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How to improve Extracurricular Activities?!!!!!


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Hi

I am a 3rd year student who applied to a few med schools in the west this year. My academic stats are fairly average (~3.8+GPA, 32+MCAT) for general med school applicants.

 

So far, I interviewed at U of Calgary med school and based on the feedback from other schools I got rejected from (UBC, U of A), they really screwed me over my extracurricular section. For both UBC and U of A, my academic scores were similar/above the average, but my extracurricular scores for both schools were quite horrendous :(

 

My previous extracurricular activities include: working in a lab since grade 12 (with research grants), volunteering at the hospital, writing for school newspaper, golfing, and school club executive. I used to take intensive violin lessons until middle school (used to aim for Julliard at one point) but completely stopped doing anything with violin after junior high. In general, I've taken lessons for piano and violin, but never really used it for anything. While sharing my EC with my other brilliant friend, he pointed out that my EC activities tend to be too typical premed :S, do you think it is?

 

It would be super awesome if I get into U of C this year, but chances are, I may not get in. Now that I know my weakness, I am really trying to work on my EC. Since last year (around the time I submitted applications), I've been organizing this non-premed conference called the Canadian Undergraduate Technology Conference (CUTC), and I usually spend ~7+ hrs /day on this.

But the thing is, compared to my EC last year, organizing CUTC is pretty much the only thing I've done. To be honest, I started out doing this as a resume-padder thing, but I find that I really enjoy this as I get more involved with it. It sounds bit corny, but I really learned a lot about myself, got to know many awesome people, and widened my perspectives.

 

I'm done with CUTC commitments by the end of April (on April 30th, because the conference runs between April 29th and 30th), but after April, I am not sure what I should do.

 

Since I think I've done quite a bit of research, I'm contemplating volunteering/working in camps etc... this summer. I know it sounds bit pretentious of me, but I really want some break from anything lab-related just for this summer (in my 4th year, I am planning on doing my honors, if I survive this semester =) ). Do you guys have any suggestions?

 

 

Also, if any of Premed101ers are interested in technology/networking events to de-stress after the finals, come to the conference! We have managed to get lots of sponsors this year, so there are plenty of prizes (ex) Android phone, iPhone, blackberry, $2500 cash prize from RIM, Google interview). The conference is held at Ted Rogers Center at Ryerson University between April 29th and 30th, so if you guys are interested, maybe you can come and meet me?! hahaha =) (don't worry, I usually try to be nice)

The website is http://www.cutc.ca , and there are some subsidies available in schools throughout various schools in Canada. If you have any more questions, shoot me a message and I will be more than glad to help anyone!

 

Cheers x

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7 hours per day?!?!

 

My friend, to be frank, premed resume building is all about efficiency. What you want is high yield low investment things. As another poster mentioned, even if you truly spent alot of time, they would think you are lying- so its resume value will be undervalued.

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What counts as a high-performance EC?

 

Would being a CIS track athlete with middle-of-the-pack performance count? Or do they want Olympic calibre results?

 

I noticed a lot of people put down intramural sports on their med school apps, so competing at higher level has to count for something...

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They just want to know about what interests you, and if you "get out there" so to speak. They're not expecting people to have competed in national tournaments or regional playoffs. All they want to see is that you're passionate about other things in life besides school and that you've done something with it. Joining a local club relating to your sport of interest, or playing for a casual league is more than adequate.

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They just want to know about what interests you, and if you "get out there" so to speak. They're not expecting people to have competed in national tournaments or regional playoffs. All they want to see is that you're passionate about other things in life besides school and that you've done something with it. Joining a local club relating to your sport of interest, or playing for a casual league is more than adequate.

 

while that will likely fly for most med schools, that cant possibly fly for UBC's NAQ, right? because then what would qualify for high performance then? I think to be high performance, you should have a charity or be ranked at least in the country, province or city for something. It should be something that not anyone could do, something that was selected for very carefully (like maybe the top academic scholarship in your university for example, or National level sports?).

