Extra Curriculars and Hobbies

[CaLiGirL:)]

Hi everyone!

For those of you applying to medical school in the future or have already this summer, what EC’s have you done so far? What have you done to build you’re medical school resume? Are you satisfied with what you have and do you think it’s enough or do you feel that you need more? There are so many people out there who have outstanding EC experiences which many of us moms do not have the time for. Do you have any other hobbies outside of family/school?

So far I have 1 yr of volunteering (at a teaching hospital), couple months of shadowing, gone a couple of times to feed the homeless with my mother and a group she’s active in affiliated with our church (plan to keep going…it’s awesome), and absolutely no research. One hobby that I’ll keep for the rest of my life is dancing. I’ve danced my whole life and stopped due to my pregnancy. I’ve only gone here and there since my daughter was born b/c of the little time and money I have. Once the money and time rolls in, I’m going to take dance classes like I used to to build my skills up the way they used to be. It’s an awesome stress reliever. I’ll never let go of that 🙂 .

Anybody else? It would be interesting to hear other people’s situations/stories as well. Hope to hear from you… 😉

Annie

[MomMD]

Love this idea! I’m volunteering at UCLA Santa Monica hospital – currently in postpartum. I LOVE IT! In my spare time I would say I’m an avid cook. I attended cooking school this year and got certified as a pastry chef. I bake cakes for people and attend other cooking classes. Today I had an Indian cooking one – YUMMYY!! My fall back career will be related to food. I might attend Le Cordon Bleu in London and take another pastry course and start my own business. Who knows!! Not good for the waistline mind you!
Sethina

[glennvally]

Annie,

You’re way ahead of me…I feel like I have no valid volunteerism for my resume at all, just bits and pieces here and there. I really should get busy with it, but I already take so much time away from my family that I hate to give even a few more hours on the weekends! With a husband who is out to sea all the time, trying to commit to a schedule at the hospital is nearly impossible. I certainly can’t afford to stick my kids in daycare while I go work for free. 🙁 Besides that, I find it very difficult to give up any homework time–I like to keep my weekends available when I have upcoming tests and often study 10-12 hours on Saturdays and Sundays.

Well, starting this fall I will be taking one class at the medical school. I am praying that that will help me gain access to the teaching hospital. I will have a few free hours a week on campus and the University Hospital is right there…I think I will have to volunteer that time rather than use it for study, I need to think of the volunteering as just as important as the grades (maybe even more so) to get me into med school.

Sheesh, I was thinking I had plenty of time! Here I am a Junior already…This pipe-dream is quickly becoming reality. WOW.

Val

[UCLABruin]

I volunteer at UCLA Medical Center in the children’s play area. It’s great! I am going to be doing research next summer, and in my senior year of high school (I don’t know if this counts for med. school) I did a lot of pharmacological research. 🙂

[elisemomof3]

Hi Gals,
Looks like most of you are doing great with the volunteering and shadowing, but are lacking in the Research area. Research experience is extremely valuable both on your resume and as the ability to analyze research papers and stuff. I had a 28 MCAT, marginal for the school I applied to 😮 , but 2 years of research experience (about 10 hours/ week). I am quite sure this bumped me up into a higher status as an applicant. Try to get that experience gals, it can really help.

Yours,
Elise 😀

[momofbree]

I also do not have any research and am very concerned about that. I’m currently stuck at a CC and there are no research opportunities. Although, my pre-med advisor told me you do not need research experience unless you are going for a MD/PHD. I don’t know if I believe him though.

To make up for my lack of research I’ve tried to get in a lot of volunteer experience. I volunteered for 6 months at a crisis pregnancy center last semester. Now I’m volunteering 8 hours a week in the postpartum unit at a local hospital and 3 hours/week at a nursing home. I really enjoy doing this, its worth much more than just padding on my resume.I’m also going to shadow a doctor sometime this semester.

That brings up a question- my interest is OB/GYN and I am very close to my Nurse midwife, she’s already offered to let me shadow. Will that be beneficial to me or should I just wait to find an OB to shadow?

Another question- I’m involved with alot of activities in my church (ex. choreographing for the Christmas pagaent) Do these count as volunteer experiences?

Thanks for any input!

Shanna

[elisemomof3]

Dear momofbree,
You’ve got lots of volunteerism. Yes, anyplace you volunteer counts! You might think about doing some research at another school within the same city. Many people do this if their own school does not have research opportunities.

