Extracurriculars?

[AB27]

[Meridian]

Google CanMeds.    Most important to write up your ECs to show how you cover each of the categories.    Think quality and leadership over quantity

[AB27]

12 minutes ago, Meridian said:

Google CanMeds.    Most important to write up your ECs to show how you cover each of the categories.    Think quality and leadership over quantity

Thanks for your reply. I have looked at the CanMeds roles and I think I can word my ABS to touch on most, if not all of them. I'm more worried that I'll stand out negatively due to my lack of hours/diversity/ numbers compared to other applicants.

[Bambi]

Don’t compare yourself to others. Market yourself well, to the best of your ability, and let the chips falls where they may. You have control over yourself, your descriptions, do not focus on what you do not control, it is a waste of energy. Good luck!

[CardiacArrhythmia]

Agreed to what Bambi said above. Derailing the topic a little because I believe this needs to be said. IMHO, often times, many students compare themselves to others since an earlier age, they were often compared to a sibling, family friends, etc by members of their inner circle. As you grow older and mature, you start to realize the amount of energy spent on worrying for others could have been use to improving your own success - the earlier you realize it, the better. Ironically, being in a field to ensure safety and care needs for others, you'll need to worry and care for yourself first before you can ensure that you can perform to the best of your ability for others.

[AB27]

 

3 hours ago, Bambi said:

Don’t compare yourself to others. Market yourself well, to the best of your ability, and let the chips falls where they may. You have control over yourself, your descriptions, do not focus on what you do not control, it is a waste of energy. Good luck!

 

59 minutes ago, CardiacArrhythmia said:

Agreed to what Bambi said above. Derailing the topic a little because I believe this needs to be said. IMHO, often times, many students compare themselves to others since an earlier age, they were often compared to a sibling, family friends, etc by members of their inner circle. As you grow older and mature, you start to realize the amount of energy spent on worrying for others could have been use to improving your own success - the earlier you realize it, the better. Ironically, being in a field to ensure safety and care needs for others, you'll need to worry and care for yourself first before you can ensure that you can perform to the best of your ability for others.

I think it's a little hard for me pursuing a competitive field as I really hate competition, always have. I'll do it if it needs to be done but it kinda makes me feel awful. Also, the whole uncertainty as to what's expected doesn't help.

[Bambi]

Life is competitive in all its aspects. Just live your life, focus on your goals and your tasks needed to get there. Do your best, this is all you can do. What happens then is beyond your control. At Cégep (junior coooege) I was a so so student. Medicine was beyond my grasp apparently. I wanted medicine, knew I would need to work hard and smart. I was Lways highly motivated, this is what kept me going when I would reach burnout, which was often. I pushed myself. I became a self taught learner. For example, if an exam for a course was based strictly on the text, I skipped lectures and used the lecture time to study the text. I became extremely efficient in my study methods. This not only paid off in high grades in undergrad, but in medicine, I skipped lectures too as I found this to be far more efficient. I was in a competitive world, however, my goal was to be the best of which I was capable, and I paid no notice to the so-called competition. I had no control over them, but had control over myself. To get a job to deliver pizza if there are many applicants, you have to put your best foot forward to try to be selected. As I said, life is competitive. Sports is fun and competitive. 

Either join the competition, or don’t play, there is no in between. I am in a competitive field. I did not compete, rather, I tried my best. Decisions were out of my hand, however, doing my best was within my control. This got me selected to my residency program. Most of my competition were gunners but they were deemed not to be a good fit. So, don’t focus on the competition, only upon doing your best with initiative and humility.