4 answers
Ghaille
Student
Fontana, California
1
Question
Asked
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What extracurricular activities should I participate in while in college in order to get into medical school?
I'm an aspiring psychiatrist who is currently a high school senior and recently been accepted to prestigious universities like UCLA, UCI, and UCSD. I have participated in many volunteering and academic extracurriculars while in high school. However, I am wondering what I can do while pursuing my Bachelor's Degree aside from the pre-med courses and the MCAT to get into medical school. I am leaning towards going to UCLA for a psychobiology degree.
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4 answers
Judith Wolf
Infectious Diseases and HIV medicine physician
13
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Judith’s Answer
Medical school admissions committees are looking for bright, interesting, well-rounded individuals. This doesn’t mean lots of extracurricular activities; it means being able to demonstrate passion and commitment to select interests and activities - things you can easily talk about in an essay or interview.
So think carefully about what you find interesting or important- it doesn’t matter if it’s research, athletics, music or working with a particular group or cause - it just needs to be genuine.
Enjoy the breadth of experiences in college and find what makes you happy!
So think carefully about what you find interesting or important- it doesn’t matter if it’s research, athletics, music or working with a particular group or cause - it just needs to be genuine.
Enjoy the breadth of experiences in college and find what makes you happy!
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach, Mentor
1209
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Ghaille,
I think psychobiology is a fantastic major if you plan to be a psychiatrist one day. You get the best of a psychology degree and a bioscience degree and it will be really useful for you as a psychiatrist to come from that foundation of behavior and brain studies and not just from a purely medical background.
When you get to college, first of all relax and find your footing in a new environment. If you go to UCLA, find out how to get into the psychobiology major and start taking the pre-requisites. Meet the other students, get to know your professors. Find out about resources for students who are pre-med.
Becoming a doctor is competitive. Check out the admission requirements for medical schools you would consider. Apart from a great GPA and MCAT score, you'll need medical experience, volunteer hours and, if you can, research experience is great to have. Research can be in psychology, in one of the science departments or in health science, depending on your interests. UCLA offers opportunities for undergraduate research as well as undergraduate conferences and journals to publish. I left some links for you below.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://www.psych.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Psychobiology-for-Freshmen-Fall-24.pdf
https://www.psych.ucla.edu/undergraduate/research/
https://www.psych.ucla.edu/undergraduate/special-programs-and-events/psychology-research-opportunities-programs/
https://sciences.ugresearch.ucla.edu/
https://www.uclahealth.org/volunteer/programs/ucla-health-sciences-programs/ucla-health-sciences-uhs-undergraduate-research-clearance
I think psychobiology is a fantastic major if you plan to be a psychiatrist one day. You get the best of a psychology degree and a bioscience degree and it will be really useful for you as a psychiatrist to come from that foundation of behavior and brain studies and not just from a purely medical background.
When you get to college, first of all relax and find your footing in a new environment. If you go to UCLA, find out how to get into the psychobiology major and start taking the pre-requisites. Meet the other students, get to know your professors. Find out about resources for students who are pre-med.
Becoming a doctor is competitive. Check out the admission requirements for medical schools you would consider. Apart from a great GPA and MCAT score, you'll need medical experience, volunteer hours and, if you can, research experience is great to have. Research can be in psychology, in one of the science departments or in health science, depending on your interests. UCLA offers opportunities for undergraduate research as well as undergraduate conferences and journals to publish. I left some links for you below.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
James Hanson
Pediatric Intensive Care Physician; Consultant
257
Answers
Oakland, California
Updated
James’s Answer
I agree with Judith. There is no subset of extracurricular activities that is better than others. Medical schools want well-rounded individuals and doctors know that diversity is a strength. Do what is fun for you. It does help when applying to medical school when you can demonstrate leadership, so if you can be a team captain, a performer of music or theater, the founder of a new club/organization..., that could be helpful. Working for an organization that helps people with basic needs demonstrates the caring values that physicians like to see.
