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

[Chromium Surfer]

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.

In regards to awards. Would a national award associated with practice SAT performance be something worth mentioning i.e. The national achievement scholarship program. Since this is before college is it too trivial?

Also would graduating with honors be something to include in the honors section or is that too trivial since a high GPA is a proxy. At my university there is a separate honors college and in addition to the Latin honors students can graduate from the honors college if they meet the course requirements and complete an undergraduate thesis. I'm referencing the second set of honors.

Thanks for your time!!

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[mariposas905]

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.

Alright that sounds good then! Can I post them here itself or do you prefer a WAMC thread?

 

[mariposas905]

Also, does it matter what order my work and activities are on AMCAS? do I need to list them by date or activity by order of importance to me? Or can I list them randomly, like all my most meaningfuls first or all of them last?

 

[856857]

Hi @Catalystik I have a few more questions if you don't mind.

1. I have three different but related tutoring and teaching assistant experiences but I don't have enough activity slots remaining to list all three separately. So I'm going to combine all three experiences under Teaching/Tutoring/Teaching Assistant category. Whom should I list for contact information? I was thinking of listing the professor I TA'd for and just describe the other experiences in the description. Is this okay?

For the Organization Name entry, should I try to list all three departments I tutored/TA'd for?

2. I served as an opinion columnist for a student newspaper and my opeds focused mostly on topics in social sciences. How should I classify this experience? Currently split among Artistic Endeavors, Extracurricular Activities and Other, but I feel Other is a bit too vague and general.

3. For Presentations/Posters (and Publications) category, is it okay to just add the citations of the abstracts/papers in the experience descriptions without any further elaboration (since it will be discussed in a separate Research/Lab category)? And for the hours entry, can it be zero?

4. Is it required to have a Hobbies category or is it good to have? For the hours entry, can it be zero or should it be the max amount especially if it's very long-term? Or should I give a best estimate? Contact information would just be me right?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Catalystik]

Alright that sounds good then! Can I post them here itself or do you prefer a WAMC thread?

You'd have more privacy in WAMC.

 

[Catalystik]

Also, does it matter what order my work and activities are on AMCAS? do I need to list them by date or activity by order of importance to me? Or can I list them randomly, like all my most meaningfuls first or all of them last?

It doesn't matter what order you enter them in, as each school can resort them by any criteria.

 

[Catalystik]

1) In regards to awards. Would a national award associated with practice SAT performance be something worth mentioning i.e. The national achievement scholarship program. Since this is before college is it too trivial?

2) Also would graduating with honors be something to include in the honors section or is that too trivial since a high GPA is a proxy. At my university there is a separate honors college and in addition to the Latin honors students can graduate from the honors college if they meet the course requirements and complete an undergraduate thesis. I'm referencing the second set of honors.

1) Not worth mentioning.

2) List it if you also have the space to include the criteria for earning the honors.

 

[Catalystik]

Hi @Catalystik I have a few more questions if you don't mind.

1. I have three different but related tutoring and teaching assistant experiences but I don't have enough activity slots remaining to list all three separately. So I'm going to combine all three experiences under Teaching/Tutoring/Teaching Assistant category. Whom should I list for contact information? I was thinking of listing the professor I TA'd for and just describe the other experiences in the description. Is this okay?

For the Organization Name entry, should I try to list all three departments I tutored/TA'd for?

2. I served as an opinion columnist for a student newspaper and my opeds focused mostly on topics in social sciences. How should I classify this experience? Currently split among Artistic Endeavors, Extracurricular Activities and Other, but I feel Other is a bit too vague and general.

3. For Presentations/Posters (and Publications) category, is it okay to just add the citations of the abstracts/papers in the experience descriptions without any further elaboration (since it will be discussed in a separate Research/Lab category)? And for the hours entry, can it be zero?

4. Is it required to have a Hobbies category or is it good to have? For the hours entry, can it be zero or should it be the max amount especially if it's very long-term? Or should I give a best estimate? Contact information would just be me right?

1) A Contact for the other two experiences should be included in the narrative space. If you can't fit the three dept names in the Organization space, you could use your university name instead.

2) Teaching (if informing was your purpose) or Artistic Endeavor.

3) Yes and yes, or include the time spent standing by the poster or speaking from a podium.

4) You aren't required to have a Hobbies entry and might not need it if your application already represents leisure-time, stress relieving activities. For unknowable hours use 999 or 9999, whichever is closer, or a best guess estimate. Consider using the Repeated feature to break it down into before and during college, or after. A Contact is not required.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

1) Not worth mentioning.

2) List it if you also have the space to include the criteria for earning the honors.

Thanks for the clarification!!

 

[mariposas905]

I came across this thread and some of the info seemed contradictory. Do you guys agree with this thread? I'm not sure about points 1, 5 or 6...especially 6 since I was planning on using bullet points myself. @Catalystik, would you be able to clarify?

What Not to Do in the Activities Section of Your Medical School Application

 

[mariposas905]

If I include an abbreviation of the organization name in the activity section, can I continue using that abbreviation in my description and most meaningful essay without further clarification? for example: Organization Name: NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital (NYP)...can I start using NYP everywhere after that?

 

[Catalystik]

I came across this thread and some of the info seemed contradictory. Do you guys agree with this thread? I'm not sure about points 1, 5 or 6...especially 6 since I was planning on using bullet points myself. @Catalystik, would you be able to clarify?

