This is for the people who got accepted to med school: I have a question about

[alexfoleyc]

I ahve question about volunteering and ECs. Just exactly how much did you volunteer and how many ECs did you have per semester? I understand this is only one component of the whole application, but it is an essential one. I feel like im lacking in this area. Basically, I want to know the following:

1. Is it better to be in one club/org for a long time or many different clubs/orgs per semester?
2. How many clubs/orgs were you in per semester?
3. When did you start volunteering? And where?
4. How many ECs did you have listed in you app?

Thank you.

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[scarletgirl777]

I ahve question about volunteering and ECs. Just exactly how much did you volunteer and how many ECs did you have per semester? I understand this is only one component of the whole application, but it is an essential one. I feel like im lacking in this area. Basically, I want to know the following:

1. Is it better to be in one club/org for a long time or many different clubs/orgs per semester?
2. How many clubs/orgs were you in per semester?
3. When did you start volunteering? And where?
4. How many ECs did you have listed in you app?

Thank you.

1. many clubs for a long time Seriously though, quality over quantity.
2. 1 or 2, depending (not every EC has to be being part of a student org)
3. freshman spring. tutored underprivileged kids
4. Filled out 14 slots (and no, I did not list 1- or 2-day activities but not everything was what I'd call an intensive EC)

 

[olemissbabydoc]

I had to pick fifteen to put on my amcas app. my activities and stuff are on my mdapps if you want specifics, I had about 16-17 probably (by the grace of God I'd been volunteering clinical and nonclinical waay before I started my postbacc premed program)..

 

[ChubbyChaser]

1 and 2) clubs are overrated but I agree quality over quantity. Try to get a leadership position.
3) Freshman year- worked as counselor at a camp for terminally ill children and then started as an EMT in soph year.
4) a few awards for research, lots of sports, volunteering, music etc. They were all fairly long and meaningful ECs.

 

[Greonis]

I encourage you not to "quantify" experiences, since there is no defined formula that one must follow to be succesful. You should simply look for activities that you enjoy and try your best to stay with them for many years, being sure that some of them are of relevance to medicine.

To answer your questions:

1.) Quality over quantity.
2.) I never joined any clubs or organizations (at least in the sense of a student-managed group).
3.) I started volunteering during my freshman year, but did not become serious about it until several years later.
4.) I had 8 or 9 in total, many of which were long-term (that is, several years in duration). 1 or 2 of them were honors/distinctions.

 

[flip26]

You don't need any "clubs."

And you don't need to fill in every available slot on the AMCAS.

Quality>>>quantity

 

[chemolupusMD]

I ahve question about volunteering and ECs. Just exactly how much did you volunteer and how many ECs did you have per semester? I understand this is only one component of the whole application, but it is an essential one. I feel like im lacking in this area. Basically, I want to know the following:

1. Is it better to be in one club/org for a long time or many different clubs/orgs per semester?
2. How many clubs/orgs were you in per semester?
3. When did you start volunteering? And where?
4. How many ECs did you have listed in you app?

Thank you.

1) and 2) i joined a couple but i became really involved in 1 (VP of honor society)
3) I worked so didnt have time to really start volunteering until fall of junior year.
4) i filled out all my spots but lest out other stuff.

 

[DrYoda]

1. Quality over quantity (but I agree clubs=overrated)
2. Clubs are lame, I never joined any
3. Volunteered in the ER my sophmore year
4. I think I filled up 11 spots: most of which were jobs and awards.

 

[alexfoleyc]

It seems like a lot of you have not joined clubs or any student-managed groups. Then what exactly should I join that can be considered an ec?

 

[airplanes]

Dude, you ask a lot of questions..

Don't do EC's for the sake of padding the resume. Just figure out what you're interested in and stay committed (easier said than done). Don't ask how long you have to stay in one or how many hours you have to devote. And I never calculated my clubs per semester ratio so I don't know.

If you haven't been getting clinical experience that is also a must. I volunteered as a medical translator at a local health clinic. Our school also has a preceptorship program where they set you up with a doctor to shadow for a term. Good way to get a letter of rec as well.

 

[PandaBrewMaster]

Student groups and clubs are many peoples main ECs. Theyre easy and accessible, provide leadership opportunities, and if they are service organizations, also provide a valuable contribution to the community. My main ECs, outside of research, are all from school service and sports clubs.

 

[nontypicalazn]

1. Is it better to be in one club/org for a long time or many different clubs/orgs per semester?
2. How many clubs/orgs were you in per semester?
3. When did you start volunteering? And where?
4. How many ECs did you have listed in you app?

1. Agree with many people that those are mostly useless. Enjoy undergrad b/c chances are you won't get to do those activities once you start med school (at least year 3 and 4). Also, if you truly enjoy doing something, then there's topics of conversation during interviews, to show the many sides of you.

2. I went to a very small city school, and I only joined an Engineering chapter.

3. Clinically related volunteer is CRUCIAL. (I'm a terrible example of only having volunteered for 4 months at the time of my interview, but it just shows that you know what kind of environment physicians are in, and what you might encounter if you choose medicine).

4. Honestly EC are like club activities. They won't really make or break your app, unless it's something major. List whatever you think important and might possibly talk about during the interview. Anything that can make you stand out (in a good way).

 

[scarletgirl777]

It seems like a lot of you have not joined clubs or any student-managed groups. Then what exactly should I join that can be considered an ec?

You can volunteer for/work for organizations that are off campus during the school year. You can do activities/internships during the summer.

But I think that student clubs are the easiest way to get leadership positions. It's hard to, for example, convince the local chapter of your Lions Club that you would be a good board member. I also strongly disagree that clubs are useless. I personally found that many of the clubs on campus were doing amazing things. It's not whether it's student run or not or if fits into some specific category that determines if the activity is useful--it's the extent of the responsibility you had, what you gained from the experience, and your personal impact on the organization or the group of people that the organization is serving.

 

[VManForever]

You can volunteer for/work for organizations that are off campus during the school year. You can do activities/internships during the summer.

But I think that student clubs are the easiest way to get leadership positions. It's hard to, for example, convince the local chapter of your Lions Club that you would be a good board member. I also strongly disagree that clubs are useless. I personally found that many of the clubs on campus were doing amazing things. It's not whether it's student run or not or if fits into some specific category that determines if the activity is useful--it's the extent of the responsibility you had, what you gained from the experience, and your personal impact on the organization or the group of people that the organization is serving.

Some clubs may have members that are only interested in padding their resumes, so those may be the pointless ones. However, I completely agree that clubs are a great way to gain leadership experience and/or do community service. In that sense, not all clubs are useless. Honestly, if you join a club because you believe in the work that the club does, then you will be fine. Furthermore, leadership roles in a club also shows your commitment and is reflective of your interests, seeing how it most likely coincides with what that club does. Don't plan this out with numbers and ratios, find the things that you are most passionate about and stick with them. That will show forth the most when it comes time for you to talk about them during the interview or even on your applications. Good luck.