Unique Premed Experiences

[Wackie]

Yeah, it is a pretty great background. Made a h*ll of a Personal Statement, from what I hear.

And I'm sure you're proud of yourself. It was a joke. Tasteless, but a joke. It wasn't even worth responding to him.

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[melissainsd]

I'll post most unique EC in the hopes that more people will do it...

I worked a Lead Sexual Response Services patient advocate. I responded to Emergency rooms when someone was assaulted and coordinated the forensic exam (among other things). It was an amazing experience. I had to organize doctors, nurses and police (and stand up to them when they tried to run the show). It was really good practice interacting with patients. They come in traumatized and you have a very short amount of time to gain their trust. You also witness a lot of procedures (but they are not for the feint of heart). You work a lot with the underserved (because those are the most vulnerable to assault). I have spent hundreds of hours in the ER.

For any pre-meds out there- check your local resources and see if you have something similar. If you are truly compassionate (not just pretending to get into med school) and empathetic, please look into it- we need you!

 

[Mr. McDuck]

I taught and competed successfully (gold/silver medals) in Judo. Most people find that at least mildly interesting since I weigh about a buck 20 tops.

 

[Neelesh]

I have the opportunity to take part in a lot of unique experiences:

I travelled to Chennai, India for 8 weeks last summer teaching at rural schools, private schools, and colleges about HIV/AIDS prevention education. In addition, we worked at children's HIV hospices and orphanages. It was an amazing experience becuase it i felt like I was actually doing something very positive for the wellbeing of a community.

I also volunteer with a teenager suffering from Myotubular Myopathy. He is extrememly interested in music and would love to learn to play guitar, but because of his physical limitations, it's not possible. So, I go to his house every Friday and play all his favorite songs for him on guitar in addition to giving him an opportunity to hang out with someone who isn't his relative. I look forward to every Friday because it has combined two of my interests (music and working with people in need), and It feels so good to make this kid's day.

If you want advice on what kind of stuff to do, figure out what kind of stuff you enjoy and (art, sports, music, teaching, etc.) and use your talent to better someone elses life.

 

[Corpsman99]

I have to agree with melissainsd. I have run into a lot of military (every branch and MOS) that were only doing the bare minimum to keep from getting in trouble. Some of them were just in it for college, some of them were the "go to war, or go to jail" kids, but they were only in the military because they had to be for some reason or another.

I think that its pretty amazing how some of you compare military service and life as a military medic to a criminal on the run! I was Navy Hospital Corpsman for five years and spent 4 of them with the Marines. I never worked with a better group of people and many of them love what they do! The experiences in military medicine are far more diverse then any civilian Rig. All of you ex-military stay motivated!!! 🙂

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I think that its pretty amazing how some of you compare military service and life as a military medic to a criminal on the run! I was Navy Hospital Corpsman for five years and spent 4 of them with the Marines. I never worked with a better group of people and many of them love what they do! The experiences in military medicine are far more diverse then any civilian Rig. All of you ex-military stay motivated!!! 🙂

I worked for a couple of years with the Air Force and would agree with Greytmedic's assessment- there were a vast number of my colleagues who were some of the laziest and most inept SOB's I've ever had the displeasure of associating with- mainly because the "corporate culture" of the Air Force is highly tolerant of this sort of thing. However, I worked with an Army unit as an instructor and those guys were some of the most professional and competent medics I've ever had the pleasure of training, so I guess it depends on the service.

 

[greytmedic]

I think that its pretty amazing how some of you compare military service and life as a military medic to a criminal on the run! I was Navy Hospital Corpsman for five years and spent 4 of them with the Marines. I never worked with a better group of people and many of them love what they do! The experiences in military medicine are far more diverse then any civilian Rig. All of you ex-military stay motivated!!! 🙂

I am not downplaying the military experience. I would not trade the experience I acquired in the military for anything. I also think that most of the men I served with were high speed, low drag types. I was just agreeing that the military does not automatically indicate how dedicated a person is.

 

[degoo_]

I am a magician. Did lots of kids/birthdays/anniversary shows.

