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What extracurriculars do I need to get into medical school?
I am a college sophomore on the pre-med track.
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Luke’s Answer
When applying to medical school, extracurricular activities can play a significant role in showcasing your interests, skills, and commitment to the field of medicine. While there is no specific checklist of required extracurriculars, here are some types of activities that can enhance your medical school application:
Clinical Experience: Gain hands-on experience in healthcare settings to demonstrate your understanding of the medical field and your ability to work with patients. This can include volunteering or working as a medical scribe, medical assistant, hospital volunteer, or shadowing healthcare professionals.
Research Experience: Engage in scientific research to demonstrate your aptitude for critical thinking, problem-solving, and inquiry. Participate in research projects, work in a laboratory, or assist faculty members with their research. Aim to present your work at conferences or publish in scientific journals, if possible.
Community Service: Engage in volunteer activities that demonstrate your commitment to helping others and making a positive impact. This can include volunteering at clinics, community organizations, nursing homes, or participating in service trips.
Leadership Roles: Take on leadership positions in clubs, organizations, or community initiatives. Leadership experiences showcase your ability to manage responsibilities, work collaboratively, and make a difference in your community. Consider joining pre-medical or healthcare-related organizations on campus and taking on leadership roles within those organizations.
Teaching/Tutoring: Demonstrate your communication and mentoring skills by engaging in teaching or tutoring activities. This can involve tutoring peers or younger students, serving as a teaching assistant, or participating in mentorship programs.
Extracurricular Clubs and Activities: Participate in clubs and organizations that align with your interests and allow you to develop important skills. This can include joining science clubs, volunteering in campus health organizations, participating in campus-wide events, or pursuing hobbies and interests outside of medicine.
Sports and Athletics: Participating in sports or physical activities can showcase teamwork, discipline, and dedication. It also highlights your ability to balance academics and extracurriculars effectively.
Remember, it's important to focus on quality rather than quantity when it comes to extracurricular activities. Admissions committees are interested in seeing depth and commitment in your chosen activities, rather than a long list of superficial involvements. Choose activities that genuinely interest you and align with your values and goals. Additionally, aim for long-term involvement and leadership positions within your chosen activities to demonstrate your dedication and impact.
Lastly, it's essential to prioritize your academic performance, as strong grades and MCAT scores are crucial for medical school admissions. Balancing academics, extracurriculars, and personal well-being is key to a successful application.
Clinical Experience: Gain hands-on experience in healthcare settings to demonstrate your understanding of the medical field and your ability to work with patients. This can include volunteering or working as a medical scribe, medical assistant, hospital volunteer, or shadowing healthcare professionals.
Research Experience: Engage in scientific research to demonstrate your aptitude for critical thinking, problem-solving, and inquiry. Participate in research projects, work in a laboratory, or assist faculty members with their research. Aim to present your work at conferences or publish in scientific journals, if possible.
Community Service: Engage in volunteer activities that demonstrate your commitment to helping others and making a positive impact. This can include volunteering at clinics, community organizations, nursing homes, or participating in service trips.
Leadership Roles: Take on leadership positions in clubs, organizations, or community initiatives. Leadership experiences showcase your ability to manage responsibilities, work collaboratively, and make a difference in your community. Consider joining pre-medical or healthcare-related organizations on campus and taking on leadership roles within those organizations.
Teaching/Tutoring: Demonstrate your communication and mentoring skills by engaging in teaching or tutoring activities. This can involve tutoring peers or younger students, serving as a teaching assistant, or participating in mentorship programs.
Extracurricular Clubs and Activities: Participate in clubs and organizations that align with your interests and allow you to develop important skills. This can include joining science clubs, volunteering in campus health organizations, participating in campus-wide events, or pursuing hobbies and interests outside of medicine.
Sports and Athletics: Participating in sports or physical activities can showcase teamwork, discipline, and dedication. It also highlights your ability to balance academics and extracurriculars effectively.
