What are the benefits of joining a pre-med society?

[tomorrowgirl99]

I haven't really figured out an answer to this question. I went to a meeting today and all I found was an advisor who said I probably wouldn't get into med school because I hadn't gotten a letter from an M.D. Additonally, I just listened to people talk about how they had effectively contacted so and so and there were "in" with another professor. Is this a common occurence in pre-med societies? Are they really necessarY to join?

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[NapeSpikes]

Don't listen to the hype. You can do fine without them. They're not worth much unless you hold an office, and even then, good clinical experience would probably trump that.

 

[hadokenny]

From my experience, Pre-med societies are places for pre-meds to brag about their grades, research, volunteering, and MCAT. I found going to those meetings counter-productive. The people you meet in pre-meds society are the ones that you dont want to be friends with. I feel that most people join them just so that they can put it in their resume and you wont really get anything meaningful from them.

Concentrate on doing what you like best. Getting good clinical experience and doing something you find meaningful are far more important than having "so and so pre-med honor society" on your resume.

 

[dr_joe]

I agree with most of what has been said so far. To give pre-med societies a fair shake, they do give you a good benchmark (from talking to other pre-meds) of what others are doing to get into med school. This might also give you some extra motivation.
Of course you can get most of those benefits by being part of SDN 😀

 

[sacrament]

You get to really know all the people who'll be stabbing you in the back and cheating off you during the MCAT.

 

[tomorrowgirl99]

I like this place a lot better. 🙂 Seriously though. The advisor was just condescending. I don't mind criticism, but constructive criticism is always more helpful.

 

[StevenRF]

If you have no idea on anything about the medical admissions process, its an ok place to go if your advisor is lacking. Other than that, its mostly a place for people who are paranoid and insecure about getting in. For the people in charge, its a nice resume/primary app booster, but then again thats what most clubs are for.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

Meh. I had a pretty good experience. I made some friends that I wouldn't have otherwise met, got some advice from people doing the AMCAS a year ahead of me, and got to go to a pretty kickass AED convention in Orlando. My advice is: can't hurt, might help. Unless you're sooo absolutely busy studying or whatever that you can't afford the time away from your books. In which case you probably need a reality check.

 

[browniegirl86]

I was in APS. Got nothing out of it. It is so big at my school that the only people I talked to were the friends I went in with. I didn't learn anything I didn't already know or couldn't learn from the AAMC website/SDN about the process. They had one or two good speakers (I remember a global youth AIDS person and a craniofacial surgeon) but other than that it was a waste of a LOT of time and $60 a year.

I guess I did get $100 off my Kaplan class and some "free" (paid for by dues) pizza.

 

[browniegirl86]

I haven't really figured out an answer to this question. I went to a meeting today and all I found was an advisor who said I probably wouldn't get into med school because I hadn't gotten a letter from an M.D. Additonally, I just listened to people talk about how they had effectively contacted so and so and there were "in" with another professor. Is this a common occurence in pre-med societies? Are they really necessarY to join?

Oh, and THAT is BS.

 

[OctoDoc]

I haven't really figured out an answer to this question. I went to a meeting today and all I found was an advisor who said I probably wouldn't get into med school because I hadn't gotten a letter from an M.D. Additonally, I just listened to people talk about how they had effectively contacted so and so and there were "in" with another professor. Is this a common occurence in pre-med societies? Are they really necessarY to join?

I got in without a letter from an MD. Take advisor advice with a grain of salt, I think that quite a few of them are working with out of date information or are pulling stuff out of their butt.

 

[gujuDoc]

I haven't really figured out an answer to this question. I went to a meeting today and all I found was an advisor who said I probably wouldn't get into med school because I hadn't gotten a letter from an M.D. Additonally, I just listened to people talk about how they had effectively contacted so and so and there were "in" with another professor. Is this a common occurence in pre-med societies? Are they really necessarY to join?

I've been both members and officers in premed societies and don't really think they are that big of a deal. My experience is that they provide an outlet to volunteer opportunities and shadowing for people who are too lazy to find such opportunities on their own. They also provide admissions people as guest speakers to talk about the process. But often times if you are really motivated you can go to any of the premed forums without being a member of the organization or make individual appointments with adcom people to get advice.

Other then that, I don't think they are the make or break you point of your ECs.

Many 4th year med students and other interviewers at USF adcom have often told me it is most important to do things you enjoy and will be able to discuss with passion in an interview. If joining a premed society is something you are passionate about then join one. Otherwise, your time is better spent doing something else.

The only things I feel are somewhat necessary are adequate clinical exposure and if planning on a top 10, then research as well.

Other then that, do things you can talk about with passion, whether it is something like a sport or hobby such as scuba diving or dancing. Or whether it is traveling or painting or writing literature.

Those things will make you stand out more as an individual.

 

[Karl_Hungus]

My school's premed club became a front for the Kaplan organization. Seriously, the Kaplan rep had better attendance at meetings than most members and the majority of the focus was on how Kaplan could help us in all aspects of med school admission.
The first year was solid though. We had a medical ethics forum with several experts and interesting topics, multiple philanthropies and current med students and physicians came back to their undergrad institution to give advice.
So I agree with whomever said "can't hurt, might help." Who knows, maybe you'll be the one to create and lead a strong, successful premed club?

