7 answers
Isaac
Student
St. Charles, Illinois
2
Questions
Updated
389 views
What are the strong activities outside of extracurriculars (clubs) that someone can do to differentiate themselves as a pre-health student (e.g., mixed martial arts, knitting, video games) ?
I currently train in MMA, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and I plan to continue jiu-jitsu in college. Outside of sports, though, I haven’t really developed many other hobbies beyond playing video games.
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7 answers
Devin Stoker
Project Manager
17
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Devin’s Answer
Volunteering is a fantastic way to learn new skills and make your applications stand out. You might even find opportunities that match your career goals.
If you want to start volunteering, check out United Way. They are everywhere in the US and can connect you with local groups that need help.
You could also volunteer with young jiu-jitsu leagues as an organizer or referee.
If you want to start volunteering, check out United Way. They are everywhere in the US and can connect you with local groups that need help.
You could also volunteer with young jiu-jitsu leagues as an organizer or referee.
Nigel Golding
Security Architecture
5
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Nigel’s Answer
Honestly, activities like MMA, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu already help you stand out more than you may realize. Those are strong commitments that show discipline, consistency, resilience, and the ability to handle pressure, which all translate well to a pre-health path.
What makes an activity stand out is usually not whether it sounds impressive, but whether it shows something meaningful about you. Medical and pre-health paths are full of students with similar classes and club memberships, so what often helps someone stand out is having real depth in something that reflects character, balance, and personal growth.
That means hobbies like martial arts, gaming, music, art, fitness, coaching, content creation, tutoring, or even something like knitting can all be valuable if you can explain what they taught you. For example, martial arts can show composure, humility, and long-term discipline. Video games can even be framed well if they developed teamwork, strategy, leadership, or problem-solving, though I would not make that your main differentiator unless there is more depth there.
My advice would be to keep leaning into jiu-jitsu, because that already gives you a strong and unique angle, and then try to build one additional interest outside of sports that feels genuine to you. It does not need to be random or perfectly impressive. It just needs to be something you actually care about and can stick with.
Over time, the strongest applicants usually look like real people with clear interests, not people who forced themselves into activities just to look well-rounded. Depth, consistency, and authenticity usually stand out more than trying to collect hobbies.
What makes an activity stand out is usually not whether it sounds impressive, but whether it shows something meaningful about you. Medical and pre-health paths are full of students with similar classes and club memberships, so what often helps someone stand out is having real depth in something that reflects character, balance, and personal growth.
That means hobbies like martial arts, gaming, music, art, fitness, coaching, content creation, tutoring, or even something like knitting can all be valuable if you can explain what they taught you. For example, martial arts can show composure, humility, and long-term discipline. Video games can even be framed well if they developed teamwork, strategy, leadership, or problem-solving, though I would not make that your main differentiator unless there is more depth there.
My advice would be to keep leaning into jiu-jitsu, because that already gives you a strong and unique angle, and then try to build one additional interest outside of sports that feels genuine to you. It does not need to be random or perfectly impressive. It just needs to be something you actually care about and can stick with.
Over time, the strongest applicants usually look like real people with clear interests, not people who forced themselves into activities just to look well-rounded. Depth, consistency, and authenticity usually stand out more than trying to collect hobbies.
Roderick Sample
IT Support
1
Answer
Rowlett, Texas
Updated
Roderick’s Answer
Hi Isaac. The key is to participate in activities that require teamwork. This will help you sharpen skills in leadership and working effectively with others to reach a goal. You also expose yourself to the ways different people think and go about solving problems. Perhaps you could organize a continual neighborhood clean-up team or something similar. If you excel at any particular subject in school, maybe you can organize buddy-style tutoring events. Check out the website for your city, school, or community specifically for volunteer events. Best of luck!
Liam Rielly
Data Center Technician
195
Answers
Manassas, Virginia
Updated
Liam’s Answer
I think you have some great ideas in play already! I think anything involving physical activity is going to serve you for skill building. MMA and wrestling are a great introduction to combat sports and I think you should reach further in that direction. If you are doing Jiu Jitsu, try to figure out how the submissions work by applying what you learn in anatomy and physiology to the movements. If you are doing kickboxing, figure out what muscle groups are creating motion for strikes.
Knitting? Sure why not! Something to relieve stress and allows you to focus on something simple physically in hand. This will give you dexterity in your hands. This will help your eyes focus on small manipulations you are doing, something that a doctor might need to do during a procedure. Also what in bio is kind like knitting, how about learning how protein chains form!
I don't recommend video games for one reason. (This is completely my opinion, you are fully allowed to disagree.) I feel like video game playing is a time and money sink. I feel you spend money on your console or PC, and then have to vest hours into game play before you are gaming. In the end you don't end up with a skill that is really transferable elsewhere. If you wanted to be a game dev I would say you must play. You mentioning an involvement with martial arts just makes me ask why cant you use that game play time to train more?! Please do what you feel is best for you, I am a random opinion online!
Try many different activities out and see what is good for you. Figure out what it is you like to do and do it. You will have many skills and opportunities to build skills in the future, any kind of skill building will help you.
To best answer this question you need to think about the relational value of a skill. When I mentioned martial arts and knitting I thought of a couple of quick ways to relate them to medicine. Think about what you will be doing professionally and how the activity you are doing can support you professionally. Lets say you are running a big medical machine that is controlled by a joystick and button controls. Maybe playing video games is a relevant skill to build on. Also think about networking with other people and team building. I feel that competitive martial arts is great for that, but also I would be foolish to say that you cannot have networking with other people in video games. I know people who game, then study, and go back and forth between the two building relationships as they play. But this is something you need to figure out for you.