Remember, it's important to focus on quality rather than quantity when it comes to extracurricular activities. Admissions committees are interested in seeing depth and commitment in your chosen activities, rather than a long list of superficial involvements. Choose activities that genuinely interest you and align with your values and goals. Additionally, aim for long-term involvement and leadership positions within your chosen activities to demonstrate your dedication and impact.
Lastly, it's essential to prioritize your academic performance, as strong grades and MCAT scores are crucial for medical school admissions. Balancing academics, extracurriculars, and personal well-being is key to a successful application.
Updated
Midwest’s Answer
The most important advice I can give about extracurriculars for getting into medical school is that the DEPTH and COMMITMENT to the activity is just as important as the actual content of whatever you choose to do. That is why it is much more important to find one or a few extracurriculars to really pour yourself into with serious depth and commitment rather than 10 in which you are superficially involved. If you get involved with 10 in order to help yourself decide that is totally fine, but then you should focus and dive in. If you've done that, it will not only show on your medical school application, but you will also be significantly more convincing when you speak about those experiences. it is relatively easy to tell how involved and passionate someone is versus not.
What could those extracurriculars be? Many things including but definitely not limited to this list:
1) Volunteering/Community Service - This can be done at practically any hospital, with opportunities typically available on the hospitals' website. This may also be available at clinics and through other non-profit programs. While it is best if this relates to healthcare or even your specific area of interest, it is most important that you are invested.
2) Internships/Jobs - This is particularly relevant for summer breaks when you can devote 2 or 3 months to a dedicated program and area of work or study. This may be clinical or research based and is the time to take an opportunity to get your foot into a particular area of interest within medicine. This could be in your home city, at a place where you aspire to end up, or anywhere else.
3) Leadership - This may be through particular interest groups, volunteer groups, sports teams, class or dorm leadership, or really any opportunity at all where you will have the chance to demonstrate leadership.
4) Research - Getting involved in a research project that you can speak about or even better getting your name on a project which is eventually published can be a great way to show hard work and dedication and can also be an effective way to network and gain entry into a field of interest. It also checks a box on your application for research exposure and experience.
5) Other - This is actually very important and may relate to a non medical interest you have or a hobby or other endeavor. These activities even if unrelated to medicine are essential to demonstrate character traits about you, such as hard work, entrepreneurship, attention to detail, creativity, well roundedness, etc. In addition, they often provide a welcomed diversion during an interview to discuss something unique or different or interesting about you, because people do eventually get sick of talking about school and research!
Hope this helps!
Gain as much exposure as you can to help you determine areas of interest in medicine
Tailor some extracurriculars around that area of interest and cast a wide net
Narrow your net once you can select one or more which you can really dive into
Include non-medical hobbies/interests in your application
What could those extracurriculars be? Many things including but definitely not limited to this list:
1) Volunteering/Community Service - This can be done at practically any hospital, with opportunities typically available on the hospitals' website. This may also be available at clinics and through other non-profit programs. While it is best if this relates to healthcare or even your specific area of interest, it is most important that you are invested.
2) Internships/Jobs - This is particularly relevant for summer breaks when you can devote 2 or 3 months to a dedicated program and area of work or study. This may be clinical or research based and is the time to take an opportunity to get your foot into a particular area of interest within medicine. This could be in your home city, at a place where you aspire to end up, or anywhere else.
3) Leadership - This may be through particular interest groups, volunteer groups, sports teams, class or dorm leadership, or really any opportunity at all where you will have the chance to demonstrate leadership.
4) Research - Getting involved in a research project that you can speak about or even better getting your name on a project which is eventually published can be a great way to show hard work and dedication and can also be an effective way to network and gain entry into a field of interest. It also checks a box on your application for research exposure and experience.
5) Other - This is actually very important and may relate to a non medical interest you have or a hobby or other endeavor. These activities even if unrelated to medicine are essential to demonstrate character traits about you, such as hard work, entrepreneurship, attention to detail, creativity, well roundedness, etc. In addition, they often provide a welcomed diversion during an interview to discuss something unique or different or interesting about you, because people do eventually get sick of talking about school and research!
Hope this helps!
Midwest recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Rita’s Answer
The best advice I can give any premed student is to become a scribe. You get to see what doctors do, you can speak with them and get advice, you get training and you get paid.