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while that will likely fly for most med schools, that cant possibly fly for UBC's NAQ, right? because then what would qualify for high performance then? I think to be high performance, you should have a charity or be ranked at least in the country, province or city for something. It should be something that not anyone could do, something that was selected for very carefully (like maybe the top academic scholarship in your university for example, or National level sports?).

 

or be the olympic speed skater who interviewed at U of C this year.

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Being an olympian is overestimated. They're not going to make better doctors than any other person and neither are they going to gain a big advantage over medschool applicants.

 

They still need a high GPA, a good MCAT and ECs other than whatever they do for the olympics. Or else good luck being a luge or speed skating coach for the rest of your life.

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Being an olympian is overestimated. They're not going to make better doctors than any other person and neither are they going to gain a big advantage over medschool applicants.

 

They still need a high GPA, a good MCAT and ECs other than whatever they do for the olympics. Or else good luck being a luge or speed skating coach for the rest of your life.

 

i respectfully disagree, not with the first part, but the second.

 

1.) places like UBC are ALL about big stuff like that.

2.) no one is arguing that just being an olympic athlete is enough. We are comparing the difference between two applicants who have similar grades + MCAT + interview sociability, olympian trumps every time

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Join the reserves as a medic. That was a big difference on my app this past year.

 

Join the reserves, period. You can't go medic unless you have a medic regiment nearby, and I think those are all in Ottawa, but there are infantry regiments all over the place. Join the reserves, do stuff you'll never forget doing and never get a chance to do elsewhere, and improve your resume quite a bit in the process. Seriously, I can't imagine a better thing for men and women to do while in school than the reserves. My only wish, personally, is that I found out about it sooner, because you can actually enlist when you're 16.

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i respectfully disagree, not with the first part, but the second.

 

1.) places like UBC are ALL about big stuff like that.

2.) no one is arguing that just being an olympic athlete is enough. We are comparing the difference between two applicants who have similar grades + MCAT + interview sociability, olympian trumps every time

 

olympians show very clearly that 1. they have the dedication to put massive amounts of time into something, and 2. They can succeed at what they do. While the rest of us may scramble to explain why our specific activities have made a contribution to the country's image or wellbeing, the gold medal around an olympian's neck is pretty much self-explanatory. I think those things are the key reasons why olympians are preferred... Its just that what they do encapsulates the mentality needed for med (especially if its a medal in team sports :P)

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You guys sure your standards for athletic performance aren't a little high?

 

I'd think winning (or even medalling) some city and regional tournaments would definetly count as high performance. Hard training and dedication can only get you so far. Eventually that day will come where you're pitted against a guy who trains and competes just as hard as you do; the only difference is he has three inches on you, slighlty better coordination, and a more athletic build. My point is, unless you're the best in the world (a combination of talent, genetics, and work ethic), there will always be somebody better than you. Now, most people could probably find a sport to play at the CIS level if the trained and worked out hard enough. On the other hand, work ethic alone won't push you into that upper echelon that medals at national tournaments.

 

When I used to do track in Toronto, I did meet a couple of Olympians. How did I know? Well, they were the guys who were always down there at the PA centre training no matter when or what day you went (and then eventually you ask them, and then see them on TV). One of the guys had the best work ethic I'd ever seen. During his rest intervals, he'd actually run to some textbook (stats, I think), read it, and answer questions on some pad. Then his timer would go off and he'd start his next interval.

 

Being an Olympian takes MASSIVE effort (not to mention they tend to have very good social skills; at least better than a lot of premeds).

 

Now, if we were to look at the Olympians with the marks to get into med school, that person's probably hit the genetic jackpot of intelligence (face it, not everyone can succeed in university based on work ethic alone) and atheleticism.

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i respectfully disagree, not with the first part, but the second.

 

1.) places like UBC are ALL about big stuff like that.

2.) no one is arguing that just being an olympic athlete is enough. We are comparing the difference between two applicants who have similar grades + MCAT + interview sociability, olympian trumps every time

 

I agree with your first point, but not your second one.

 

I would surmise that an olympian may have significantly less time to perform a broader variety of extra-cirriculars that a med-bound undergrad. student could.

