I was told on my first day of orientation that club involvements are very important. The representatives were saying how there are people they know with good gpa who don’t get into top residencies since they don’t have any involvements with clubs (which I find baloney). Also, is research very important too? Do you NEED to have publications?
Are club involvements and research during school really that important for landing a good residency?
- Thread starter xoxo111
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Not important. Good grades and clinical confidence > those club memberships that anyone can join and mean nothing.
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No
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I got an email today again about how important it is to join clubs yada yada yada, especially ACFAS, and that residency directors want to see things on your resume which indicate that you do other stuff besides attend classes. I’m really debating in joining clubs because I don’t wanna be distracted from my studies. Also, the email included that research and publications really give you the edge in landing your top priority residency.
I was personally involved in picking residents. We had a GPA cutoff for interview and extern. We gave externs (we liked) first priority and those who visited 2nd priority. The others who just applied that showed no interest were not really considered but we interviewed them. Honestly... Likeability is the #1 reason you will get picked. When I was picking my future 1st residents when I would be a senior resident I also was damn sure that who I picked would be a hard worker. 3rd year residents dont want to hold hands any more then they have to. A student who will step up to the work load but not be egotistic or annoying got the bid at our program every time. We didnt care about your club membership or a meaningless research article you wrote.
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Residency Acceptance = GPA + work ethic + personality.
-3.5GPA or higher, good work ethic, nice person / easy going = Pretty much any program
-less than 3.0, poor work ethic, weirdoo = scramble
-anything in between gets the stuff in between.
Clubs are good for free food. that is it.
-3.5GPA or higher, good work ethic, nice person / easy going = Pretty much any program
-less than 3.0, poor work ethic, weirdoo = scramble
-anything in between gets the stuff in between.
Clubs are good for free food. that is it.
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Clubs could be a good way to network with older students. That would be the real value. The more folks whose brain you can pick come clerkship time, or the more places you extern that have a current resident who is a familiar/friendly face, the better.
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Nope lol. But they are good for meeting people and making friends though.
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Free food was always good. Was also good to suture on a pics foot. That's about it. Ok I am exposing myself as a man, but I would think that for women some of the dedicated woman podiatry clubs might not be a bad idea? Specifically for networking and stuff.
Yeah I was thinking of joining the women in podiatry club but honestly if none of the clubs don’t do anything then what’s the point of joining? Club representatives always say they do a lot of things but they rarely do any, except for ACFAS maybe with their surgical workshops.
Is doing some leadership work like being president of clubs, treasurer, national delegates, etc. worth it if I wanna land a top residency (assuming if I’ve the gpa of course)? I’m really debating if I should do this because I don’t want my grades to suffer due to these distractions.
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My ACFAS-whatever-club president did well, but she was also #1-2 in the class... so it was probably the club involvement. 
I think the clubs are irrelevant. When done right they should simply be a source of amusement, involvement, hand skills during your early years when you are doing the "science" part to keep you interested in the podiatry part.
I skimmed right over them when I did residency interviews. That said ... one time I did see a guy with NOTHING listed on his paperwork. Like literally it said - I went to XXX Podiatry school and that's it. Fit on jokingly a quarter of a page. Now I think if I put up a poll there are people who would say "respect" for giving the finger to all the empty in between non-sense, but it did still look a little empty.
I think the clubs are irrelevant. When done right they should simply be a source of amusement, involvement, hand skills during your early years when you are doing the "science" part to keep you interested in the podiatry part.
I skimmed right over them when I did residency interviews. That said ... one time I did see a guy with NOTHING listed on his paperwork. Like literally it said - I went to XXX Podiatry school and that's it. Fit on jokingly a quarter of a page. Now I think if I put up a poll there are people who would say "respect" for giving the finger to all the empty in between non-sense, but it did still look a little empty.
My ACFAS-whatever-club president did well, but she was also #1-2 in the class... so it was probably the club involvement.
I think the clubs are irrelevant. When done right they should simply be a source of amusement, involvement, hand skills during your early years when you are doing the "science" part to keep you interested in the podiatry part.
I skimmed right over them when I did residency interviews. That said ... one time I did see a guy with NOTHING listed on his paperwork. Like literally it said - I went to XXX Podiatry school and that's it. Fit on jokingly a quarter of a page. Now I think if I put up a poll there are people who would say "respect" for giving the finger to all the empty in between non-sense, but it did still look a little empty.
That sounds like how my resume would look like. Now this has me concerned...
