what to pick for 3 most meaningful experiences AMCAS

[themanthemyththelegend]

I do not want this to sound dumb because obviously you pick your "3 most meaningful experiences", but do you think it is smart to pick 1 service, 1 clinical and 1 research? I am applying to schools that are more focused on primary care and community health, so do you think it would be wise to pick my 3 most meaningful experiences as different service and work I have done in the community?

I have a decent amount of meaningful experiences and want to pick the 3 that will illustrate my fit for the school in the best light.

What did you guys pick?

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[spiffysteve]

I think that you should have at least one clinical and one service, especially based on what you're looking for. As for the third, I don't think you need to pick a research one for the sake of doing so. Pick the last one on what is the most meaningful for you, not what you think adcoms will want to see.

 

[cardzkp]

I only chose two because that's honestly how I felt. Don't force it. I chose a research experience and a health-service club that I became heavily involved in.

If you can't picture yourself not doing it—then it's worth a "most meaningful experience." Best of luck OP.


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[themanthemyththelegend]

I only chose two because that's honestly how I felt. Don't force it. I chose a research experience and a health-service club that I became heavily involved in.

If you can't picture yourself not doing it—then it's worth a "most meaningful experience." Best of luck OP.


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I thought writing about 3 was pretty much a given, I did not consider writing about less. I do think that I have 3 meaningful experiences to talk about, but I guess truly expanding on your most meaningful is what is important rather than an arbitrary amount

 

[spiffysteve]

I thought writing about 3 was pretty much a given, I did not consider writing about less. I do think that I have 3 meaningful experiences to talk about, but I guess truly expanding on your most meaningful is what is important rather than an arbitrary amount

Right. There's a space to write what made them so meaningful, which I think would be more important than just checking the box.

 

[neekzg]

I had a strong focus on community/underserved populations and chose to do 1 non-clinical service, 1 clinical service and 1 research. They were picked out of a combination of what my largest involvements were during undergrad as well as what I could write most articulately about in regards to my decision to go to med school.

 

[cardzkp]

I thought writing about 3 was pretty much a given, I did not consider writing about less. I do think that I have 3 meaningful experiences to talk about, but I guess truly expanding on your most meaningful is what is important rather than an arbitrary amount

If you have 3 then by all means, go ahead! I would have written a 3rd about a shadowing experience, but my PS focused on that, so I felt the character limit would not be able to reflect my true feelings like my PS did.

 

[takeurmeds02]

Pick YOUR most meaningful three. It's doesn't have to be one of this and a dash of that. It's not a trick question that's laden in algorithm lol.

 

[tantacles]

I would strongly suggest using all three slots if you have 3 meaningful experiences. You absolutely don't have to put research as one of your most meaningful experiences. My suggestion is to pick three activities you would love to talk about if asked; this way, you'll be more at ease should an interviewer decide to discuss your most meaningful experiences. Beyond that, there's no need to play the game with this one.


Large dogs

 

[Cara Delevingne]

I picked one experience. I thought it was a trick question designed to weed out people with low reading comprehension skills since the question asked "most meaningful experience" as a singular. Turns out I was wrong and should've used that extra space to talk more about my experiences.

Learn from my failures. Pick three

 

[studentdocftw]

Scott STERLING!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry about that. But yeah, pick 3 experiences, ideally those that you have had the most involvement with. Keep it diverse if possible, but if you cant talk extensively about your research, don't select it

 

[jwilliams1993]

The way I thought about it was if I could only have done three of the experiences I listed on my app, which three would they be? It think I ultimately picked working as a registrar in an ED, tutoring bio and chem, and my biological honor society. As long as you can really discuss why it felt meaningful, you're good. Adcoms can feel which explanations are forced just to get to three choices.

 

[Goro]

What part of "3 most meaningful experiences" is too difficult to understand?????

There are no qualifiers there as to place, time or type.

I do not want this to sound dumb because obviously you pick your "3 most meaningful experiences", but do you think it is smart to pick 1 service, 1 clinical and 1 research? I am applying to schools that are more focused on primary care and community health, so do you think it would be wise to pick my 3 most meaningful experiences as different service and work I have done in the community?

I have a decent amount of meaningful experiences and want to pick the 3 that will illustrate my fit for the school in the best light.

What did you guys pick?

 

[Espressso]

The only thing that gets my negative attention faster on an application faster than an insincere PS, is a meaningful experience that seems pandering and insincere. Doesnt anyone have a meaningful experience about falling for their significant other? Or losing a beloved grandparent? A utterly fantastic trip down the Grand Canyon? Or a horrible trip where everything went wrong but you still have a great time? Or playing guitar in a small club? Does anyone have a meaningful experience in their lives that has nothing to do with school ?

Ecstatic you just said this. I was curious whether or not I can choose something not school-related on the most meaningful experiences.

 

[ChrisMack390]

I'm using my clinical research job, because it is basically the single reason I even began to think about medical school.

I'm using my time as a touring musician, because I've never put that much effort into a single other thing in my life.

I'm going to pick a 3rd one. Likely a global health thing I did because I can wrap my passion for using technology to expand healthcare access and quality of life into it.


I kind of feel like if it's hard to decide what to use for this, you are overthinking it.

 

[ChrisMack390]

I think you are forcing it. If you have to decide how to package it, it sounds insincere.

I think you have absolutely no idea what I wrote, so that is a bit of a presumptuous comment. I get not "forcing it" (considering I also wrote that in my post) but that doesn't mean you should have no rationale whatsoever for picking them.

 

[dentalstudent2021]

delete

 

[ChrisMack390]

dont get bent out of shape, was just commenting on what you wrote below for these two lines . Wasnt meant to sound belittling to the other items. I am sorry if I wasnt clear on that and offended

That was just a mildly more intelligent way of saying "I think this one particular thing I did was really cool and would like extra space to write about it."

 

[ChrisMack390]

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