 

[nosugrefneb]

I'm not terribly unique, but there are a few in my class that may stand out: one was in the NFL for a few years, one was a speechwriter for Carol Moseley Braun after law school, one once played Anna Kournikova in a tournament (and got spanked, apparently), and one was an actress in a few movies that most people are familiar with. Kind of an interesting bunch of people.

 

[musiclink213]

I think the most unique experience that all my interviewers loved hearing about was that I played at Carnegie Hall. I was actually at one interview, nad getting asked a bunch of standard questions, and not a good time to mention Carnegie, but they had my PS and so at hte end of the interview, my interviewer says to me: We're not supposed to ask any questions besides what's on the list, but I'm dying to know. what was it like to play at Carnegie Hall??

I've also skated on the same ice iwth Emily Hughes a few times. Although whenever she would come on, I would be in such awe of what she was doing that it was hard to concentrate on my own skating, so I had to stop going to those sessions.

 

[mideastbroson]

Made a sexy time.

(amazing for some of you hahah)

 

[chad5871]

I think the most unique experience that all my interviewers loved hearing about was that I played at Carnegie Hall. I was actually at one interview, nad getting asked a bunch of standard questions, and not a good time to mention Carnegie, but they had my PS and so at hte end of the interview, my interviewer says to me: We're not supposed to ask any questions besides what's on the list, but I'm dying to know. what was it like to play at Carnegie Hall??

When I was in high school I was in a choral group that was supposed to perform at Carnegie Hall, but the hall was already booked on the night of the performance, so they moved us to the Lincoln Center instead. Still fun, but not quite as prestigious. 🙁

 

[nubbey24]

Most unique experience that interviewers wanted to ask about:

I am 6'0" tall, and 220lbs, and run marathons (3) and half marathons (7) in the last 3 years. In 2005 I had a PR in the Portland Half Marathon with an average mile of 7:12, and I finished 2nd place in the male, 200lb and up weight division. I think fairly unique,and fun!

 

[chad5871]

Most unique experience that interviewers wanted to ask about:

I am 6'0" tall, and 220lbs, and run marathons (3) and half marathons (7) in the last 3 years. In 2005 I had a PR in the Portland Half Marathon with an average mile of 7:12, and I finished 2nd place in the male, 200lb and up weight division. I think fairly unique,and fun!

Cool! I'm 6'4" and 165 lbs., but I still can't run a mile in under 7:30. 🙁 I never really was much of an athlete...

 

[Karina 07]

I got to meet the President of Mexico back in 1998. I had breakfast with him in the presidential house in Mexico City...I was 12, and I'd won it as a prize for a national academic competition (and I have pictures to prove it). I also got to spend the whole week at Mexico City, basically going places 😀 .

That's nothing, the President of Bolivia came over for dinner!

Seriously, he was visiting my department in grad school and my housemate, who's also in the same department, was asking him some questions, and after she finished he said okay now I have a question for you -- what is there to do here that's fun, because my evening is free. And she invited him over for dinner! And so he, his wife, and his bodyguards all came over! With an hour of time to prepare and nothing in the house to serve (uh, pasta, Mr. President? 😉 ).

Edit: I've also met (on the "in the same large room as" level, not personally): Tony Blair, Paul Martin, the majority of the Democratic contenders to run for president last time i.e. before they picked Kerry & Edwards, the President of Botswana, the President of Pakistan, a former President of Brazil, and... a few others I forget right now -- oh, and don't forget, Terry Pratchett! (No joke!)

 

[8744]

I went to high school with Greg Kinnear (the actor).

 

[baylormed]

That's nothing, the President of Bolivia came over for dinner!

Seriously, he was visiting my department in grad school and my housemate, who's also in the same department, was asking him some questions, and after she finished he said okay now I have a question for you -- what is there to do here that's fun, because my evening is free. And she invited him over for dinner! And so he, his wife, and his bodyguards all came over! With an hour of time to prepare and nothing in the house to serve (uh, pasta, Mr. President? 😉 ).

Edit: I've also met (on the "in the same large room as" level, not personally): Tony Blair, Paul Martin, the majority of the Democratic contenders to run for president last time i.e. before they picked Kerry & Edwards, the President of Botswana, the President of Pakistan, a former President of Brazil, and... a few others I forget right now -- oh, and don't forget, Terry Pratchett! (No joke!)

