*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Work/Activities Tips Thread 2017-2018*~*~*~*

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How does the activities section look when schools print it out? Does it look the same way as it does when I click view details (which looks awful, paragraphs clumped together, etc.)? Will the 2 large fields for most meaningful experiences be in order and consecutive? If I started writing something in the first field and continued it in the next field, should I make a note that it was continued or will it be obvious?
 
Hi everyone, sorry if this was mentioned already, but if I participate in a club throughout the school year for 3 years, do I need to use the "Repeated" button?

I'm specifically describing a club that operates (August - December, January - May) each year. I've been doing this for 3 years. I've asked around and some people say just put the whole time you've done and will do it for (i.e. one entry of August 2014 - August 2018), and put a total hour number, i.e. 400.

Or, should I use the repeated option to break it up into the distinct "semesters"?

Thanks for any advice!
 
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1) How does the activities section look when schools print it out? Does it look the same way as it does when I click view details (which looks awful, paragraphs clumped together, etc.)?

2) Will the 2 large fields for most meaningful experiences be in order and consecutive? If I started writing something in the first field and continued it in the next field, should I make a note that it was continued or will it be obvious?
1) Don't look at that summary view. Instead go to the Main Menu on the first page of the application, click Print on the right side, and then pick PDF view. That's how adcomms will see it.

2) The two large fields for MM will be divided by a blank line, just like a paragraph made with two hard returns (and only a left margin comment distinguishes the two sections). But be careful not to exceed the character limits for each, as they will cut off abruptly. Yes they will be in order and consecutive, so try to make the sections flow together like two paragraphs would to make them read smoothly.
 
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if I participate in a club throughout the school year for 3 years, do I need to use the "Repeated" button?

I'm specifically describing a club that operates (August - December, January - May) each year. I've been doing this for 3 years. I've asked around and some people say just put the whole time you've done and will do it for (i.e. one entry of August 2014 - August 2018), and put a total hour number, i.e. 400.

Or, should I use the repeated option to break it up into the distinct "semesters"?

Thanks for any advice!
If you add the words Academic Year to the name of the space, then you won't need to break the years down and can use one datespan. For you the Repeated feature wouldn't work, anyway, as there are a maximum of four timeframes allowed.
 
If you add the words Academic Year to the name of the space, then you won't need to break the years down and can use one datespan. For you the Repeated feature wouldn't work, anyway, as there are a maximum of four timeframes allowed.

Thanks for your response! Which space are you talking about to add the phrase Academic Year to?
 
Would being a camp counselor at the Muscular Dystrophy Association be leadership, medical comm service, or non medical comm service?
I felt like there were aspects of each in this experience.
 
Would being a camp counselor at the Muscular Dystrophy Association be leadership, medical comm service, or non medical comm service?
I felt like there were aspects of each in this experience.
I have an activity where I volunteer with disabled children. Its a little hands on, but because I never provided any kind of treatment, and it wasn't in a healthcare setting, I classified it as non-healthcare.
So I'd say, if you provided treatment, or it was in a healthcare setting and you assisted a licensed professional, that should answer your question for you.
 
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If I have a good amount of short term volunteer experiences 3-5 hours each, should I put them together into a slot labeled Short Term Community Service? Or should I just leave some of them out.
 
Would being a camp counselor at the Muscular Dystrophy Association be leadership, medical comm service, or non medical comm service?
I felt like there were aspects of each in this experience.
You weren't leading your peers, unless you were training, scheduling, monitoring, etc, the other camp counselors, so for AMCAS purposes, I wouldn't call it leadership. Did you assist with catheter care, giving medication, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or assist nurses or other heath professionals directly in the context of the camp-goers being their "patient"? If not, it was not Clinical for AMCAS purposes. Just because the kids had a chronic condition, it didn't make them "patients" in the context of the camp experience.

If you're not sure about the latter, please further describe your role. Otherwise, it would be safest to make it Not Medical/Clinical.
 
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Hey everyone, if I am currently participating in an activity but I'm not sure when it will end, how would I enter that into AMCAS? Should the "end date" be June 2017?
 
For the work and activities section, is it better to use bullet points or full sentences? I feel like I can get a lot more info. using bullet points, but then again it might seem sloppy since AMCAS bunches all the words together in one paragraph. Full sentences takes up a lot of room though and seems less to the point than bullets, so I'm not sure what to do...

Which one should I go with? @Goro @gyngyn @gonnif @Catalystik @LizzyM I'd love to hear what you all think as well! Do bullet points look lazy to you or more powerful in the sense that they're succinct and informative?
 