 

And the variety of extra-cirriculars which the pre-med performs and experiences would probably lead to a more eclectic development of skills (which medschools want). This would probably lead to a better interview with the pre-med having a broader arsenal of answers to answer various questions as opposed to questions related to 'dedication' or whatever olympians can stress during interviews.

 

Looking at it this way, it is possible that an olympian with the same grades and MCATs as a pre-med might actually have a disadvantage coming into the interview.

 

I'm hypothesizing. What do you think?

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I agree with your first point, but not your second one.

 

I would surmise that an olympian may have significantly less time to perform a broader variety of extra-cirriculars that a med-bound undergrad. student could.

 

And the variety of extra-cirriculars which the pre-med performs and experiences would probably lead to a more eclectic development of skills (which medschools want). This would probably lead to a better interview with the pre-med having a broader arsenal of answers to answer various questions as opposed to questions related to 'dedication' or whatever olympians can stress during interviews.

 

Looking at it this way, it is possible that an olympian with the same grades and MCATs as a pre-med might actually have a disadvantage coming into the interview.

 

I'm hypothesizing. What do you think?

 

I think that's a laugh. Quality trumps quantity every time. I'd elaborate if I didn't have a calc exam tommorow. And face it: people gush over Olympians.

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You guys sure your standards for athletic performance aren't a little high?

 

I'd think winning (or even medalling) some city and regional tournaments would definetly count as high performance. Hard training and dedication can only get you so far. Eventually that day will come where you're pitted against a guy who trains and competes just as hard as you do; the only difference is he has three inches on you, slighlty better coordination, and a more athletic build. My point is, unless you're the best in the world (a combination of talent, genetics, and work ethic), there will always be somebody better than you. Now, most people could probably find a sport to play at the CIS level if the trained and worked out hard enough. On the other hand, work ethic alone won't push you into that upper echelon that medals at national tournaments.

 

When I used to do track in Toronto, I did meet a couple of Olympians. How did I know? Well, they were the guys who were always down there at the PA centre training no matter when or what day you went (and then eventually you ask them, and then see them on TV). One of the guys had the best work ethic I'd ever seen. During his rest intervals, he'd actually run to some textbook (stats, I think), read it, and answer questions on some pad. Then his timer would go off and he'd start his next interval.

 

Being an Olympian takes MASSIVE effort (not to mention they tend to have very good social skills; at least better than a lot of premeds).

 

Now, if we were to look at the Olympians with the marks to get into med school, that person's probably hit the genetic jackpot of intelligence (face it, not everyone can succeed in university based on work ethic alone) and atheleticism.

 

But its not hard to be ranked in SOMETHING... For example, some of my friends were able to represent Canada for the various High school science olympiads, others won science fairs or were seriously good rowers/athetes. two of them were even represented canada for the offical international go championships (yes, this does exist). I think that everyone, being unique, likely has something they are uniquely good at (and be able to achieve a level capable of being ranked). I;m sure that if you are professional level counterstrike player (national tournaments and whatnot), that would also be accepted as high performance.

 

and unfortunately, I dont think its a bad idea to set standards high, because like blind_synergy said, you might just happen to run into someone better than you one day, which is a problem, because that could also happen during interviews (someone who is basically the same as you but by random chance beats you just a little in everything)... much safer to aim for the sky. At least when you are falling down, you can plan where to make your landing

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But its not hard to be ranked in SOMETHING... For example, some of my friends were able to represent Canada for the various High school science olympiads, others won science fairs or were seriously good rowers/athetes. two of them were even represented canada for the offical international go championships (yes, this does exist). I think that everyone, being unique, likely has something they are uniquely good at (and be able to achieve a level capable of being ranked). I;m sure that if you are professional level counterstrike player (national tournaments and whatnot), that would also be accepted as high performance.

