Update letter, is it too soon?

[arjusmc]

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Good afternoon, I know it is early in the cycle but I am considering sending update letters to schools that accept them. I have a major weakness in volunteer hours on my application. I have been working on that by volunteering at a local free primary care clinic. I applied with 50 non-clinical volunteer hours, and 5000 paid clinical hours. I have since added 30 hours and will continue to volunteer 5 hours a week. I would also update them with my summer semester grade in human physiology. Is it too early to send an update?

 

[993444]

Regardless of whether or not it’s too early, the bigger problem is that it could not be more obvious that you are trying to do it just for the sake of checking the box. You barely managed to get 50 hours in the 3+ years since you started college and all of a sudden have 30 more in just a few weeks?

If you must, I would save it for a post-II update.

 

[GloballyMed]

I don’t think 30 hours of nonclinical volunteering plus 1 additional A in a course would make much of difference, if at all. I understand you applied with only 50 hours but an additional 30 would not make the adcoms want to interview you. I would wait until you have accrued much more then update them. Also, make sure the schools you want to update are open for updates. You dont want to give them the impression that you cannot even follow basic instructions. What is the nonclinical experience if I may ask? If it is something significant like AmeriCorps or any of those national service organizations then it’s worth an update but only after a few months of work so you have something meaningful to say.

 

[arjusmc]

Regardless of whether or not it’s too early, the bigger problem is that it could not be more obvious that you are trying to do it just for the sake of checking the box. You barely managed to get 50 hours in the 3+ years since you started college and all of a sudden have 30 more in just a few weeks?

If you must, I would save it for a post-II update.

Not exaclty my story I'm 36, a career changer, prior degree but thanks for the input.

 

[Goro]

Good afternoon, I know it is early in the cycle but I am considering sending update letters to schools that accept them. I have a major weakness in volunteer hours on my application. I have been working on that by volunteering at a local free primary care clinic. I applied with 50 non-clinical volunteer hours, and 5000 paid clinical hours. I have since added 30 hours and will continue to volunteer 5 hours a week. I would also update them with my summer semester grade in human physiology. Is it too early to send an update?

This is worthless.

Do an update AFTER you get an interview

 

[arjusmc]

I don’t think 30 hours of nonclinical volunteering plus 1 additional A in a course would make much of difference, if at all. I understand you applied with only 50 hours but an additional 30 would not make the adcoms want to interview you. I would wait until you have accrued much more then update them. Also, make sure the schools you want to update are open for updates. You dont want to give them the impression that you cannot even follow basic instructions. What is the nonclinical experience if I may ask? If it is something significant like AmeriCorps or any of those national service organizations then it’s worth an update but only after a few months of work so you have something meaningful to say.

I've researched the schools that welcome the updates and know not all the ones I applied to are open to them. I don't have any new non-clinical volunteer hours to update at this time. I have a yearly fundraising event for veterans charities that I will be leading a department in for the second year, but that is not until November. The new hours are from volunteering under my paramedic license at a local free clinic.

 

[arjusmc]

This is worthless.

Do an update AFTER you get an interview

Thank you

 

[GloballyMed]

I've researched the schools that welcome the updates and know not all the ones I applied to are open to them. I don't have any new non-clinical volunteer hours to update at this time. I have a yearly fundraising event for veterans charities that I will be leading a department in for the second year, but that is not until November. The new hours are from volunteering under my paramedic license at a local free clinic.

So the new hours would be clinical. That wont help your nonclinical which is the area youre lacking. Try to find something you enjoy doing and volunteer your time there. You have more than enough clinical experience. I would suggest continue volunteering at the free clinic but also find some nonclinical volunteer work to do like homeless shelter or habitat for humanity. But make sure you enjoy doing it. Dont do it for the sake of improving your app

 

[arjusmc]

So the new hours would be clinical. That wont help your nonclinical which is the area youre lacking. Try to find something you enjoy doing and volunteer your time there. You have more than enough clinical experience. I would suggest continue volunteering at the free clinic but also find some nonclinical volunteer work to do like homeless shelter or habitat for humanity. But make sure you enjoy doing it. Dont do it for the sake of improving your app

Yeah, I know my clinical exposure is lopsided, but i'm going to continue at the clinic because I like it there. The pt's need medical attention and the clinic needs help. As I mentioned before I have a couple of veterans charities I work with I will be doing at least another 24 hours with one in oct/nov. It's a charity event so it's not a year-round thing. I'll have to see if there is anything else locally that I can get into.

 

[GloballyMed]

Good luck

 

[993444]

This is worthless.

Do an update AFTER you get an interview

All things considered equal, is a post-II update more worthy than a pre-II update?

 

[Goro]

All things considered equal, is a post-II update more worthy than a pre-II update?

yes, and post interview >>> post-II