Weak ECs, Top 20s, and Rock Stars

[Walter Raleigh]

820 hours research with 3 poster presentations
400 hours on ambulance corps as attendant
130 hours nonclinical volunteering - mentoring students, soup kitchens, miscellaneous stuff.
50 hours shadowing local doctors - radiology, emergency medicine, physiatry.
1400 hours as triathlete (trained and competed solo, not on a college or any other team)

I have heard that these were "strong ECs" and competitive for top-20 schools. Why is this, when top 20 schools can get EC rock stars that are ex-Special Forces combat medics, or honest-to-God rocket scientists working for NASA as aerospace engineers, or professional athletes, politicians, military officers, and CEOs?

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[Dwan]

820 hours research with 3 poster presentations
400 hours on ambulance corps as attendant
130 hours nonclinical volunteering - mentoring students, soup kitchens, miscellaneous stuff.
50 hours shadowing local doctors - radiology, emergency medicine, physiatry.
1400 hours as triathlete (trained and competed solo, not on a college or any other team)

I have heard that these were "strong ECs" and competitive for top-20 schools. Why is this, when top 20 schools can get EC rock stars that are ex-Special Forces combat medics, or honest-to-God rocket scientists working for NASA as aerospace engineers, or professional athletes, politicians, military officers, and CEOs?

Those rock stars don't necessarily also have a high MCAT and GPA. There exists people who have it all, but not enough to fill all the seats.

 

[Phile98]

Why is this, when top 20 schools can get EC rock stars that are ex-Special Forces combat medics, or honest-to-God rocket scientists working for NASA as aerospace engineers, or professional athletes, politicians, military officers, and CEOs?

This is a pretty stupid question. Why? Because people that have showed commitment to medicine >>>>> just unique people. I don't care if my doctor was a CEO or rocket scientist. I care that they are dedicated 100% to medicine first.

 

[ProspectivePostPreDent]

Exactly how many NASA scientists and big time CEOs do you believe are dropping everything to apply med in a normal year?

 

[Walter Raleigh]

NASA scientists? Maybe 50 or so. Then there's the ex-SF guys, the CEOs - not necessarily big-time, they could've founded a landscaping company with 20 employees, the politicians...

 

[Phile98]

Better quality troll job than the recent ones. Still 4/10 tho...

 

[Goro]

820 hours research with 3 poster presentations
400 hours on ambulance corps as attendant
130 hours nonclinical volunteering - mentoring students, soup kitchens, miscellaneous stuff.
50 hours shadowing local doctors - radiology, emergency medicine, physiatry.
1400 hours as triathlete (trained and competed solo, not on a college or any other team)

I have heard that these were "strong ECs" and competitive for top-20 schools. Why is this, when top 20 schools can get EC rock stars that are ex-Special Forces combat medics, or honest-to-God rocket scientists working for NASA as aerospace engineers, or professional athletes, politicians, military officers, and CEOs?

Because you are under the delusion (that I can't see to break you of) that these types of candidates are as common as dirt. They're exceptional, and rare.

You know how we throw out the term "cookie cutter ECs"? That's because they're the ones common as dirt.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Why is this, when top 20 schools can get EC rock stars that are ex-Special Forces combat medics, or honest-to-God rocket scientists working for NASA as aerospace engineers, or professional athletes, politicians, military officers, and CEOs?

lol, there might be a handful of applicants that fit this profile every year. Literally single digits.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

820 hours research with 3 poster presentations
400 hours on ambulance corps as attendant
130 hours nonclinical volunteering - mentoring students, soup kitchens, miscellaneous stuff.
50 hours shadowing local doctors - radiology, emergency medicine, physiatry.
1400 hours as triathlete (trained and competed solo, not on a college or any other team)

I have heard that these were "strong ECs" and competitive for top-20 schools. Why is this, when top 20 schools can get EC rock stars that are ex-Special Forces combat medics, or honest-to-God rocket scientists working for NASA as aerospace engineers, or professional athletes, politicians, military officers, and CEOs?

Because they are strong ECs? As are the other things you mentioned. I mean a little of it could be improved hours-wise but really those are the types of things people like to see on your application. Some people just do stuff that is above and beyond in a life prior to medicine.

 

[ProspectivePostPreDent]

NASA scientists? Maybe 50 or so. Then there's the ex-SF guys, the CEOs - not necessarily big-time, they could've founded a landscaping company with 20 employees, the politicians...

I'm aware that this is a silly troll job, but just for some perspective...

I researched at MGH before school. Pretty large hospital, right?

Well, one resident in EM, upon being merely nominated as a potential astronaut candidate, had his face plastered all over the institution. Every single wall. For weeks. That happens for initiatives, but never individuals.

Making it to med school is a strong achievement. Being involved with the shuttle launches in any concrete way is on another level.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

I'm aware that this is a silly troll job, but just for some perspective...

I researched at MGH before school. Pretty large hospital, right?

Well, one resident in EM, upon being merely nominated as a potential astronaut candidate, had his face plastered all over the institution. Every single wall. For weeks. That happens for initiatives, but never individuals.

Making it to med school is a strong achievement. Being involved with the shuttle launches in any concrete way is on another level.

I can also support this statement, having imposed a spam filter for "NASA" and "Navy Seal" on my partners email.