What makes your hobbies interesting to Adcoms?

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phunky

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I hear a lot about how interesting hobbies can have an affect on admission, and I was wondering what makes someone's hobbies interesting. Or how to make you hobbies interesting. I don't like doing anything particularly unique. I spend my free time golfing, hiking, just generally being outside, but I feel like this really isn't that exciting to admissions committees.
 
They want to know that you are not a robot designed to endlessly study. It doesn't matter what your hobbies are as long as they aren't anything crazy.

They just want to know that you get out every once in a while and have something to escape to so that you don't get burned out, and that you're a bit cultured.

Do they value jogging over hiking or anything silly like that? Absolutely not. Some hobbies can be used to convey more info than others, such as a love for traveling giving you a perspective of other cultures, but for the most part the specific hobbies do not matter.This is definitely not a part of the application to worry about.
 
phunky said:
I hear a lot about how interesting hobbies can have an affect on admission, and I was wondering what makes someone's hobbies interesting. Or how to make you hobbies interesting. I don't like doing anything particularly unique. I spend my free time golfing, hiking, just generally being outside, but I feel like this really isn't that exciting to admissions committees.
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AdComs will see that you are able to handle having hobbies while maintaing grades. But if those hobbies meant nothing to you and you state that during your interview, then it will mean nothing to them as well. They're looking for activities that helped you grow and develop your understanding of the physician's mindset, as well as understanding yourself.

Ex: I have been an active musician in the hardcore scene. I took formal music training in guitar composition and fundamental jazz composition and decided to risk jumping ship. (I believe) This shows my confidence in dealing with an entirely new playing field (hardcore music is scary when you first get into the community :laugh:). However I was able to build myself and establish a sense of community and belonging with these people because I realized that efforts into writing and collaborating with other members were (no joke) saving lives. I was able to talk with people who let me know how our music touched them in a way that gave them a new outlook to life beyond their own suicidal thoughts. I felt completely called and compelled to stay with this scene for another few years in order to help other people. Also performing at venues definitely broke me out of my "shy shell" and I no longer get too nervous during public speaking.

...I can go on forever but that was one of my hobbies that I realized how much of an impact this hobby was on my realization that I wanted to become a doctor. The next step on realizing I wanted to really do this was volunteering and shadowing physicians and seeing the work they've done.

Hope this helps! 😳
 
If you believe your hobbies are mundane, just list what you'll be able to talk about. Think of it as more of a potential opportunity to show a personality and be engaging, rather than how unique what you're talking about actually is.
 
Talk about how you learned from them and how they will help that will help you as a doctor.
 
It's ironic that hobbies are supposed to make you not look like a robot, yet pre-meds are devoting their lives to doing the same activities you see over and over again amongst pre-meds, but not any other type of students.

If that's not a robot, then I don't know what is. :meanie:
 
**URGENT UNIQUE EMERGENCY**

Can someone give me a list of the top 10 hobbies that ADCOMs like to see?

**URGENT UNIQUE EMERGENCY**

-A. Premed
 
Mt Kilimanjaro said:
**URGENT UNIQUE EMERGENCY**

Can someone give me a list of the top 10 hobbies that ADCOMs like to see?

**URGENT UNIQUE EMERGENCY**

-A. Premed
Click to expand...

1. Playing soccer with disadvantaged children in third world countries.
2. Knitting sweaters and socks for homeless people.
3. Helping elderly women cross the street.
4. Teaching mentally underdeveloped children quantitative biological methods.
5. Rescuing abandoned animals from the local human society and helping them find homes.
6. Helping people find their real parents.
7. Knocking on doors and preaching good habits for a healthy life.
8. Speaking five languages and translating for tourists.
9. Teaching neighborhood kids how to ride a bike without training wheels.
10. Instructing other pre-meds on how to lift, and consistently posting on SDN.

If you have at least a few of these, you have an ok chance. If you have none of these hobbies that you do in your free time, you should consider the Caribbean (and not D.O. schools, I hear they're not even real doctors).
 
Mt Kilimanjaro said:
**URGENT UNIQUE EMERGENCY**

Can someone give me a list of the top 10 hobbies that ADCOMs like to see?

**URGENT UNIQUE EMERGENCY**

-A. Premed
Click to expand...

LOL, exactly.

Hobbies shouldn't be a tick off of a list. What really makes hobbies interesting is not the activity itself, but the passion a person has for it.
For example... hiking might be mundane upon reading the word, but hiking up a mountain, and feeling that sense of self-discovery and accomplishment as you reach the top, that makes hiking way more interesting. At least to me.
 
