-clinical. Last cycle thought the vast majority of my scribing hours were projected, now they will be "real"

Edit: I also shadowed in person for like 100ish hours and did online shadowing during COVID


I did not apply DO last cycle

You would benefit from in-person volunteering at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen etc as mentioned earlier. Having completed hours should help you, it seems the lack of them could be the reason you had no luck with FL schools (which you should have had good chances at).

Have trusted eyes review your PS and secondary essays. Might be good to replace any LOR’s you suspect could be weak.

I suggest:

UM
FSU
UF
FAU
FIU
USF
Nova
UCF
Case Western
Pittsburgh
Emory
Dartmouth
Temple
Tufts
Wake Forest
Cincinnati
Ohio State
Einstein
Sidney Kimmel
Hofstra
Rochester
Western Michigan
Seton Hall
Vermont
UVA
VCU
Saint Louis
Creighton
Mayo
Colorado
Belmont (when it opens)

DO
KCU
MSU
PCOM
VCOM
DMU
Campbell

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Well in my personal statement I discuss how I have always been a inquisitive person and with my personal history with health scares (multiple family members passing away before 60 from cancer) I want to be able to apply the pursuit of knowledge to medicine specifically while being able to maintain the human aspect that comes with practicing medicine versus doing strictly research.

I also discuss how I believe it is important for physicians to be able to communicate advanced topics to patients and keep them educated on their health in order to both foster the physician-patient relationship and also improve patient health outcomes. I know of many physicians who struggle in explaining to the laymen and I hope my teaching history would allow me to be better.

I don't mean to sound flippant, but many people I know who became Medical Science Liaisons for pharmaceutical companies love their jobs for these reasons too, including those affected by a family illness.

I admit not every faculty adcom thinks like me, but it isn't enough just to teach. I presume you have connected the arc of your story to why this is your calling.

The lack of details makes it challenging to give more specific advice. Not getting an in-state II is interesting. Have you gotten a decision from Case?

If you didn't bank your hours at submission, then yes, that may be a big issue that could be resolved on the reapp. I also agree the service orientation competency needs to be addressed.

 

[Mynameis1324]

I don't mean to sound flippant, but many people I know who became Medical Science Liaisons for pharmaceutical companies love their jobs for these reasons too, including those affected by a family illness.

I admit not every faculty adcom thinks like me, but it isn't enough just to teach. I presume you have connected the arc of your story to why this is your calling.

The lack of details makes it challenging to give more specific advice. Not getting an in-state II is interesting. Have you gotten a decision from Case?

If you didn't bank your hours at submission, then yes, that may be a big issue that could be resolved on the reapp. I also agree the service orientation competency needs to be addressed.

Well i didn’t even directly address teaching in my personal statement. I’d gladly let you read a copy of the one I submitted last year as well as my copy of my current one.


What details would you like to know?

I was waitlisted at Case, so I guess I could still get in but I am preparing for a re-app at this point

I put my scribing hours as future hours not obtained so if that’s what’s you mean by not banking them yet hopefully I will have more success next cycle.

 

[chilly_md]

Well i didn’t even directly address teaching in my personal statement. I’d gladly let you read a copy of the one I submitted last year as well as my copy of my current one.


What details would you like to know?

I was waitlisted at Case, so I guess I could still get in but I am preparing for a re-app at this point

I put my scribing hours as future hours not obtained so if that’s what’s you mean by not banking them yet hopefully I will have more success next cycle.

I could take a look as well at the PS.

Do any of the FL med schools offer advising for in-state reapplicants? That is something worth pursuing as well.

 

[Mynameis1324]

I could take a look as well at the PS.

Do any of the FL med schools offer advising for in-state reapplicants? That is something worth pursuing as well.

Sure, where could I send it to?

And I will look into that asap

 

[chilly_md]

Sure, where could I send it to?

And I will look into that asap

You can PM me