Tutoring MCAT for residency application

[Walter_Cronkite]

Current 1st year medical student here. Would working as a MCAT tutor (during med school) be viewed upon favorably when applying to residencies (if one of the themes in your application is medical education/academia)? Or does it not count since you're being paid?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[NeedSomeAdviceGuy]

Certainly favorable/neutral at worst. And even if it wasn't, no reason to not continue it - it's a big money maker, I cover my rent + food and then some with it and I wouldn't stop even if it was considered negative on apps lmao

 

[Redpancreas]

It absolutely helps, especially if you scored well highlight that in the tutoring position.

 

[NeedSomeAdviceGuy]

It absolutely helps, especially if you scored well highlight that in the tutoring position.

That's a good point, the best way to milk your MCAT score as much as you can haha

 

[Walter_Cronkite]

It absolutely helps, especially if you scored well highlight that in the tutoring position.

Awesome, looks like I'm going to pursue this opportunity full steam ahead! (Was concerned that it'd look bad on the CV b/c it'd make me look like a sell-out haha)

 

[NeedSomeAdviceGuy]

Awesome, looks like I'm going to pursue this opportunity full steam ahead! (Was concerned that it'd look bad on the CV b/c it'd make me look like a sell-out haha)

Nah you gotta feed yourself. I understand the guilt of it, contributing to the system that certainly favors those who can afford these additional resources. I ease my conscience by also volunteering my tutoring services to teach group classes for those underrepresented in medicine, you can def consider that as an option yourself!

 

[deleted952648]

Certainly favorable/neutral at worst. And even if it wasn't, no reason to not continue it - it's a big money maker, I cover my rent + food and then some with it and I wouldn't stop even if it was considered negative on apps lmao

That's awesome. How do you ensure a steady flow of students?

 

[Walter_Cronkite]

Along a similar vein, how would being an admissions consultant look? Would that be the "paid mentorship" version of MCAT tutoring?

 

[Lawpy]

Along a similar vein, how would being an admissions consultant look? Would that be the "paid mentorship" version of MCAT tutoring?

I think i know what you're talking about and people who do those things usually match well.. but then again, they already have strong backgrounds and applications that help anyways.

But tagging @GoSpursGo @NotAProgDirector anyways

 

[GoSpursGo]

I see any version of these as neutral. Certainly won’t hurt you.

 

[Walter_Cronkite]

I see any version of these as neutral. Certainly won’t hurt you.

Could it be at all positive if I'm trying to paint a theme of medical education/teaching in my application?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Could it be at all positive if I'm trying to paint a theme of medical education/teaching in my application?

If that is truly a theme in your application then I would probably highlight other examples and let this just kind of sit there and let PDs make that connection. Personally I assume people tutor because it's good money, and there's nothing wrong with that but it's not altruistic either. It just shows that you're smart, which is usually already apparent from your grades and board scores.

Anyways, do this if the money is good and that would help you. Don't do it because you think it'll look good on your CV, because ultimately it's kind of whatever and there are other things you could do with your time.

 

[Walter_Cronkite]

because ultimately it's kind of whatever and there are other things you could do with your time.

Thanks for the feedback (super helpful!)

Out of curiosity what are some other things that I could be doing instead that would be more productive for strengthening my residency app (I'm a MS1)? Would it just be research?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Thanks for the feedback (super helpful!)

Out of curiosity what are some other things that I could be doing instead that would be more productive for strengthening my residency app (I'm a MS1)? Would it just be research?

And studying 🙂

 

[NeedSomeAdviceGuy]

That's awesome. How do you ensure a steady flow of students?

I tutor both via word of mouth as well as through small companies that contract me out. In my experience, the smaller companies (the not big names like Kaplan and Princeton) in the city I live in offered far more pay. Probably because they do nothing besides connect the student to me and certainly bank a pretty penny, but at the end of the day they keep a steady flow and I get paid a nice amount per hour.

Outside that, I also tutor via word of mouth mostly via the folks I tutor through this company (I tell them to feel free to recommend friends to me). I'm able to charge these individuals more because I could charge them double per hour and it'd still be roughly the same price if not cheaper than what the "test prep" company that hired me charged them.