But you didn't WIN the dinner, did you?

I did, by the sheer power of my coolness and great study skills. Also, you didn't get to have the dinner at the presidential house, as I did, nor did you get a week long vacation in Bolivia, as I did in Mexico City.

Also, you weren't 12 when it happened.

And that is why my experience is cooler than yours. 😛

 

[Steve203]

That's nothing, the President of Bolivia came over for dinner!


Edit: I've also met (on the "in the same large room as" level, not personally): Tony Blair, Paul Martin, the majority of the Democratic contenders to run for president last time i.e. before they picked Kerry & Edwards, the President of Botswana, the President of Pakistan, a former President of Brazil, and... a few others I forget right now -- oh, and don't forget, Terry Pratchett! (No joke!)

Oh yeah, well I kicked it with 2pac and Biggie while they were still alive. At the same time. In the same room.

 

[Karina 07]

But you didn't WIN the dinner, did you?

I did, by the sheer power of my coolness and great study skills. Also, you didn't get to have the dinner at the presidential house, as I did, nor did you get a week long vacation in Bolivia, as I did in Mexico City.

Also, you weren't 12 when it happened.

And that is why my experience is cooler than yours. 😛

I suppose backtracking a LONG way, I *suppose* one could say I won it (huge stretch!!). I won a scholarship that let me go to the place where I got to meet all these cool people 🙂. Hey, that's almost somewhat a quasi-fair statement, considering there aren't too many places on earth where all those people would come together 🙂. (Minus the democratic contenders, that was way ages ago and elsewhere.)

 

[baylormed]

I suppose backtracking a LONG way, I *suppose* one could say I won it (huge stretch!!). I won a scholarship that let me go to the place where I got to meet all these cool people 🙂. Hey, that's almost somewhat a quasi-fair statement, considering there aren't too many places on earth where all those people would come together 🙂. (Minus the democratic contenders, that was way ages ago and elsewhere.)

Haha, nice try.

 

[melissainsd]

Most unique experience that interviewers wanted to ask about:

I am 6'0" tall, and 220lbs, and run marathons (3) and half marathons (7) in the last 3 years. In 2005 I had a PR in the Portland Half Marathon with an average mile of 7:12, and I finished 2nd place in the male, 200lb and up weight division. I think fairly unique,and fun!

I run too Nubs, but I am much slower. So now we can organize play groups AND running groups at Penn!

 

[J1515]

I was on the receiving end of a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick and lived to talk about it.

 

[sunnyjohn]

I was on the receiving end of a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick and lived to talk about it.

That's a bold-face lie. No one can survive a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick.

 

[GreyBlueEyes]

Being abused as a child is an experience that I hope no one else on this board has ever had to or will ever experience. It takes a lot to recover from it and go on to lead a normal and successful life. It took years for me to even tell anyone about it, and now I can be very open about it even with strangers on SDN because topics like this, IMO, need to be talked about with everybody.

unfortunately, i don't think this experience is very unique. i'm still close to the friends i formed in high school, and as adults we started talking about things we didn't talk about then. every single one of us was molested, male and female. we've spent a lot of time wondering if it's just become incredibly common or if we subconsciously gravitated toward one another. it's definitely made me hypervigilant where my kids are concerned.

personally, my alcoholic grandfather molested me, my sister, and my cousin (we were close to the same age). also, i was born into a cult famous for child molestation (the children of god, aka the family...you can look them up, they're still active). even though my mom fled while i was young, my older brother was significantly affected. he was molested and in turn molested me.

it's a ****ed up world. i feel lucky that i was able to make my peace with these things fairly early in life. personally, i don't intend to include any of this in my app/personal statement; however, i've never been comfortable with lying when asked why my birthplace is spain (the cult is international), so it might come up in interviews. i just prefer being associated with my positive experiences, rather than my negative ones. they've all made me who i am and i'm not ashamed, but i'd much rather be known as "the girl who has a 3.9 despite having 3 children and a husband in the military" than "the girl who was born into a cult and molested for years."