There was a patient whose granddaughter wanted to become a physician. I told her to shadow a doctor. After one hour, she decided she did not want to be a doctor. You listen to complaints all day was her excuse. I told the patient if you cannot stand shadowing a doctor 1 summer, you cannot do this job.
After doing this and you are still interested, I think just do something you are passionate about and excel at it. It doesn't matter what you do. You just need to show the school that you are committed.
The typical things are: volunteer, research
There was a patient whose granddaughter wanted to become a physician. I told her to shadow a doctor. After one hour, she decided she did not want to be a doctor. You listen to complaints all day was her excuse. I told the patient if you cannot stand shadowing a doctor 1 summer, you cannot do this job.
After doing this and you are still interested, I think just do something you are passionate about and excel at it. It doesn't matter what you do. You just need to show the school that you are committed.
The typical things are: volunteer, research
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
While there is no specific set of extracurricular activities required to get into medical school, there are certain experiences that can help you stand out as a strong candidate. Medical schools are looking for well-rounded applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to serving others and have developed skills that will be valuable in a medical career. Here are some extracurricular activities to consider:
1. Volunteer work: Volunteer work in healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, or nursing homes, can be a great way to gain experience working with patients and healthcare professionals. You might also consider volunteering in other community service settings, such as tutoring or mentoring programs, to demonstrate your commitment to serving others.
2. Research: Participating in research projects, either in a laboratory or clinical setting, can help you develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will be valuable in a medical career. You might also consider presenting your research findings at conferences or submitting papers for publication.
3. Leadership roles: Taking on leadership roles in clubs, organizations, or volunteer groups can demonstrate your ability to work collaboratively with others and lead teams. Consider running for a leadership position in a student club or taking on a leadership role in a volunteer organization.
4. Clinical experiences: Shadowing physicians or other healthcare professionals can give you a firsthand look at what it's like to work in a medical setting. You might also consider doing a clinical internship or participating in a medical mission trip.
5. Extracurricular activities that showcase your interests: Pursuing extracurricular activities that showcase your interests and hobbies can demonstrate your well-roundedness and show that you have a life outside of academics. This might include playing sports, participating in music or theater groups, or pursuing other creative or athletic pursuits.
Remember that it's not just the quantity of extracurricular activities that matters, but also the quality of your experiences and how they have shaped your personal and professional development. Choose activities that align with your interests and passions, and focus on developing skills that will be valuable in a medical career.
1. Volunteer work: Volunteer work in healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, or nursing homes, can be a great way to gain experience working with patients and healthcare professionals. You might also consider volunteering in other community service settings, such as tutoring or mentoring programs, to demonstrate your commitment to serving others.
2. Research: Participating in research projects, either in a laboratory or clinical setting, can help you develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will be valuable in a medical career. You might also consider presenting your research findings at conferences or submitting papers for publication.
3. Leadership roles: Taking on leadership roles in clubs, organizations, or volunteer groups can demonstrate your ability to work collaboratively with others and lead teams. Consider running for a leadership position in a student club or taking on a leadership role in a volunteer organization.
4. Clinical experiences: Shadowing physicians or other healthcare professionals can give you a firsthand look at what it's like to work in a medical setting. You might also consider doing a clinical internship or participating in a medical mission trip.
5. Extracurricular activities that showcase your interests: Pursuing extracurricular activities that showcase your interests and hobbies can demonstrate your well-roundedness and show that you have a life outside of academics. This might include playing sports, participating in music or theater groups, or pursuing other creative or athletic pursuits.
Remember that it's not just the quantity of extracurricular activities that matters, but also the quality of your experiences and how they have shaped your personal and professional development. Choose activities that align with your interests and passions, and focus on developing skills that will be valuable in a medical career.
Updated
Lesly’s Answer
Hello! Engaging in extracurricular activities can greatly help you get ready for medical school. Some excellent options include community service or volunteering, observing doctors at work, gaining hands-on experience with patients, taking on leadership roles, and conducting research. These activities can be both enjoyable and beneficial for your future!