Getting through any of the universities you have in mind (congratulations, by the way) is not easy, so you don't want to take on too much. Take care of yourself with enough sleep, healthy diet, and exercise. Be sure to have a fun social life.
Getting through any of the universities you have in mind (congratulations, by the way) is not easy, so you don't want to take on too much. Take care of yourself with enough sleep, healthy diet, and exercise. Be sure to have a fun social life.
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1376
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Ghaille,
First, congratulations. Getting into schools like UCLA, UCI, and UCSD is a big achievement, and you’re already building strong momentum.
Developing a well-rounded, intentional profile is more important when preparing for medical school (and psychiatry in particular) than trying to do everything. Clinical experience, service, and academic/research depth are the three key areas that medical schools usually search for.
Make an effort to gain firsthand experience in healthcare environments for your clinical work. This could be achieved by working as a medical scribe, volunteering at a hospital, or shadowing medical professionals, especially psychiatrists, if at all possible. Showing your understanding of the true nature of patient care is the goal.
When it comes to service, concentrate on regular, meaningful volunteering, particularly with vulnerable or underprivileged groups. Experiences with mental health, crisis help, or community outreach can be particularly impactful since you're interested in psychiatry.
Another powerful differentiator is research. Even in your second year, participating in a lab linked to psychology, neuroscience, or mental health can improve your application and give you a better understanding of the scientific side of medicine.
Initiative and leadership are also important. This could be accomplished by organising a project, forming a group to raise awareness of mental health issues, or joining student organisations. It shows that you are capable of taking charge and making an influence rather than merely participating.
A key piece of advice: quantity is not as important as depth. It's better to dedicate yourself to a small number of activities over time and develop them than to participate in a lot of things for a short time.
Don't forget to look after your health and GPA. Sustainability is equally as important as success in medical school, which is a long path.
If there's one thing that a lot of pre-med students wish they had done sooner, it's to be more thoughtful in their decision-making. Instead of merely trying to 'check boxes', they should choose activities that fit their story.
You've already started down a solid path. You'll be in a great position for medical school if you continue to be persistent and develop experiences related to your interest in mental health and patient care.
Best wishes!
First, congratulations. Getting into schools like UCLA, UCI, and UCSD is a big achievement, and you’re already building strong momentum.
Developing a well-rounded, intentional profile is more important when preparing for medical school (and psychiatry in particular) than trying to do everything. Clinical experience, service, and academic/research depth are the three key areas that medical schools usually search for.
Make an effort to gain firsthand experience in healthcare environments for your clinical work. This could be achieved by working as a medical scribe, volunteering at a hospital, or shadowing medical professionals, especially psychiatrists, if at all possible. Showing your understanding of the true nature of patient care is the goal.
When it comes to service, concentrate on regular, meaningful volunteering, particularly with vulnerable or underprivileged groups. Experiences with mental health, crisis help, or community outreach can be particularly impactful since you're interested in psychiatry.
Another powerful differentiator is research. Even in your second year, participating in a lab linked to psychology, neuroscience, or mental health can improve your application and give you a better understanding of the scientific side of medicine.
Initiative and leadership are also important. This could be accomplished by organising a project, forming a group to raise awareness of mental health issues, or joining student organisations. It shows that you are capable of taking charge and making an influence rather than merely participating.
A key piece of advice: quantity is not as important as depth. It's better to dedicate yourself to a small number of activities over time and develop them than to participate in a lot of things for a short time.
Don't forget to look after your health and GPA. Sustainability is equally as important as success in medical school, which is a long path.
If there's one thing that a lot of pre-med students wish they had done sooner, it's to be more thoughtful in their decision-making. Instead of merely trying to 'check boxes', they should choose activities that fit their story.
You've already started down a solid path. You'll be in a great position for medical school if you continue to be persistent and develop experiences related to your interest in mental health and patient care.
Best wishes!