Accepted? talk about ur ECs

[Guest n2000r]

If you were accepted @ Dal, Plz talk about your ECs and volunteer experience.

[tooty]

I tried twice to get some EC discussion going from the matriculants, but no one spoke up. They don't care enough to share.

[debbieL]

Hey tootie/n2000r,

 

I'd be happy to share my ECs/volunteer experience with you, but it is my humble opinion that you should choose EC's that interest you, not others. There's not really any "typical" set of successful EC's.

 

Having said that, I do think it's important to have some experience working in the health-care setting, working with patients as much as possible (as Dal's website states). Personally, I volunteered in the ER for 2 years. I also volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and my EC's included dance, piano, acting, sports, and travel. My work experiences were definately not "typical premed"- I waitressed, bartended, and worked for the TO auto show. I also had about a year of research experience (which was actually not in medicine, but child psychology).

 

I'm sure that whatever you choose as interests will be fine, as long as you show interest and experience in working in the healthcare field, and show that you are a well-rounded person interested in things outside of the classroom. It probably also doesn't hurt to show some long-term dedication in some of your activities, it's better than doing a bunch of different activities for one week each.

 

Best of luck with your future application!

[MrNeuroscience]

I second what debbieL said about choosing EC's that interest you, although I will admit that speaking to people about their experiences can help you choose what yoou think you'd be interested in.

 

I'm convinced the most important EC I had was to work. I was a bartender for 4 years all the way through school. I also worked as a research assistant and worked in a small options home.

I volunteered with the hospital feeding program, I tutored individuals with brain injury, volunteered at the SPCA, and was on my program's student society. I worked (shadowed) in a hospital in Ghana for 4 weeks, and I did a traditional medicine program in Northern India for 4 weeks (most incredible 4 weeks ever). I also played rugby for Dal during first year.

 

Just choose some EC's that you can fit into your schedule, and that you enjoy doing. Because ultimately you will be taking away from your studies to pursue some of these things, so you had better like them!

[tooty]

Thanks for the response.

 

I'm applying this year and was just looking for some examples of successful applicants to calm my nerves.

 

I've only been volunteering sporadically in the ER for a couple of months, so I doubt it will count much.

 

I have some EC's that are questionable in whether or not they would be categorized under "healthcare" activities:

 

1 year on campus response team

1 year first aid instructor

2 years on competitive lifeguard team

2 years personal trainer

1 year powerlifting coach for special olympics

 

What do you people think?

 

Maybe I should pick up bartending..

[stepstofollow]

Hi there,

I'm entering Med II at Dal.

 

The following is an excellent piece of advice.

 

I'd be happy to share my ECs/volunteer experience with you, but it is my humble opinion that you should choose EC's that interest you, not others. There's not really any "typical" set of successful EC's.

 

That being said, and while application succeed and fail a wide variety of reasons, having a breadth of EC's that demonstrate you are well rounded AND having some sort of hospital/clinic/something-that-exposes-you -to medicine experiences as a job or as volunteerism is critical.

 

This is directly from the admissions office (why applications sometimes fail)

 

<http://admissions.medicine.dal.ca/download/feedback.doc>

 

2. Volunteer Work – this is an important aspect of your file and it provides to the committee information on medically related experience that you have gained prior to applying to medical school. Volunteer work is important for applicants as it provides you with some experience to give you an idea of what you can expect should you be accepted. If you apply with little or no medically related experience the committee would not be convinced you were ready for the challenges that medicine offers. The other important aspect of volunteer work is to make sure that you are keeping your activities “current”. Stay involved in activities while in university and while in the process of applying to medical school as this sends the message to the committee that you are motivated and interested in medicine.

 

I was a "non -traditional" applicant. My healthcare experience came from 12 years as health professional -- so I applied with not so much "recent" volunteer work, but had done a wide variety of things EC-wise. The admissions committee is looking for you to not only have EC's but to also demonstrate that you know what you are getting into in context of being a medical student and taking on lifestyle of a practicing physician down the road. The length of time isn't as critical as regularity, context, and experienc you gain. Your other EC's you listed are good as they demonstrate a motivation to be involved in activity outside of school, which is also very important

(Applicants who apply with only a bit of volunteer work and no other EC's also are not successful sometimes) but that ER volunteer position will help a lot. They are looking for evidence of what you got out of the experiences. You ned to do activities that are meaningful to you -- you will not be as credible in your application or interview if your are doing volunteerism, of working in healthcare just satisfy a tickbox on a form, etc.

 

My recommendation would be you volunteer at the ER more regularly, rather than sporadically -- getting a better sense of how things work in hospitals can only help you.

Good luck with your aplication!

[Madz25]

i think the reason people don't reply is because it really doesn't matter what your EC's are as long as you enjoy them! (obviously dal prefers health care experience, but aside from that). doing EC's that other people did wont guarantee you admission so it really doesn't matter.

 

 

madz

[Citan]

 

I'm convinced the most important EC I had was to work. I was a bartender for 4 years all the way through school. I also worked as a research assistant and worked in a small options home.

I volunteered with the hospital feeding program, I tutored individuals with brain injury, volunteered at the SPCA, and was on my program's student society. I worked (shadowed) in a hospital in Ghana for 4 weeks, and I did a traditional medicine program in Northern India for 4 weeks (most incredible 4 weeks ever).

 

!

 

MrNeuroscience, great currics.

 

Did you get to shadow doctors and watch surgeries in India?

 

I ask because I want to do a similar international internship program (probably in Africa).

[Kiel]

I worked (shadowed) in a hospital in Ghana for 4 weeks, and I did a traditional medicine program in Northern India for 4 weeks (most incredible 4 weeks ever).

 

 

How does one get involved in such an experience? What prior knowledge is necessary??

[scooter]

Not that i'm saying that is what your doing but make sure you are doing something big like that for yourself and not you application.

 

There are tons of cool things to do in the World that merit being done and that you'll enjoy and find worth while even if you didn't get accepted. Just keep that in mind for all EC stuff but escpecially major ones (cause they do cost a lot and are pretty life changing).

 

Cheers,

and happy application

 

(Thank you Jebus that applications are ALL finished...well for 4 years then we get to do CARMS applications and interviews and what not...)