I wonder if any SDN mod will ever put their mod status as a hobby on their application. 😀
 
Hobbies aren't supposed to be flashy jewels to impress people. They are supposed to be things that you are interested in, find enjoyment in, and are passionate about. Although you may feel hiking or golf isn't anything to wow over, they are things that you can easily talk about in depth. Also, there are a lot of people who don't hike or play golf and thus would be interested in hear stories about hiking trips, why you like to hike, how often you golf etc. And, if they do share the same hobbies, you two would spend a good time talking about them 😀
 
something unique and that shows your passion
like 1st place in a national rubix cube solving contest
(in addition to great grades and all that other stuff)
 
KnuxNole said:
Hobbies aren't supposed to be flashy jewels to impress people. They are supposed to be things that you are interested in, find enjoyment in, and are passionate about. Although you may feel hiking or golf isn't anything to wow over, they are things that you can easily talk about in depth. Also, there are a lot of people who don't hike or play golf and thus would be interested in hear stories about hiking trips, why you like to hike, how often you golf etc. And, if they do share the same hobbies, you two would spend a good time talking about them 😀
Click to expand...

You hit the nail on the head. Don't be afraid if you have something out of the ordinary. One of my practice interviewers that has sat on the ADCOM basically said if they ask you, lead off with the one that is the most different (I was told to start with my with model train collection.). They also said they get tired of the stereotypical "hand fed AIDS babies in Ghana" stuff.
 
I was asked about being a certified scuba diver waaaaaaaaay more than any of my "premed style" activities. Mostly I thinly because it is something cool that I like to do for no other reason than fun! What do you do for you?
 
KnuxNole said:
Hobbies aren't supposed to be flashy jewels to impress people. They are supposed to be things that you are interested in, find enjoyment in, and are passionate about. Although you may feel hiking or golf isn't anything to wow over, they are things that you can easily talk about in depth. Also, there are a lot of people who don't hike or play golf and thus would be interested in hear stories about hiking trips, why you like to hike, how often you golf etc. And, if they do share the same hobbies, you two would spend a good time talking about them 😀
Click to expand...

Correct, they aren't flashy jewels. They are beef products, since everyone on SDN is always talking about beefing up their ECs. We all know community service is often the highly valued one, yet people only speak of beefing it up, and never talk about making a difference in peoples' lives or how many people will end up being helped.
 
Planes2Doc said:
We all know community service is often the highly valued one, yet people only speak of beefing it up, and never talk about making a difference in peoples' lives or how many people will end up being helped.
Click to expand...

Very good point! 👍
 
I really enjoy photography and included as a hobby in my app. Turns out an interviewer of mine was an official photographer of the school mission trips and we spent at least 20 minutes discussing cameras and the art of photography. My interest has nothing to do with medicine; it's just something that relieves my stress, allows me to be creative, and I truly enjoy it.

As long as you convey your interest in your hobbies genuinely, it will be to your favor. You never know if an adcom or interviewer shares your hobbies.
 
CajunMedic said:
They also said they get tired of the stereotypical "hand fed AIDS babies in Ghana" stuff.
Click to expand...

I’ve long wondered if this was the case.

I know that I would personally grow weary of reading all the obviously-only-done-for-application activities.
 
From where I'm sitting, there are three kinds of hobbies that are interesting to me: those that I also enjoy, those that I wish I could engage in, and those that are really weirdly wonderful that I've never heard of before.

It doesn't need to be related to why you want to be a doctor and you don't have to tell me what you've learned about it, but it is what you enjoy in terms of leisure time that helps you relax and recharge.

It is nice to be able to talk to someone at an interview or over lunch while on service that is not work related and hobbies is often a good topic in that regard.
 
phunky said:
I hear a lot about how interesting hobbies can have an affect on admission, and I was wondering what makes someone's hobbies interesting. Or how to make you hobbies interesting. I don't like doing anything particularly unique. I spend my free time golfing, hiking, just generally being outside, but I feel like this really isn't that exciting to admissions committees.
Click to expand...
They can be unique.
Can be something shared by screeners or interviewers (like hiking for me).
Let's us know you have a life outside academics.
Can be interesting.
Can be common, like hiking, golfing, are spending time outside. Common is OK!
 
Hobbies are subjective. But I'm guessing if they do that hobby or have an interest in it, it'll attract their interest. But avoid using fancy terminology in your hobby because you won't impress anyone. You don't want to put yourself in a bad position and adcoms are super busy, so making them look up these terms is a pointless zwischenzug. And if your hobby is something you know in-depth and you have more than 15 experiences, removing one ECs to fit in your hobby could be good compensation and a worthwhile gambit. If an adcom shares that hobby, it'll be a good silent move. But taking out one of your major ECs could result in a zugzwang or pin your application. Include it only if you're active in that hobby, not passive, you want to show you have a strong interest in that hobby, not weak. If your interviewer shares that hobby, it'll be a good continuation and coordinate your essays with your interview and give a nice exchange between you and the interviewer. Talking about a hobby you're not really into can trap you.
 
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TL/DR: Just be you.

Or just be him:


You Got This Dos Equis GIF
 
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