Thoughts on ECs?

[bigM6029]

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I went to my premed advisor today feeling confident but left a little confused. She said that my ECs are good but I need something that makes me different. I am currently a junior and planning on taking a gap year. Tell me what you guys think..

-Organic Chem Research: 2 years by the time of application
-Volunteer Medical assistant at a private clinic: 2 years by the time of application (~400 hrs)
-hospital volunteer (non-clinical, no patient interaction): ~100 hrs
-Habitat for humanity: starting next week, hopefully ~100-150 hrs by application time
-leadership position for a fitness club: 2.5 years by application time
-shadowed 2 MDs. Need to shadow a DO soon
-organic chemistry teaching assistant: 2 semesters
-planning on being a TA for physics next semester
-planning on starting an internship which conducts clinical trials

Give me honest feedback please!



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[deleted781806]

I mean, you definitely have all of the "standard" experiences that medical schools are beginning to expect from their applicants like the clinical volunteering, shadowing, being a teaching assistant, and working for some large service organization (Habitat). But knowing that, a lot of other applicants will have a similar profile on their own ECs, so to have something that could make you stand out as being "unique" would be helpful. Something that highlights another aspect of your personality or a passion of yours that is outside of the standard medicine spectrum of activities. For example, I had a lot of experience with French and music during my undergraduate years which I highlighted throughout the application process. It'll be different for everyone though!

 

[Catalystik]

I went to my premed advisor today feeling confident but left a little confused. She said that my ECs are good but I need something that makes me different. I am currently a junior and planning on taking a gap year. Tell me what you guys think..

-Organic Chem Research: 2 years by the time of application
-Volunteer Medical assistant at a private clinic: 2 years by the time of application (~400 hrs)
-hospital volunteer (non-clinical, no patient interaction): ~100 hrs
-Habitat for humanity: starting next week, hopefully ~100-150 hrs by application time
-leadership position for a fitness club: 2.5 years by application time
-shadowed 2 MDs. Need to shadow a DO soon
-organic chemistry teaching assistant: 2 semesters
-planning on being a TA for physics next semester
-planning on starting an internship which conducts clinical trials

Give me honest feedback please!



Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile

I think your ECs look very good. What your advisor wants you to have is "a hook," namely something to make your application memorable. You can cover this with a hobby, artistic endeavors, an unusual job, etc. It doesn't have to be unique, but what you say about should highlight a memorable aspect.

 

[Catalystik]

An example is seen below:

No one said that you need to be "unique". In fact, each of you snowflakes is unique by virtue of your fingerprints.

However, what you need is a "hook". Something that makes us say, "how interesting! It would be fun to talk to this applicant, let's invite 'em to interview." Then when you are interviewed you need to show some enthusiasm and passion for something you've done as this draws people in makes them believe you are an interesting person.

So, let's say that you like to cook and you asked your grandmother to teach you to make a traditional dish and then you and your grandmother made 12 dozen of them for a special occasion. Now you might write in your PS that you learned your dumpling making skills from your grandmother but that she also provided your first introduction to [some chronic disease]. Then you go on about your mad dumpling making skills but also about how your interest in grandma's condition led you to do x, y, and z culminating in applying to medical school. Now you might get labeled as "the dumpling maker". Are you the only applicant who knows how to make dumplings? Of course not but that with your other stuff is going to be a memory aid to the adcom as your application makes its way through the system.