What to do sophomore year

[DocFSUGrl]

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I'm a rising sophomore (psych major) and taking 16 credits. I plan to start volunteering at the hospital this semester and gaining some hands on experience as an emergency responder on my campus. What else should I be doing right now? I plan on doing psych research either next semester or fall 2015. Is waiting to start research a bad idea?

 

[allantois]

1) Volunteering - both clinical and non-clinical
2)Research, ok to do it for 1-2 semesters and no need to rush
3)May start shadowing
4)Show your leadership skills

 

[On Eagle's Wings]

Start asking professors you have taken and who like you if they have research opportunities. Join some student organizations to work on leadership/teamwork skills. Any kind of volunteering and some other unique experiences (music ministry, medical missions, etc.) will round out your application. Otherwise, plan ahead and start thinking about MCAT, future classes, what other EC's or experiences you need and what to do over winter break.

 

[Gauss44]

Find out if your school offers a committee LoR. Then ask what they take into consideration when writing it. Make sure those things are in your schedule.

 

[hoihaie]

start looking 4 research now, it takes time to get in a lab.

Look for professors to start taking multiple classes with. Plan out your schedule for the next 2 years so that you
'll get a strong LoR

 

[DocFSUGrl]

I applied for my honor society's leadership council and should be hearing back soon. I also am on the planning committee of a charity event hosted by school and responsible for volunteer development. I'm not involved in any pre med organizations on campus just because there are so many people who consider themselves pre med at this stage and it's hard to stand out in such a large crowd in all of the meetings. Should I still join some sort of medical organization or does it not matter?

 

[What's Up Doc]

Start asking professors you have taken and who like you if they have research opportunities. Join some student organizations to work on leadership/teamwork skills. Any kind of volunteering and some other unique experiences (music ministry, medical missions, etc.) will round out your application. Otherwise, plan ahead and start thinking about MCAT, future classes, what other EC's or experiences you need and what to do over winter break.

Be very, very careful with medical missions. If you go about it wrong, they could hurt your application, and if you go about it right, they will only slightly help you. I should know, I'm the president of a medical missions club at my school, and I've received first-hand advice about them from some adcom members.