To everyone on this list, I recommend that you make an appointment with the admissions department at the medical school closest to you. If you don’t intend on going there, don’t say so..act like you love their school and you want to know more about the admissions process. They are usually extremely friendly. Write up a resume..what you’ve done, your classes, GPA,etc. They will tell you what else you need to do. They are so full of free advice…use it! And, they will remember you at interview time. I did this and the whole admissions staff was “pulling for me” through that stressful application year.

Go for it, be confident, and arm yourself with information.

Yours,
Elise Sadoun
Med 1, OSUCOMPH 😀

[Cynthia]

Hmmm. let’s see. I really hadn’t thought about what I’ve done. It’s just been a part of my life not something I’ve done on purpose. Here goes….

food bank–4 years
hospital (geriatrics)–9 months
Church(women’s ministries coordinator)–3 years
Church(kings kids program)–10 years
women’s quartet(I sing bass)–6 years (off and on)
shadowing doctor–off and on

and hobbies? Let’s see….fixing up baby stuff and giving it to needy families, sewing, sewing, sewing, and more sewing, Flower arranging (mostly weddings), various crafts, rafting, snowmobiling,

This year I begin a graduate program that includes research. I have no idea what that will entail yet but I’m looking forward to it!!

I’ve probably missed a few things but that gives an idea what I like to do.

–Cynthia

Oh yeah, I forgot three years tutoring and a year of teaching assistant. As for awards etc. I chose not to list them when I applied to grad. school because I just didn’t like the idea of parading my accomplishments even to the graduate admitting committee. I think my letters of rec. did mention them though because some of my new prof’s have mentioned some of my awards. If you really want to know you can send a private e-mail and I’ll tell you. ccvillwock@att.net

[efex101]

Volunteering (about 4 hrs per week since 2000 but not every single week, sometimes tests come first)
Two research experiences (ten weeks in the summer at Vandy and Mayo, will be going back this coming summer to Mayo)
Tutoring since 1999 (on scholarship pays for tuition, six hrs per week)
Member of honor societies (Tri Beta, Gamma Beta Phi, hopefully Omicron Delta soon)
Teach hip-hop (one class per week)

By the way I really do not think that research is a must to get into medical school, I do think that it is a great experience but only if you are interested in research, not to gain admissions edge.

[MomMD]

Originally posted by efex101:
[b]Teach hip-hop (one class per week)
.[/b]

Now I always knew you were a funky gal!!

[efex101]

he he he 🙂

[Mary B-B ToBeDoc]

All right!…post the time and place of your hip hop class and we’ll see how many of us we can get there. 😀

And for those looking for volunteer work, check our http://www.volunteermatch.org. You input what sort of volunteering you want to do, how far you want to travel, and POOF!…up come possibilities. On that site, I found a 10k fundraising walkathon (to benefit juvenile diabetes research) that is this weekend. I’m volunteering to register people on the day of the walk, then my husband will come with our sons and we’ll “bring up the rear.” (Pray for nice weather!) Anyhow, it’s a good find…the whole family gets to do this together. Other volunteer work and shadowing of course are different, but they listed opportunities at my area’s hospital and medical center that I didn’t know existed! Take care everyone…

[Mary B-B ToBeDoc]

Whoops! “And for those looking for volunteer work, check our http://www.volunteermatch.org….”

…that should have been “check out” not “check our”. (blush)

[elisemomof3]

Some schools care about research and some don’t. 80% of the acceptances at my school were to folks with research experience. Still, it can’t hurt to get that experience. You will learn so much, you will be amazed. I thought research was going to be exceedingly boring, but I ended up loving it! Pick an area you like. However, if you are doing it just to pad your resume then you are losing out on the experience. Do it for the experience..it will really help you in the long run, believe me.
Yours,
Elise 😀

[CaLiGirL:)]

efex101,

It’s good to see that members have things in common. I have taken hip hop for 7yrs before I got pregnant with my little munchkin and since then, it’s been an on and off thing. I’ve taken ballet and jazz, but for some reason hip hop always won my heart over as my absolute favorite! It must be fun teaching! If I were in your town, I’d definitely go and take your class. It’s good that you’re as active as you are…keep it up! Your kids must be proud to have a hip mom… 😉

Anybody else have EC’s/hobbies they want to share?

Annie

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