Unique Situation Regarding High School ECs

[Hope2008]

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Hello,

I did two years of volunteering in a nursing home during high school. However, I stopped doing it after graduation. 5 month has passed since graduation. Now, I am planning to start doing it again.

It was a good experience for me. I observed many aspects of generic medicine.

When I list volunteering at a nursing home, should I list my high school hours or college hours on the medical school application? Should I list the hours in total?

I have heard that high school ECs should be listed if you continue to do it during college.

Thanks for any comments in advance.

 

[bannie22]

Just describe it in that 1600 characters or so that they give you space too.

You dont write down total hours, its by time span.

Up to you to decide.


I wrote down one high school EC, and one middle-high school EC.

kick ass baby!

 

[Forthegood]

What was so important in middle school that it needed mention on your med school app? This should be good...

 

[assturtle]

I wouldn't think twice about writing it down.. volunteering is volunteering. I don't see how it's irrelevant because you did it in high school rather than college.

 

[phonyreal98]

I thought the general rule was that you can put HS activities on your app if you've continued them into college?

 

[BlueElmo]

I thought the general rule was that you can put HS activities on your app if you've continued them into college?

I think that's correct, IMO.

 

[apumic]

I wouldn't think twice about writing it down.. volunteering is volunteering. I don't see how it's irrelevant because you did it in high school rather than college.

Digging back to HS says you haven't done much of significance in college. Most of us could probably list a good 15-20 activities we were involved in during the 4 years of college that outshine anything we did in HS by the time we graduate college. If you can't do that and have to dig back 5-8 years for relevant experiences, it doesn't look particularly favorable.
Remember that strong candidates may have experiences as RAs (both kinds), TAs, orientation leaders, freshmen/peer counselors, Lab Instructors, shadowing, free clinics, work experience, supervisory/management work experience, clinical work experience, club leadership, student leadership, student government, etc. And many of the strongest applicants likely have most of those as well as other more unique ECs....

 

[bannie22]

What was so important in middle school that it needed mention on your med school app? This should be good...

St John Ambulance Brigade

Digging back to HS says you haven't done much of significance in college. Most of us could probably list a good 15-20 activities we were involved in during the 4 years of college that outshine anything we did in HS by the time we graduate college. If you can't do that and have to dig back 5-8 years for relevant experiences, it doesn't look particularly favorable.
Remember that strong candidates may have experiences as RAs (both kinds), TAs, orientation leaders, freshmen/peer counselors, Lab Instructors, shadowing, free clinics, work experience, supervisory/management work experience, clinical work experience, club leadership, student leadership, student government, etc. And many of the strongest applicants likely have most of those as well as other more unique ECs....

🙁 I dont have anyyyy 🙁

 

[apumic]

Bannie... then start now! You're in the middle of applying now aren't you?

I'm sure you've got more than you think.

 

[Morsetlis]

Bannie... then start now! You're in the middle of applying now aren't you?

I'm sure you've got more than you think.

He probably has more than me!

I don't know why he's complaining 😉

 

[bannie22]

Bannie... then start now! You're in the middle of applying now aren't you?

I'm sure you've got more than you think.

No, I have already applied =(
I cant change the fact that I did nothing productive in my college life and had to use
1 slot for Middle School
1 slot for High School
and 2 slots for Hobbies

🙁

 

[apumic]

No, I have already applied =(
I cant change the fact that I did nothing productive in my college life and had to use
1 slot for Middle School
1 slot for High School
and 2 slots for Hobbies

🙁

You've gotten interviews right? Relax.... Not a big deal. You'll be fine. What were the hobbies? The stuff I listed was more the "typical" stuff. Hobbies, sports involvement, etc. is all great as well.

 

[bannie22]

You've gotten interviews right? Relax.... Not a big deal. You'll be fine. What were the hobbies? The stuff I listed was more the "typical" stuff. Hobbies, sports involvement, etc. is all great as well.

Yep. I got interviews!


How is your own run doing?

Your spreadsheet was pretty helpful too, only when you gave me my data though! LOL (I remember when I did it I got like zero percentage of getting in or something! Haha)

Soccer and Piano. 👍

 

[LizzyM]

The AMCAS asks for start date (month/year), end date (or "present") and the average number of hours per week over that time period. Including the HS hours, plus adding in all the years you didn't do it, will make it look like a long term activity of very low intensity (very few hours per week). Far better, I think, to list Feb 2010 to present with your current number of hours per week and note in the text field that you also volunteereed from 2002-2005 (or whatever the time frame in HS).

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Hello,

I did two years of volunteering in a nursing home during high school. However, I stopped doing it after graduation. 5 month has passed since graduation. Now, I am planning to start doing it again.

It was a good experience for me. I observed many aspects of generic medicine.

When I list volunteering at a nursing home, should I list my high school hours or college hours on the medical school application? Should I list the hours in total?

I have heard that high school ECs should be listed if you continue to do it during college.

Thanks for any comments in advance.

(a) volunteering at a nursing home is not very unique

(b) stopping and later restarting an activity is not very unique

(c) I would hope that in 4 years you have more worthwhile activities that can be put on a med school app. It is not that high school ECs continued in college "should" be listed, but rather that they "can" (i.e. if you really need to fill some more slots on the resume).

(d) I think you mean geriatric medicine, not generic

 

[LizzyM]

It is not at all uncommon for applicants to list activities that they started at a young age and continued into college. In particular, performance arts (e.g. piano, ballet) are often listed over a period of 15 years or more. Athletics, too, although if you are on a college varsity team (or club sport) it should have its own slot.

 

[Hope2008]

Thank you all for you response. I appreciate you all for taking your time and spending the effort.