What are your leadership activities?

[futuredoc212]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I've heard that TA and tutoring are not considered leadership and that club positions are not important.

 

[965978]

Leadership doesn’t need to be a formal position. I was in a research group where a girl who had been working in the lab since freshman year got her own project halfway through junior year and had two sophomores work under her. Her official position name never changed but the PI still wrote a letter of rec for her and attested to the fact that she was informally leading an independent project.

I would say that club position is *generally* meaningless because those officers don’t do much. But if you show evidence of a leadership attitude (teamwork, initiative, etc) then that’s fine.

This isn’t like getting into undergrad where people can just B.S. their way in and make it seem like they accomplished something or had a leadership role when they really didn’t. Every applicant that receives an interview for med school has had each of their activities thourougly looked at and the qualities of those activities examined. When there are 10k+ apps, it’s clear who’s bull****ting and who isn’t.

 

[Rachapkis]

I would avoid steadfast rules as to what medical schools do or don't value. A teaching assistant position may have been a wonderful learning and leadership experience for you, but less so for another candidate. If it was meaningful to you, then highlight it and show them why in your essays and interviews.

 

[chemdoctor]

I feel like TAing can definitely be leadership. You’re tutoring other students, especially if you held review sessions for exams.

Club positions are meh. It’s easy to BS but I hosted some events here and there, started a fundraiser for the club and represented it. I still consider it leadership of some sort.

I got my own research project to work on in an Orgo lab. I’d consider that leadership.

Leadership is subjective to an applicant, if you feel like you “led” the group then you can list it and explain why

 

[965978]

I feel like TAing can definitely be leadership. You’re tutoring other students, especially if you held review sessions for exams.

Club positions are meh. It’s easy to BS but I hosted some events here and there, started a fundraiser for the club and represented it. I still consider it leadership of some sort.

I got my own research project to work on in an Orgo lab. I’d consider that leadership.

Leadership is subjective to an applicant, if you feel like you “led” the group then you can list it and explain why

Several faculty and experts on here (specially @gyngyn and @LizzyM) have stated that tutoring and TA’ing is not leadership. Especially since AMCAS has its own slot for teaching.

 

[chemdoctor]

Several faculty and experts on here (specially @gyngyn and @LizzyM) have stated that tutoring and TA’ing is not leadership. Especially since AMCAS has its own slot for teaching.

Ah I stand corrected. Oh well.