 

[baylormed]

unfortunately, i don't think this experience is very unique. i'm still close to the friends i formed in high school, and as adults we started talking about things we didn't talk about then. every single one of us was molested, male and female. we've spent a lot of time wondering if it's just become incredibly common or if we subconsciously gravitated toward one another. it's definitely made me hypervigilant where my kids are concerned.

personally, my alcoholic grandfather molested me, my sister, and my cousin (we were close to the same age). also, i was born into a cult famous for child molestation (the children of god, aka the family...you can look them up, they're still active). even though my mom fled while i was young, my older brother was significantly affected. he was molested and in turn molested me.

it's a ****ed up world. i feel lucky that i was able to make my peace with these things fairly early in life. personally, i don't intend to include any of this in my app/personal statement; however, i've never been comfortable with lying when asked why my birthplace is spain (the cult is international), so it might come up in interviews. i just prefer being associated with my positive experiences, rather than my negative ones. they've all made me who i am and i'm not ashamed, but i'd much rather be known as "the girl who has a 3.9 despite having 3 children and a husband in the military" than "the girl who was born into a cult and molested for years."

You're downplaying the experience quite a bit. I don't think being abused as a child is "common" as you put it. Either you had a tendency to gravitate towards certain kinds of friends, or it was a big coincidence. In my life, which granted, it's only 20 years long but I've met a lot of people since, I've never met a person who'd been abused or molested. Sheltered? I don't know, I wouldn't say so, I just don't believe it's as common as you make it sound.

 

[GreyBlueEyes]

You're downplaying the experience quite a bit. I don't think being abused as a child is "common" as you put it. Either you had a tendency to gravitate towards certain kinds of friends, or it was a big coincidence. In my life, which granted, it's only 20 years long but I've met a lot of people since, I've never met a person who'd been abused or molested. Sheltered? I don't know, I wouldn't say so, I just don't believe it's as common as you make it sound.

really? while i would bet money that you've met SOMEONE who was molested and you didn't know it, your experience is very interesting and comforting to me. off the top of my head I can list at least 10 people i know that were molested, and not that i met through anything related to molestation (like a support group or something). my husband, on the other hand, was never molested and didn't know anyone who was until he met me. my past was pretty shocking to him. still i have a tendency to think of it as somewhat commonplace, both since i know so many people and since it's been a part of my life as long as i can remember.

i think a person forms their reference for normality at a very young age and it's hard to change that. it wasn't jsut the molestation... my mom fled the cult and came back to the states. she was a high-school dropout with 4 kids and we were excruciatingly poor. that's really what formed my warped baseline, i think. for instance, i was woken up by a crash one night when i was 4 and walked in to find someone who had broken in trying to rape my mother. thankfully, he freaked out when he saw me and ran out, but yeah, it was a little traumatizing. i think when a lot of things like that happen, it all starts to seem normal.

my closest friends (other than my husband) are people who've had childhoods as screwy as mine, mostly because it keeps me from feeling weird. i like that i can make casual references to shocking things that happened and they don't react much...especially since we all tend to use humor to cope. sometimes it's hard for me to know what kinds of things i could mention are going to be shocking and then i wind up really uncomfortable when everyone is looking at me like i'm some kind of alien. i tend to be really quiet around strangers, but when i'm with my old friends, i never worry about saying the "wrong" thing. i can make some sarcastic comment about something "shocking" and they'll all laugh, which is what i intended.

ok, i don't know if my rambling even makes sense to anyone but me, but i'm glad you feel that my experience is really uncommon. it's made me pretty paranoid about my own kids and every assurance that it's unlikely they'll go through anything like what i did is very comforting 🙂

 

[baylormed]

really? while i would bet money that you've met SOMEONE who was molested and you didn't know it, your experience is very interesting and comforting to me. off the top of my head I can list at least 10 people i know that were molested, and not that i met through anything related to molestation (like a support group or something). my husband, on the other hand, was never molested and didn't know anyone who was until he met me. my past was pretty shocking to him. still i have a tendency to think of it as somewhat commonplace, both since i know so many people and since it's been a part of my life as long as i can remember.

