Extracurriculars

[Guest ML]

When applying to medical schools, what constitues "good" extrecurriculars??

 

If you've volunteered in 2 or 3 hospitals, joined a few clubs, and participated in a few other volunteer activities, is that good enough?

[Guest Ian Wong]

Make sure you get some health care exposure. After that, do things you love, and do them well, and you'll be fine. What you've described might be pretty typical for a med school applicant. Exceptional extra-currics would be where you do things you love and take them to an extremely high level not because you want to do them to impress the admissions committee, but rather because you love them.

 

One of my first year med friends had amazing extra-currics by founding a new university student club, and building it to the point where membership reached several hundreds of people, and then arranging for annual conferences. That type of activity shows that you are organized, have incredible motivational drive, are able to co-ordinate and work well with others, and keep to tight deadlines, all great qualities to have when applying to med school.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest Ucla]

I was wondering what kind of extracurricular activities, sports, clubs, or any other involvements you had Ian during your undergrad years?

[Guest ML]

What's more important in med schools--Grades or extracurriculars?

 

Will a med school take someone with a SUPER HIGH GPA with some extracurriculars, or someone with the higher 70's, who has more extracurriculars than the keener??

[Guest Ian Wong]

Of the two you mentioned, the person with the high GPA has much better odds at virtually all medical schools, in my opinion.

 

Even if both people are rejected on the first go around, adding extracurriculars to an already high GPA is very easy to do, while bringing up a poor GPA is much harder/impossible to accomplish. That's why maintaining a high GPA from Day 1 of undergrad is essential.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3