For the work and activities section, is it better to use bullet points or full sentences? I feel like I can get a lot more info. using bullet points, but then again it might seem sloppy since AMCAS bunches all the words together in one paragraph. Full sentences takes up a lot of room though and seems less to the point than bullets, so I'm not sure what to do...

Which one should I go with? @Goro @gyngyn @gonnif @Catalystik @LizzyM I'd love to hear what you all think as well! Do bullet points look lazy to you or more powerful in the sense that they're succinct and informative?

Yes, bullet points or full sentences are better that having neither....

It all depends on what the activity is, what you have to say about, what message you want to convey, etc. In other words, it depends on how the narrative should flow.

What you should do is write them out (in a text editor) in both ways and see which way works best for that specific activity. And if you think full sentences take up more words, maybe you need less words, as in being concise
 
Yes, bullet points or full sentences are better that having neither....

It all depends on what the activity is, what you have to say about, what message you want to convey, etc. In other words, it depends on how the narrative should flow.

What you should do is write them out (in a text editor) in both ways and see which way works best for that specific activity. And if you think full sentences take up more words, maybe you need less words, as in being concise

Oh okay, thanks! So it would be okay to have some in bullet point format and some in "mini-essay" format? I thought they all had to be in one consistent style
 
Oh okay, thanks! So it would be okay to have some in bullet point format and some in "mini-essay" format? I thought they all had to be in one consistent style
No, they don't. It's fine to mix and match the style you use, as is best suited to the information you want to convey.
 
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For the abstracts I'm putting in (I'm putting in "presentations/posters") what do I put for hours? These were accepted to national conferences, I am 2nd author but the 1st author presented so I literally have no idea what I would put in the hours box...is it just a 0?
 
No worries.

About a year of research is the average listed, but keep in mind that includes folks with none, with a summer's or a term's worth, and those with 4+ years and those with PhDs already. Having a publication is not common.
Since people's commitment during a year may vary, from an hours stanpoint what is the average?
 
also @Catalystik what are your views on talking about the same activity in your personal statement as well as most meaningful? can we mention it twice as long as it's a new story or description surrounding the same activity? or is it better not to repeat it at all?
 
Could those of you with success experiences give me some insights on how to approach the description part? I wasn't sure if I was too descriptive of my

For example, for my research experience, I simply described what I did:
"In lab, I washed beakers, organized data, presented my research to lower classman, and mentored a few students into the field of research."

Was the description suppose to be a glorified essay? How to be well-written and set yourselves apart from other applicants? I just felt like those succeed applicants did more than describing.
 
For the abstracts I'm putting in (I'm putting in "presentations/posters") what do I put for hours? These were accepted to national conferences, I am 2nd author but the 1st author presented so I literally have no idea what I would put in the hours box...is it just a 0?
The hours you spent next to a poster, presenting at a podium, or zero. Prep time would go with the affiliated Research entry.
 
also @Catalystik what are your views on talking about the same activity in your personal statement as well as most meaningful? can we mention it twice as long as it's a new story or description surrounding the same activity? or is it better not to repeat it at all?
You can and should mention an experience in both the PS and Activities section. If you make it MM, each area can cover different material, use different vocabulary, and different anecdotes, so they will seem fresh if the same reviewer reads both portions.
 
Could those of you with success experiences give me some insights on how to approach the description part? I wasn't sure if I was too descriptive of my

For example, for my research experience, I simply described what I did:
"In lab, I washed beakers, organized data, presented my research to lower classman, and mentored a few students into the field of research."

Was the description suppose to be a glorified essay? How to be well-written and set yourselves apart from other applicants? I just felt like those succeed applicants did more than describing.
Here are some Activity description examples for you, with thanks to DAPI and Nick Naylor, both of whom where successful med school applicants:

For each, scroll down to activities. Then cick each activity name to see the expanded narrative.
1) MDapplicants.com - View Profile
2) MDapplicants.com - View Profile
 
I've been working in a lab for the last couple years and am taking a 5 month hiatus for MCAT/apps/break. I will resume as a full time RA in the fall and work until I get in. How do I convey this? Should I put the end date as when I officially stopped and mention that I will be hired full time in the description? Or should I disregard the break and put the end date as when I expect to start med school and include the total amount of hours I expect to work?

Also, for a different activity that I am ACTUALLY continuing (not taking a break from), should the end date be when I expect to start med school and should I include the expected hours worked?
 
1) I've been working in a lab for the last couple years and am taking a 5 month hiatus for MCAT/apps/break. I will resume as a full time RA in the fall and work until I get in. How do I convey this?
a) Should I put the end date as when I officially stopped and mention that I will be hired full time in the description? Or
b) should I disregard the break and put the end date as when I expect to start med school and include the total amount of hours I expect to work?