i think a person forms their reference for normality at a very young age and it's hard to change that. it wasn't jsut the molestation... my mom fled the cult and came back to the states. she was a high-school dropout with 4 kids and we were excruciatingly poor. that's really what formed my warped baseline, i think. for instance, i was woken up by a crash one night when i was 4 and walked in to find someone who had broken in trying to rape my mother. thankfully, he freaked out when he saw me and ran out, but yeah, it was a little traumatizing. i think when a lot of things like that happen, it all starts to seem normal.

my closest friends (other than my husband) are people who've had childhoods as screwy as mine, mostly because it keeps me from feeling weird. i like that i can make casual references to shocking things that happened and they don't react much...especially since we all tend to use humor to cope. sometimes it's hard for me to know what kinds of things i could mention are going to be shocking and then i wind up really uncomfortable when everyone is looking at me like i'm some kind of alien. i tend to be really quiet around strangers, but when i'm with my old friends, i never worry about saying the "wrong" thing. i can make some sarcastic comment about something "shocking" and they'll all laugh, which is what i intended.

ok, i don't know if my rambling even makes sense to anyone but me, but i'm glad you feel that my experience is really uncommon. it's made me pretty paranoid about my own kids and every assurance that it's unlikely they'll go through anything like what i did is very comforting 🙂

I agree, I probably met someone and I just didn't know it, as I know cases of abuse exist. I was just saying that it's not common, and I do think the experience is unique in a way.

I am glad you have been able to get past what's happened to you and that you are protecting your children from having to go through the same thing you did. It's good to see people can overcome things like that.

I am assuming you are applying to medical school as well, so good luck in your process as well!!!

 

[GreyBlueEyes]

I agree, I probably met someone and I just didn't know it, as I know cases of abuse exist. I was just saying that it's not common, and I do think the experience is unique in a way.

I am glad you have been able to get past what's happened to you and that you are protecting your children from having to go through the same thing you did. It's good to see people can overcome things like that.

I am assuming you are applying to medical school as well, so good luck in your process as well!!!

thanks for not being all "omgufreaklol" 😉

that's another funny thing...most of the others i know know of at least one adult who was aware of what was going on and turned a blind eye. it's made us all fiercely protective of children in general. for the most part, i feel like a happy, normal, well-adjusted person, but i think if i found out someone had hurt one of my kids like that, i'd just snap and kill them. obviously, a mom in prison isn't good for my kids, either, so i like to think i'd handle it "appropriately" but...damn. i'm not sure i'd be able to control myself.

i'm not applying this year 🙂 it'll be a couple more years before i've finished my BS. i'll either be applying to start 2009 or 2010, depending on certain things with my husband's transfer schedule (he's active duty).

 

[blargh]

i recovered from a life-threatening eating disorder without being forced into a recovery facility. only my immediate family knows about it, so obviously it's not going to show up on any med school applications. i don't know if that would qualify as "unique."

 

[GreyBlueEyes]

i recovered from a life-threatening eating disorder without being forced into a recovery facility. only my immediate family knows about it, so obviously it's not going to show up on any med school applications. i don't know if that would qualify as "unique."

that's awesome. kudos to you. personally, i think that's much more difficult to overcome than a crappy past, because of the compulsion/addiction factor. i think it shows significant strength of will on your part, which is a positive thing and very impressive, but i completely understand why you wouldn't include it in your application. while i don't think eating disorders are unique (largely due to the social environment in this country), being able to defeat one certainly is, especially without going into a recovery facility. 👍

 

[chad5871]

i'm not applying this year 🙂 it'll be a couple more years before i've finished my BS. i'll either be applying to start 2009 or 2010, depending on certain things with my husband's transfer schedule (he's active duty).

I hope you apply to start in 2009 (c/o 2013 is going to be the best!) and maybe we'll run into each other somewhere along the process. It seems like you would be a really great person to have some good conversation with.

And props to your husband for being involved in the military! 👍

 

[Jejton]

I beat cancer.....twice.

 

[GreyBlueEyes]

I hope you apply to start in 2009 (c/o 2013 is going to be the best!) and maybe we'll run into each other somewhere along the process. It seems like you would be a really great person to have some good conversation with.