Some relational skill building people I know in martial arts do is dance (usually ballroom or dancing with a partner), playing chess, and acting. Dance because you are doing movements and moving around or with another person. Chess because of concentration, strategy, also reading an opponent. Acting for any reason from them trying to get a role acting, being a stunt double, choreography, or rehearsing prescribed social situations for awareness. This all sounds strange but I can't tell you how many people I know do this because of the relational skills involved in these activities and martial arts.
Check out Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming and his publications.
Check out Rory Miller and some of his books.
Check out Martha Stewart and her career where she crossed homecraft and business.
Come up with a "bucket list" of activities you want to do and skills you want to try just to force yourself to try them eventually!
Knitting? Sure why not! Something to relieve stress and allows you to focus on something simple physically in hand. This will give you dexterity in your hands. This will help your eyes focus on small manipulations you are doing, something that a doctor might need to do during a procedure. Also what in bio is kind like knitting, how about learning how protein chains form!
I don't recommend video games for one reason. (This is completely my opinion, you are fully allowed to disagree.) I feel like video game playing is a time and money sink. I feel you spend money on your console or PC, and then have to vest hours into game play before you are gaming. In the end you don't end up with a skill that is really transferable elsewhere. If you wanted to be a game dev I would say you must play. You mentioning an involvement with martial arts just makes me ask why cant you use that game play time to train more?! Please do what you feel is best for you, I am a random opinion online!
Try many different activities out and see what is good for you. Figure out what it is you like to do and do it. You will have many skills and opportunities to build skills in the future, any kind of skill building will help you.
To best answer this question you need to think about the relational value of a skill. When I mentioned martial arts and knitting I thought of a couple of quick ways to relate them to medicine. Think about what you will be doing professionally and how the activity you are doing can support you professionally. Lets say you are running a big medical machine that is controlled by a joystick and button controls. Maybe playing video games is a relevant skill to build on. Also think about networking with other people and team building. I feel that competitive martial arts is great for that, but also I would be foolish to say that you cannot have networking with other people in video games. I know people who game, then study, and go back and forth between the two building relationships as they play. But this is something you need to figure out for you.
Some relational skill building people I know in martial arts do is dance (usually ballroom or dancing with a partner), playing chess, and acting. Dance because you are doing movements and moving around or with another person. Chess because of concentration, strategy, also reading an opponent. Acting for any reason from them trying to get a role acting, being a stunt double, choreography, or rehearsing prescribed social situations for awareness. This all sounds strange but I can't tell you how many people I know do this because of the relational skills involved in these activities and martial arts.
Liam recommends the following next steps:
Eric Brown
Solution Engineer
6
Answers
Fort Collins, Colorado
Updated
Eric’s Answer
What you’re doing already makes you stand out more than you realize.
Pre-health is not about ticking boxes or having perfect hobbies. It's about showing who you are and what you care about. Your involvement in MMA, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu shows discipline, resilience, consistency, and the ability to handle pressure—important traits in healthcare.
You don't need random hobbies to seem well-rounded. Consider these two points:
1. Go deeper, not wider
Sticking with something like jiu-jitsu over time, and possibly competing or mentoring, can be more meaningful than listing many unrelated activities.
2. Connect what you enjoy to important skills
Even video games can teach problem-solving, teamwork, and quick decision-making. The key is how you talk about them.
If you want to try something outside of sports, focus on activities that:
Show curiosity (like reading, writing, or learning a new skill)
Involve helping others (such as tutoring or informal volunteering)
Build communication or empathy (like mentoring or community involvement)
Don’t overthink it—the goal is to be genuine, not just impressive.
A strong pre-health applicant isn’t someone who does everything. It’s someone who shows commitment, growth, and knows who they are. You're already on a great path.
Pre-health is not about ticking boxes or having perfect hobbies. It's about showing who you are and what you care about. Your involvement in MMA, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu shows discipline, resilience, consistency, and the ability to handle pressure—important traits in healthcare.
You don't need random hobbies to seem well-rounded. Consider these two points:
1. Go deeper, not wider
Sticking with something like jiu-jitsu over time, and possibly competing or mentoring, can be more meaningful than listing many unrelated activities.
2. Connect what you enjoy to important skills
Even video games can teach problem-solving, teamwork, and quick decision-making. The key is how you talk about them.
If you want to try something outside of sports, focus on activities that:
Show curiosity (like reading, writing, or learning a new skill)
Involve helping others (such as tutoring or informal volunteering)
Build communication or empathy (like mentoring or community involvement)
Don’t overthink it—the goal is to be genuine, not just impressive.
A strong pre-health applicant isn’t someone who does everything. It’s someone who shows commitment, growth, and knows who they are. You're already on a great path.
Leonardo Hernadez
Intern
3
Answers
Mexico City, Mexico
Updated
Leonardo’s Answer
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a great and healthy activity to try. I used to be on my school's rugby team, and I highly recommend it. Rugby isn't just about tackles and laws; it teaches you important life skills. You learn how to guide others, give advice, and become a leader. It even offers lessons for living a better life.
Grace Combellack
Speech & Language Therapist/Pathologist
8
Answers
Nelson, New Zealand
Updated
Grace’s Answer
I agree with someone else’s comment about volunteering. Consider roles that help both develop and showcase skills that the future workforce is being reported to need ; agility, flexibility, adaptability to change, tech, innovation and communication skills. If volunteering isn’t an option financially, check out job boards such as ‘Do Good Jobs’ (sorry that’s New Zealand I don’t know where you’re based) where contribution and helping will also stand you in good stead.