2) Also, for a different activity that I am ACTUALLY continuing (not taking a break from), should the end date be when I expect to start med school and should I include the expected hours worked?
1) I suggest that a) would be most representative of the facts that will be supported by your Contact.

2) This would be a good use of the Repeated feature, using this month both as the end of datespan 1 and the beginning of datespan 2 which would be done when med school starts (aug 2018 or so). Then both completed and future hours will appear in the header for the activity.
 
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If I was a private tennis coach, should I list my own contact info? Or maybe a former student of mine?
 
So in my lab I am a coauthor in three submitted abstracts. The paper for one of the abstracts will likely be submitted in a couple of months (by the fall). Should I list this as a publication? Or should I list it in my posters/presentation tab?

I also did a poster for this lab and a poster for a summer clinical research internship I was in. I put both of these as posters/presentations. I don't think I would be able to fit my three abstracts in here.
 
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So in my lab I am a coauthor in three submitted abstracts. The paper for one of the abstracts will likely be submitted in a couple of months (by the fall). Should I list this as a publication? Or should I list it in my posters/presentation tab?

I also did a poster for this lab and a poster for a summer clinical research internship I did. I put both of these as posters/presentations. I don't think I would be able to fit my three abstracts in here.
Submitted manuscripts are not accepted publications. Mention of them would be better placed in the affiliated Research space or in your PI's LOR. For exceptions, see post #2, item 20 of this thread.
 
@Catalystik is there any way for you to review my work and activities? I am unable to PM you, but am also hesitant to post personal questions about my app on the public forum :shrug:
 
How should I estimate study abroad hours?
It depends on whether the experience you discuss will be curricular, or related to the cultural experience, or both. Regardless, do not include time spent sleeping, studying, watching TV, personal grooming, or socializing with other Americans, ie, things you'd do at home.
 
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I just started as a scribe on the 19th and have accumulated about 30 hours so far. I plan on submitting tomorrow. Should I include this in my work and activities section or save it for secondaries? I already have 13 entries.
 
I just started as a scribe on the 19th and have accumulated about 30 hours so far. I plan on submitting tomorrow. Should I include this in my work and activities section or save it for secondaries? I already have 13 entries.
What clinical experience have you already listed on the application? How many hours of that?
 
Things like volunteering at medical conferences or serving as an ultrasound model are obviously not clinical (there are no patients to smell or interact with), but surely they should be categorized as medical. Is it appropriate to put these activities under "Community Service/Volunteer - Medical/Clinical?"
 
Things like volunteering at medical conferences or serving as an ultrasound model are obviously not clinical (there are no patients to smell or interact with), but surely they should be categorized as medical. Is it appropriate to put these activities under "Community Service/Volunteer - Medical/Clinical?"
No.
 
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Are merit-based scholarships to attend a college worthy of listing under awards? I definitely could not have afforded to go to my school without it. What should I put for hours in this case, especially if I am grouping my awards under one entry?
 
Are merit-based scholarships to attend a college worthy of listing under awards? I definitely could not have afforded to go to my school without it. What should I put for hours in this case, especially if I am grouping my awards under one entry?
Merit-based scholarships are worth mentioning. Be sure to include the criteria. You can give the amount of the award if it's substantial, say, > $3K. Hours for this are zero. Hours for other awards in the space would be the hours you sat at awards ceremonies to receive them. The college registrar is a good contact who can attest to them all. Date is when the last was received.
 
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Reviewing or editing Activities entries is not a service I have the time to offer. Sorry.

That's fine! I wasn't asking about reviewing the essays, but about seeing my list of activities that could be included on AMCAS. I already posted these in my WAMC thread, but was not specific about them there. Instead of posting my entire list on this thread, I guess I will ask specific questions as they arise to maintain anonymity. Thanks again for all your help!
 
That's fine! I wasn't asking about reviewing the essays, but about seeing my list of activities that could be included on AMCAS. I already posted these in my WAMC thread, but was not specific about them there. Instead of posting my entire list on this thread, I guess I will ask specific questions as they arise to maintain anonymity. Thanks again for all your help!
I'd be happy to look at your activity list if you want to tag me from your WAMC thread or to answer activity-specific questions here, as they arise.
 
I'd be happy to look at your activity list if you want to tag me from your WAMC thread or to answer activity-specific questions here, as they arise.

Thank you! If I wanted to send you a detailed activity list (as in specifically naming things I did, rather than generally saying 'shadowing' or 'tutoring'), is there a way to do so privately?
 
Thank you! If I wanted to send you a detailed activity list (as in specifically naming things I did, rather than generally saying 'shadowing' or 'tutoring'), is there a way to do so privately?
After posting on your WAMC thread, you could edit it to be more generic after I respond, and I could make your quoted post more generic, as well.
 
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