48 Sketch

[Guest Scholastica]

Hello UofO students & moderators:

 

I'm a fourth-year student who's applying to med schools for the first time. I'm not sure how this forum works... I posted a similar message in the UofT section, but I thought I would post it again here to receive some advice from the Ottawa students.

 

Med schools seem to use the 48 sketch to judge the variety and breath of extracurricular activities. I won many math contests in my high school, and I listed about 5 of them in the 48 sketch... but now I'm wondering if I should take out some of them to add other non-academic stuff into my 48 sketch.

 

I am also wondering if it's a good idea to include nominations to student awards even if I actually did not receive them?

 

Even if I joined a club just for a year, is it better to include a club membership instead of a big math award I got? I'm not sure which is better... But, if I spent less than 5 hours for a club, is it really worth mentioning?

 

Throughout the year, I helped out in a lot of events even if I wasn't necessarily part of a club or anything... If anyone asked for help, then I lended my hand. For example, I helped promote an AIDS seminar, an academic gala, etc?

 

If I have called and visited a senior for a few years, do you think it's worth mentioning it in my 48 sketch?

 

Someone told me something that makes you stand out should be included. I personally like watching figure skating (although I can't skate well. ) and I once made a forum like this for Russian pairs skaters' fans... But this is a professional application form. Should I include this interest in my 48 sketch or not?

 

Thank you... any clarifications would be appreciated. :0)

[Guest doctorinthehouse]

I'll try and give my insight into these questions, but I'm sure others have differing opinions, and there certainly isn't one way that will only work.

 

If you've got room for the 5 math awards, keep them in. If you don't, you can consider taking some out.

 

I personally wouldn't put awards that you were nominated for. Mostly this is because it will take up space for other things that can make your application more personal.

 

I would put the club in there. It doesn't really matter how much time you spend at it (which you could embellish a little anyway). It will just add, once again, to the variety of the application.

 

If you've helped out at seminars or visited seniors, I would definitely put this in as well. You may have to be selective due to the space restrictions, but you probably will have room.

 

That figure skating web-site thing...I would definitely put that in. I know it's a PROFESSIONAL APPLICATION and all, but if you put something a little odd in there, that might make them laugh at first, it will definitely be worth it. It will make you stand out. I've told this story many times, but I actually put feeding squirrels and other animals as a thing on my sketch. Not the type of thing that usually would show up on a professional application, but it is something that I like, and something that they mentioned at my interview. So, not only did it stand out enough to help get me an interview, but it stood out enough for them to remember it for the interview.

 

Hope this helps. Any other questions, just let me know

[Guest Scholastica]

Hello - thank you very much for your replies!!

 

I have another question though. Is it okay to list an outdoor activity for which I received a course credit?

 

Summer after Gr. 11, I went to Lake St. George Conservation Field Centre and learned water ecology, conservation issues, management of watershed, forestry, wildlife, AND teamwork as well as canoeing.

 

I'm not trying to fill up the entries. In fact, my 48 sketch is full. But I wanted to add some variety, and I thought mentioning my exposure to wildlife and experience at Lake St. George might help. And, truly, it was a really wonderful experience for me.

 

However, since I received ENV4AI credit, do you think it would be frowned upon to include this in my 48 sketch?

[Guest doctorinthehouse]

Hi there,

I was first inclined to say to put the class in, but as I thought about it more, I'm not sure that I would. It sounds like a great experience, but the reason that I wouldn't put it in is because there are classes like that in university (in environmental science), and people don't put those experiences separate (even though they are outside the normal rhealm of class).

What I would do instead, and what I did in my sketch, is put any activities that followed from that, that you still do. For example, in university I took an ornothology class (studying birds) where we went out all the time into the woods and studied birds in different habitats. Even though this was a much different class than most at university, I didn't add it as a separate entry, but put it in the course list. After that class, however, I have been more interested in going out and studying birds, and stuff like that, so I put that in my sketch as an extra-curricular.

So, moral of the story, I don't think I would add it, but if there are activities that it sparked, then add those. For example, if you now go canoing, camping, or nature walking because of this experience, I would put that in instead.

Hope this helps. Maybe others feel differently about this.