 

and unfortunately, I dont think its a bad idea to set standards high, because like blind_synergy said, you might just happen to run into someone better than you one day, which is a problem, because that could also happen during interviews (someone who is basically the same as you but by random chance beats you just a little in everything)... much safer to aim for the sky. At least when you are falling down, you can plan where to make your landing

 

It's not a bad idea to hold yourself to high standards, but you should also be able to take a defeat in stride. A lot of people in high performance situations break under the pressure because they're afraid they might simply not be the best. How's it feel when you train all your life for something (always being the best in every local, regional, and national competetion), make it to the Olympics, and miss the podium by a single spot?

 

And, believe me, it is kind of hard to be ranked in something (meaningful).

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My previous extracurricular activities include: working in a lab since grade 12 (with research grants), volunteering at the hospital, writing for school newspaper, golfing, and school club executive. I used to take intensive violin lessons until middle school (used to aim for Julliard at one point) but completely stopped doing anything with violin after junior high.

 

Anything you did up to junior high should automatically be out. It just makes it look like you haven't done anything recently. Since you're just in 3rd year, it's probably ok to include the odd thing from high school, but they shouldn't be the best things on your application.

 

While sharing my EC with my other brilliant friend, he pointed out that my EC activities tend to be too typical premed

 

Definitely very typical premed. :P That's good to a point; it's good to have hospital volunteering and research experience. Just try to diversify a bit.

 

In general, I'd say go for stuff you're interested in and not the "typical premed" stuff, because you already have that. Don't forget to include regular work experience on your application too. Even if it's just something like working in a coffee shop or store for a couple of summers, it shows that you can deal with obnoxious people and crappy hours! Travel and sports are good too.

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It's not a bad idea to hold yourself to high standards, but you should also be able to take a defeat in stride. A lot of people in high performance situations break under the pressure because they're afraid they might simply not be the best. How's it feel when you train all your life for something (always being the best in every local, regional, and national competetion), make it to the Olympics, and miss the podium by a single spot?

 

And, believe me, it is kind of hard to be ranked in something (meaningful).

 

But giving meaning to something is what the sketch is for. I mean i kind of think go is silly thing to be ranked in, but I guess you can play up the strategy and thinking required...

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But giving meaning to something is what the sketch is for. I mean i kind of think go is silly thing to be ranked in, but I guess you can play up the strategy and thinking required...

 

Well, to prove to me that something was meaningful, you have to show what you did took effort, focus, and concentration. Additionally, stories of hardship or adveristy are good. It's always great to hear about someone that suffered a broken tibia in their sport, spent a year rehabbing, and then returned (despite poorer post-injury performance).

 

I dunno; when I think of counter-strike, I think of doritoes, red bull, and a sedentary lifestyle. Certainly not things I would want associated with doctors. Now, if this person did something else that was regularly physically engaging, I might be inclined to change my mind.

 

I think the most important thing you see in student-athletes is a healthy lifestyle and balance. These people have to exercise (very scientifically if they want maximum gains), eat a balanced diet, compete, suffer adversity, AND maintain the marks required for med school.

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Hey suziep100, wow I gotta say our stories are quite similar. I was also rejected at UBC and U of A this year due to horrible extracurricular scores and interviewed at Calgary. Keep in mind though your prospects will be a lot better when you apply next year as a 4th year applicant (especially at the Alberta schools). Try your best this year to further improve your GPA.

 

To answer your question (even though I am currently struggling with it as well), after reading your list of activities it seems like you either lack in work experience or simply forgot to list them. Like other posters before me have said, any and all work experience would be good to be included in your application. And I would say the more "interesting" the job sounds, the better it is in terms of adding value to your application. Your technology conference sounds like a great opportunity to do some serious networking and land yourself a job.

 

As for what other posters have suggested (join a sports team, the reserve, etc.), only do it if you are genuinely interested in them. It will not be worthwhile to do it just to make your med application look better. By doing things I enjoy I learned a great deal and have a lot more meaningful things to say than some of the "typical premed" activities I did. Your experience with organizing the conference sounds like a great example of something you enjoy doing. :) But seriously, 7+ hours a day since last year? That's a LOT of time and sounds a bit unrealistic. If you are putting that on your application you should be prepared to have references to back up that claim.

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