And props to your husband for being involved in the military! 👍

aw, thanks, for both compliments 🙂 i'm pretty proud of him.

i'd LOVE to start in 2009. assuming i get in the first year i apply, it'll either be '09 or '10 at EVMS or '10 in charleston. it all depends on when his sub gets sent to norfolk for refueling and what shore assignment he gets after it's done with the refuel. there are a ridiculous number of factors to juggle and it will all come down to me having ONE med school to apply to. cheaper, but scarier...

 

[DropkickMurphy]

And props to your husband for being involved in the military! 👍

Seriously......thank your husband for his service (this is coming from a former military member)

 

[GreyBlueEyes]

Seriously......thank your husband for his service (this is coming from a former military member)

HA HA HA. i love the poster. it's so true. he's done one iraq stint and ever since we've been carefully planning his career to avoid another (or any sort of lengthy deployment...yay, tridents). because man, 7 months without sex SUCKED. i respect the couples who deal with a year or more. i don't know how they manage.

and i'll show him your post 🙂 thanks!

 

[chad5871]

aw, thanks, for both compliments 🙂 i'm pretty proud of him.

i'd LOVE to start in 2009. assuming i get in the first year i apply, it'll either be '09 or '10 at EVMS or '10 in charleston. it all depends on when his sub gets sent to norfolk for refueling and what shore assignment he gets after it's done with the refuel. there are a ridiculous number of factors to juggle and it will all come down to me having ONE med school to apply to. cheaper, but scarier...

Hey, I'm applying at EVMS so maybe I'll see you if I get to interview there. Granted, I am applying to like 20 other schools, too, but that in-state tuition is pretty sweet. ;-)

 

[45408]

If you want to be unique, go the Samkon Gado route. I doubt anyone else in medical school bothered to get his extracurricular activity on their AMCAS. (he's in the NFL and plans to go to med school in a few years)

 

[Karina 07]

You're downplaying the experience quite a bit. I don't think being abused as a child is "common" as you put it. Either you had a tendency to gravitate towards certain kinds of friends, or it was a big coincidence. In my life, which granted, it's only 20 years long but I've met a lot of people since, I've never met a person who'd been abused or molested. Sheltered? I don't know, I wouldn't say so, I just don't believe it's as common as you make it sound.

I don't know, it is indeed common... there are stats that say 1 in 3 women are affected in some way by domestic violence (whether someone else in their family, a close friend, etc.)

I too am one of those, and knew a bunch. Oh well.

Thing is, oftentimes people don't share. I would highly, highly bet that you've known someone who was abused or molested, and just didn't realize it. There was one person I was friends with for years before she told me.

 

[GreyBlueEyes]

Hey, I'm applying at EVMS so maybe I'll see you if I get to interview there. Granted, I am applying to like 20 other schools, too, but that in-state tuition is pretty sweet. ;-)

cool 🙂 i should have in-state tuition to whatever school i go to, since my husband will be stationed there. most schools give in-state tuition to military stationed nearby. i'm just hoping that if i apply before the transfer they'll still consider me as an in-state applicant.

 

[GreyBlueEyes]

Thing is, oftentimes people don't share. I would highly, highly bet that you've known someone who was abused or molested, and just didn't realize it. There was one person I was friends with for years before she told me.

yup. being someone who talks about it, i'm consistently surprised by the people who pull me aside at some point to say, "me, too." for instance, my sister-in-law opened up to me about her experience with it as a child and she hasn't even told her husband (this is my husband's brother's wife). my own sister didn't tell me until high school (i'd always thought it was just me) and afterward she said, "this never happened." she's never told a single person other than me, not even her husband. i think that if a big arrow suddenly appeared over the head of everyone who has been molested, it would be way more people than most would think.

it's a shame, really. i think talking about is the best way to minimize future occurences and help victims realize they're not weird or tainted or "damaged goods."

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

I'm not your traditional medical student. Check out my blog post on the topic: https://islandmedstudentblog.com/2016/11/16/not-your-traditional-medical-student/

Oh look the amount of people that care is coincidentaly equal to your chance of a US residency!