How bad is it that I didn’t do anything during the summers of college and don’t have a lot of entries to put for the AMCAS?

[s.cho18]

It’s too late to change anything bc I already graduated but I wanted to hear opinions! I didn’t do anything the summers of my college years. Most of my clinical, volunteer and shadowing comes from my two gap years that I’m taking now.
People might ask why and it was because I was helping my brother. He has ADHD and can’t really focus well unless it’s 1on1 interactions, so during the summers I tutored him on his weaker subjects and especially the last summer I was helping him prepare for college - which was great because he went to the same undergrad school as me with his preferred major!
However, add to the fact that I didn’t do anything during the summer, I don’t really have much experience to put in the AMCAS. I’m volunteering now both clinically and nonclinically, I worked as a MA for a year, i was a resident assistant and learning assistant my senior year, and I’m also doing shadowing now. No research experience, which is another weakness…I’m taking the MCAT next spring and hopefully will apply but opinion on my chances?? Or should I take the mcat and another gap year to get some more experience?

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[KnightDoc]

Quality ALWAYS trumps quantity. Don't worry about college summers. A lot of people don't choose to pursue medicine until after college and also have nothing noteworthy from their college summers to put on their applications.

No research is going to hurt you at tippy top schools. Other than them, most schools don't care about it one way or the other. You're asking about your chances but haven't provided your GPA. While reviews are definitely holistic nowadays, the two single most important metrics are still GPA and MCAT, so it's impossible to provide advice regarding your chances without them.

Helping a family member is great, and interesting, and definitely deserves a mention in your application, but you won't get the same bang for it that you would if you did it with strangers. It seems like you are addressing all of your weaknesses, other than research, so you should be fine, assuming your grades and MCAT are where they need to be. If you want at shot at top schools, though, you'll need to pick up some research experience. Good luck!!

 

[LindaAccepted]

It’s too late to change anything bc I already graduated but I wanted to hear opinions! I didn’t do anything the summers of my college years. Most of my clinical, volunteer and shadowing comes from my two gap years that I’m taking now.
People might ask why and it was because I was helping my brother. He has ADHD and can’t really focus well unless it’s 1on1 interactions, so during the summers I tutored him on his weaker subjects and especially the last summer I was helping him prepare for college - which was great because he went to the same undergrad school as me with his preferred major!
However, add to the fact that I didn’t do anything during the summer, I don’t really have much experience to put in the AMCAS. I’m volunteering now both clinically and nonclinically, I worked as a MA for a year, i was a resident assistant and learning assistant my senior year, and I’m also doing shadowing now. No research experience, which is another weakness…I’m taking the MCAT next spring and hopefully will apply but opinion on my chances?? Or should I take the mcat and another gap year to get some more experience?

it sounds to me like you definitely did "something" important and valuable during your summers in college. Don't describe it as "nothing."

The fact that you tutored your brother during the summers while you were in college will not on its own keep you out of medical school. Schools are going to look to see that you can handle the workload in medical school, know what you're getting into by choosing to be a physician, and have the qualities to make a good physician. Show them those 3 things and your chances will be good.

 

[DoctorFate]

Quality ALWAYS trumps quantity. Don't worry about college summers. A lot of people don't choose to pursue medicine until after college and also have nothing noteworthy from their college summers to put on their applications.

No research is going to hurt you at tippy top schools. Other than them, most schools don't care it one way or the other. You're asking about your chances but haven't provided your GPA. While reviews are definitely holistic nowadays, the two single most important metrics are still GPA and MCAT, so it's impossible to provide advice regarding your chances without them.

Helping a family member is great, and interesting, and definitely deserves a mention in your application, but you won't get the same bang for it that you would if you did it with strangers. It seems like you are addressing all of your weaknesses, other than research, so you should be fine, assuming your grades and MCAT are where they need to be. If you want at shot at top schools, though, you'll need to pick up some research experience. Good luck!!

Tbh the quality vs quantity thing doesn't always turn out to be true, because its hard to judge quality and easier to judge quantity.
I'd honestly go further and say my one biggest lesson from my two application cycles (and one of a few important things that led to my much more successful cycle this time) is to focus on quantity and then describe the experience in a way that maximizes quality. Half my AMCAS entries consisted of two different experiences crammed into one aka "Hospital Volunteer and ABC volunteer" or "Research project associate and clinical data analyst. One of my entries even had 3 different fields of research I did in one box, with about 250 characters dedicated to each. The sheer number of activities was very often remarked on positively in my interviews.

Tbh, a lot of those activities I wasn't really THAT involved in (one literally lasted a day), but my description was very very well written.

The reverse is harder, as you can't really just make up more activities.

Tl dr: Of course, badly written quantity us much worse than low quantity high quality, it's just that the writing style of quantity can turn it into quality while the reverse isn't true.

 

[wydoc]

People generally say you shouldn't list any help given to family members on your AMCAS activities and that's probably solid advice. What you could/should do is volunteer with an organization that helps ADHD (or similar) students/kids, even if just for a few months.

Then you can write your whole essay about your experiences with your brother, understanding people, etc and I think that would be really really well received. It's all about creating a cohesive narrative about yourself.

 

[Catalystik]

I didn’t do anything the summers of my college years.
People might ask why and it was because I was helping my brother. He has ADHD and can’t really focus well unless it’s 1on1 interactions, so during the summers I tutored him on his weaker subjects and especially the last summer I was helping him prepare for college - which was great because he went to the same undergrad school as me with his preferred major!

For AMCAS, you can list this activity, but do not label it as a Volunteer/Community Service activity, due to the family connection. Rather use the category of Teaching or Other or Hobbies (the latter needs no listed Contact for validation).

I don’t really have much experience to put in the AMCAS.

Nine to ten Activities are the average listed. Less than five would look sketchy.

 

[s.cho18]

Quality ALWAYS trumps quantity. Don't worry about college summers. A lot of people don't choose to pursue medicine until after college and also have nothing noteworthy from their college summers to put on their applications.

No research is going to hurt you at tippy top schools. Other than them, most schools don't care it one way or the other. You're asking about your chances but haven't provided your GPA. While reviews are definitely holistic nowadays, the two single most important metrics are still GPA and MCAT, so it's impossible to provide advice regarding your chances without them.

Helping a family member is great, and interesting, and definitely deserves a mention in your application, but you won't get the same bang for it that you would if you did it with strangers. It seems like you are addressing all of your weaknesses, other than research, so you should be fine, assuming your grades and MCAT are where they need to be. If you want at shot at top schools, though, you'll need to pick up some research experience. Good luck!!

Thank you! I’ve been trying to find research positions as a research assistant, even in a hospital, but most of them are FT which doesn’t work with my schedule. I’m applied to some part time positions so hopefully i can get something!

 

[s.cho18]

People generally say you shouldn't list any help given to family members on your AMCAS activities and that's probably solid advice. What you could/should do is volunteer with an organization that helps ADHD (or similar) students/kids, even if just for a few months.

Then you can write your whole essay about your experiences with your brother, understanding people, etc and I think that would be really really well received. It's all about creating a cohesive narrative about yourself.

That’s what I heard as well and I wasn’t planning to lost the tutoring in my activities, although I am volunteering as a tutor right now! It’s just regular K-G8 after school tutoring bc finding a program specialized in servicing students with ADHD or just general special ed isn’t easy especially in my area. Hopefully I can find one that specializes in it as well!