 

[gujuDoc]

I haven't really figured out an answer to this question. I went to a meeting today and all I found was an advisor who said I probably wouldn't get into med school because I hadn't gotten a letter from an M.D. Additonally, I just listened to people talk about how they had effectively contacted so and so and there were "in" with another professor. Is this a common occurence in pre-med societies? Are they really necessarY to join?

Oh also, if you go to a school with a med school, finding MD's that will let you shadow and give you letters would be quite easy without the need of an organization. At least, at USF it is that way. however, a letter of rec from someone you work with, who knows you well and have seen what you are capable of such as a job supervisor, volunteer supervisor, or research supervisor are more meaningful then an MD who you shadowed a few times. If you worked with an MD and got a letter from them or volunteered in a clinic or int'l trip or some other opp in which you got to know one pretty well it would hold more credence.

 

[sacrament]

It's very helpful in compiling a list of victims.

 

[tomorrowgirl99]

bump

 

[NonTradMed]

I attend a couple of meetings there and found it useless. Most people at my school used it as a place to socialize rather than learn anything. However, there were some cool stuff we could join through the premed society such as shadowing a doctor, listening to speakers talk about the process etc. Is it worth it to join? Attend a few meeting and see. I thought it was a waste of time, but others may like it. And anyway, it's a nice place to meet up with people who are doing the same thing you are. Just remember premeds tend to be an insecure bunch. Like SDN, the 35 MCATers will more likely be talking about their MCATs than the lowly 30 MCATers so don't get discouraged when you hear inprobable stats from everyone....it's just the price of hanging out with a bunch of gunners. 😀

 

[badlydrawnvik]

such a waste of time, i never went to one of those crappy meetings. it's just an extra activity for people to have written down. in fact, the three people that founded it aren't even going to medical school anymore. one is becoming a physicians assistant, one an optometrist, and i think the other one is just really dumb.

 

[Taurus]

Absolutely none. Go to the meetings for the free pizza and pop. Don't be a sucker and cut them a check.

 

[juiceman311]

You can put that **** on your application.

 

[lookslikerain]

The only benefit for me was free pizza the first Wed of every month 🙄

 

[SuziQ]

I hate premed societies....I think they're pretty worthless..they're all about competing with each other and trying to make everyone feel bad about their chances at med school...I say you're better off without them!

 

[gujuDoc]

I hate premed societies....I think they're pretty worthless..they're all about competing with each other and trying to make everyone feel bad about their chances at med school...I say you're better off without them!

👍 👍 👍 👍

 

[gujuDoc]

such a waste of time, i never went to one of those crappy meetings. it's just an extra activity for people to have written down. in fact, the three people that founded it aren't even going to medical school anymore. one is becoming a physicians assistant, one an optometrist, and i think the other one is just really dumb.

I noticed that too. A lot of the officers in our premed organizations ended up giving up on medicine completely at the end, after making a big deal about the organizations. Go figure!!

I think the most motivated students are the ones that do the research on their own, find the opportunities on their own, and go chase down those opportunities on their own.

I don't mind helping others find opportunities but sometimes I get annoyed with the people in the premed organization cuz they demand things like they are too lazy to figure the same things out for themselves. Recently, someone wanted to shadow a general surgeon and I still had someone else I was trying to get in with the sugeon. They sent me some pretty rude demanding emails and I was getting really irritated by it. Then there were the members who wanted shadowing but weren't really members but were somehow on the listserv. Its like I wanted to scream out go find your own opportunities.

Not to say I'm completely against them, but I don't think they hold as big of an advantage as some naive younger undergrad premeds like to think. I think they only are good for a few meetings where adcom members come and speak. Outside of that, the rest of the time, they are for people who want organized activities ready without having to find their own way to opportunity.

 

[thinknofu3]

Disclaimer - I'm adding my $.02 without having read most of the posts on this thread, so sorry for any repeats of info...

At my school, i joined the Undergrad Pre-Med Society when I was a freshman, but found out very, very quickly that they were pretty much entirely useless in terms of planning events/giving advice/etc. It always seemed like the people who ran it did so just to put it on their med school apps, and they never really succeeded in providing any worthwhile resources for the pre-med students. I participating a couple years ago, and I had no problem with applying to med school. Bottom line, I suppose they're worth checking out, and if they do stuff you're interested in and/or enjoy, definitely go for it. But honestly, an admissions committee probably isn't going to care one way or the other.

 

[Centinel]

"Zip-zero, stingy with dinero."
- Jay-Z

 

[DrMike24]

I really enjoyed my time with our schools premed AMSA chapter. I was able to interact with a lot of professionals, including some which I shadowed. I also met a lot of great people with similar goals to mine, and had some great advice from older students when I was first starting on this crazy ride.

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

I haven't really figured out an answer to this question. I went to a meeting today and all I found was an advisor who said I probably wouldn't get into med school because I hadn't gotten a letter from an M.D. Additonally, I just listened to people talk about how they had effectively contacted so and so and there were "in" with another professor. Is this a common occurence in pre-med societies? Are they really necessarY to join?

Pssht. I didn't even have a letter from a science faculty member, let alone an MD. These pre-med societies can be good, but most likely are just gatherings of needlessly stressed-out students.