• The 2026-2027 DO School Specific Threads are now available in the School Specific Discussions forum. The 2025-2026 discussions are now available in the prior year discussions forum.
  • Bring your 2026 application questions to our open office hours with Emil Chuck, PhD, Director of Advising Services for HPSA, and get them answered live. Personal statements, secondaries, interview prep, school list strategy. Sunday, May 17 at 9 p.m. Eastern.

"Work Experience"?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

DriftNSlide

New Member
10+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
So I'm a bit confused on these two sections of the online AACOMAS application. When I was in college I didn't have any paid work experience, but plenty of my activities I feel can be classified as unpaid work experience such as: Researcher in a microbiology lab for over a year with about 20-30 hours dedicated a week. Also I had participated in an unpaid internship at a hospice for a little more than a month at about 40 hours a week (9-5 on weekdays).

Even though I wasn't paid would I still classify these as "work experience?" or would I have to put nothing for "work experience" and place it all in the "volunteer/extracurriculars/community service" section?

I was told mixed things from my friends so I would be glad if someone could clarify this.
 
Unpaid internship definitely yes.
Researching is up to you. It would fit as an EC as well.
 
So I'm a bit confused on these two sections of the online AACOMAS application. When I was in college I didn't have any paid work experience, but plenty of my activities I feel can be classified as unpaid work experience such as: Researcher in a microbiology lab for over a year with about 20-30 hours dedicated a week. Also I had participated in an unpaid internship at a hospice for a little more than a month at about 40 hours a week (9-5 on weekdays).

Even though I wasn't paid would I still classify these as "work experience?" or would I have to put nothing for "work experience" and place it all in the "volunteer/extracurriculars/community service" section?

I was told mixed things from my friends so I would be glad if someone could clarify this.

To me that is not work experience at all. It's an EC, but not work. Leave the Work experience section blank, that is for people who legitimately worked (as in getting paid). What you did is called volunteer,EC,Internship you name it, except work.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
To me that is not work experience at all. It's an EC, but not work. Leave the Work experience section blank, that is for people who legitimately worked (as in getting paid). What you did is called volunteer,EC,Internship you name it, except work.
I agree.