typical freshman year?

[Sparty Corn Fed]

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I was just curious as to the freshman undergrad experience current applicants had. Just stuff like what activities you took part in and how many people volunteered and did research during their first year. Thanks

 

[megkudos]

I didn't do anything my freshman year...nada...including going to class. I didn't decide to pursue medicine until after that experience though, so it's a little different.

Worry most about your grades and then do a couple other things, but don't overdo it! Just get a feel for some things you might want to pursue in depth later on.

Good luck!

 

[MUN2005]

Even though I have not applied yet, I think I can be of some help. This is my second semester at university. I volunteer at a hospital once a week, and with St. John Ambulance (a first aid - paramedic service) about once a week. I have a part time job and I am in a pre-medical society. Sometimes I think I am doing too much, but then I try to turn wasted time into productive time, like sleeping all day on weekends etc. As the above poster stated, don't overdo it. There's plenty of time to get involved with different things but you need time to adjust to new circumstances in college as well.

 

[moo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by clinicalchief:
• I am in a pre-medical society. •••••That's something I did in my junior year and I regret it immensely.

 

[Doctora Foxy]

I attended the required two meetings a semester for my pre-health society. I didn't even put it on my amcas applications. Did anyone else? I didn't think it was a significant activity, but I don't see how becoming active in it could be bad, moo. We get physicians, med students,etc come to speak and we have med-related movie nights, although I was not very active in it.

Moo, why do you regret it?

And did anyone put this on amcas?

 

[MUN2005]

Yeah I think it's a great way to become exposed to some medically related people and events. So far we have had Q&A sessions with medschool admissions people about applications, interviews, and EC's. We are also writing a practice mcat next month. Did you have a bad experience moo?

 

[coop]

i had a great time, didn't even know i was premed, went to class sometimes, but really participated in no ECs, sophomore year is when you should start kicking things into gear, as a freshman, just enjoy the novelty of college(without trashing your gpa)

 

[Skye04]

Freshman year...

Started research a few months into the year, did that about 12 hrs per week 'til June, and did some volunteer work, medical and non-medical. Oh I also shadowed a radiologist a few times but that was a waste a time -- well, no, now I KNOW I don't want to go into radiology. 😀

But hey there is no reason you can't study hard and party hard at the same time. I did have a fun freshman year... went out usually 2-3 nights per week.

 

[FLY]

I had a small officer position in a club and I had to be at the meeting each and every sunday at 9, which cut into many many other things... (I wouldn't do it again)

Took Kung-Fu

Was on a JV sports team...

and I did Volunteering at a hospital....

 

[Doctora Foxy]

My freshman year I pledged a sorority and wasted lots of time doing their stupid "events." I did absolutely no other ECs that year except for the pre-health society. But I started that summer and continued after that. So don't worry about freshman year...study hard so you don't ruin your gpa and have some fun. You could volunteer an hour a week tutoring or something if you have the time. <img src="http://www.minorannoyance.net/~spin/Smilies/contrib/tweetz/wiggle.gif" alt="" />

 

[mdmom]

Hello all,

My advice would be to get involved early. Do whatever you think is fun, interesting or helpful. Our pre-med advisor always said that it was better to be involved in some things for a while, than to cram in too many activities late in the game (Like the adcoms can't see that one 🙄 ).

As far as the pre-med club is concerned, ours was great. It was the largest and most active society on campus. That tells you just how much we pre-meds are really into what we do. If anything, it was worth going to the meetings and listening to the upper-classmen talk about the whole MCAT and application experience, so the rest of us would have a clue what to expect.

Good luck in your endeavors.

 

[mdmom]

I'm with Doctor Foxy, tutoring is a great idea! Tutor something that will be on the MCAT!! It will help you immensely in a couple of years.

And Doctor Foxy, the whole dancing smiley thing, que chula! 😛

 

[BME02]

Just do what ever you think is interesting. The Adcoms look for diversity and not necessarily someone who went and did the "typical premed" first year things. Go explore. I didn't do much my freshman year for EC. I joined a fraternity, had fun and studied. I shadowed a doc over the summer. Sophomore year I was involved with a lot of philanthropy work and didn't do anything medically related. Just do what you please. If you don't like what you are doing then there really is no point. I have done well in the whole process, so it is not all that important to be the "typical" premed. When you start doing things just because you can add it to your resume, you have started to lose the game. But, I could be wrong...

 

[Elysium]

I think you should really do things you enjoy, both in and out of school. There are some really cool clubs at most colleges (like water ski club, or film societies, or cuban dancing). Do something you like that's unique and cool.

Dr. Foxy,

I LOVE THAT LITTLE GRAEMLIN (or however you spell it). It made my day!

Where did you get it?

 

[Doctora Foxy]

TEDillard I PMed you <img src="http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/contrib/tweetz/wiggle.gif" alt="" />

 

[Street Philosopher]

My thinking during freshman year was that it was a time of transition, so I didn't want to involve myself too heavily during that time. So that's why I focused mainly on classes and had no EC's, except during the summer. That decision was ultimately not-that great. I did well during freshman year, but I regret the lack of experience I could have had in working at hospitals or wherever. But then again, it doesn't make too much of a difference if you do or don't do stuff during freshman year. By the time you apply that will be such a long time ago that it will not matter too much, much in the same way high school achievements aren't much of factor.

 

[PMPMD]

My freshman year, I did almost nothing medically related, except for going to one or two meetings of the pre-med society, something I haven't done since that year. I studied pretty hard, and got my best semester GPAs yet. I think admissions committees are more concerned with your later college years, and your overall stats, as well as a positive trend in grades. So don't worry too much about your first year, have fun and get a good GPA. The transition from high school to college takes some adjustment, so I wouldn't try to overdo it by doing a ton of volunteering, just find out what organizations can be outlets for that type of work, you'll have plenty of time to volunteer in later years. I don't think they'll let freshmen do research here so that wasn't even an option, and I wouldn't suggest doing that year 1 if it is at your school. Maybe I'm just lazy, but I say save that stuff for the other 3 years, it will be closer to the time you write your personal statement and answer interview questions.