What Not to Do in the Activities Section of Your Medical School Application

I agree with #1 & 5, but not with the comment about bullet format, as I'd expect any applicant to do due diligence and check the formatting before submitting (via Main Menu, to Print, to PDF view). Keep in mind that the poster represents a commercial operation that makes money by editing applicants' prose.

 

[Catalystik]

If I include an abbreviation of the organization name in the activity section, can I continue using that abbreviation in my description and most meaningful essay without further clarification? for example: Organization Name: NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital (NYP)...can I start using NYP everywhere after that?

So long as you spell out the acronym at the beginning of the entry or in the name you give the activity, you can use it through the rest of that entry. I think defining it in the Organization name makes it easier to miss.

 

[mariposas905]

I agree with #1 & 5, but not with the comment about bullet format, as I'd expect any applicant to do due diligence and check the formatting before submitting (via Main Menu, to Print, to PDF view). Keep in mind that the poster represents a commercial operation that makes money by editing applicants' prose.

Alright, thanks! However, I thought you couldn't really change the bullet format? AMCAS doesn't use bullet points, so wouldn't all the activities just be bunched up like xxxxxx;xxxxx;xxxxx with semicolons in the middle?

 

[mariposas905]

So long as you spell out the acronym at the beginning of the entry or in the name you give the activity, you can use it through the rest of that entry. I think defining it in the Organization name makes it easier to miss.

Oh, so I should define it in the Experience Name itself? So instead of saying Hospital Volunteer as my title, I should say 'Hospital Volunteer at New York Presbyterian Hospital (NPY)'? But that means I would have to repeat New York Presbyterian Hospital (NPY) again in the Organization Name...is that okay?

 

[Catalystik]

Alright, thanks! However, I thought you couldn't really change the bullet format? AMCAS doesn't use bullet points, so wouldn't all the activities just be bunched up like xxxxxx;xxxxx;xxxxx with semicolons in the middle?

You can't use a real bullet. Instead use a dash. And don't look at the Summary View, which ignores formatting and bunches everything up. See PDF view above, as noted in post #1066.

 

[Catalystik]

Oh, so I should define it in the Experience Name itself? So instead of saying Hospital Volunteer as my title, I should say 'Hospital Volunteer at New York Presbyterian Hospital (NPY)'? But that means I would have to repeat New York Presbyterian Hospital (NPY) again in the Organization Name...is that okay?

You don't have to repeat the acronym after the name you put in the Organization blank, but you may do so if you wish.

 

[mariposas905]

You can't use a real bullet. Instead use a dash. And don't look at the Summary View, which ignores formatting and bunches everything up. See PDF view as noted about.

Oh, I didn't know we could do that. I just checked how it looks with dashes, and it doesn't look sloppy at all! I feel better about using bullet points now. I don't think it would look lazy if I described my activity carefully within those bullets

 

[Catalystik]

Oh, I didn't know we could do that. I just checked how it looks with dashes, and it doesn't look sloppy at all! I feel better about using bullet points now. I don't think it would look lazy if I described my activity carefully within those bullets

Anything but. In fact, it should look quite organized.

 

[leliah95]

What clinical experience have you already listed on the application? How many hours of that?

My first year of college I went on a week long medical brigade, which was about 5 days of interaction with patients in the triage and dental station (about ~60 hours). I led a medical brigade two years later which was another ~60 hours. One summer I was a research assistant in a behavioral studies lab, I interviewed patients. Probably about ~20 hours worth of interviews. Does this last one count as clinical?

 

[Catalystik]

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.

1) My first year of college I went on a week long medical brigade, which was about 5 days of interaction with patients in the triage and dental station (about ~60 hours). I led a medical brigade two years later which was another ~60 hours.
2) One summer I was a research assistant in a behavioral studies lab, I interviewed patients. Probably about ~20 hours worth of interviews. Does this last one count as clinical?

1) So, you had 120 hours over a 2 week period. Did this take place in the USA?

Regardless, IMO, being non-longitudinal, this will be viewed as relatively weak. I think you'd be best off including the new job as a scribe.

2) Possibly. It depends on whether the study participants already had a diagnosis and what you interviewed them about. Examples: If you were screening a normal ageing population for early signs of Alzheimer's Disease, it would not be clinical. If, OTOH, you interviewed those known to have Alzheimer's Disease in order to measure their declining ability to function in certain areas with various cognitive measures, that would be "Clinical" for AMCAS purposes.

 

[mariposas905]

1) So, you had 120 hours over a 2 week period. Did this take place in the USA?

Regardless, IMO, being non-longitudinal, this will be viewed as relatively weak. I think you'd be best off including the new job as a scribe.

2) Possibly. It depends on whether the study participants already had a diagnosis and what you interviewed them about. Examples: If you were screening a normal ageing population for early signs of Alzheimer's Disease, it would not be clinical. If, OTOH, you interviewed those known to have Alzheimer's Disease in order to measure their declining ability to function in certain areas with various cognitive measures, that would be "Clinical" for AMCAS purposes.

I have a similar activity where I interned at a rural hospital in a developing country for two weeks. However, I accumulated ~120 hrs and it is one of my main, defining experience that made me passionate about primary care and working with underserved populations. I was going to include this as a most meaningful essay as well, since I have so much to share about this activity. Would it look weak to include this and have it as most meaningful since it wasn't longitudinal like you said?

 

[Catalystik]

I have a similar activity where I interned at a rural hospital in a developing country for two weeks. However, I accumulated ~120 hrs and it is one of my main, defining experience that made me passionate about primary care and working with underserved populations. I was going to include this as a most meaningful essay as well, since I have so much to share about this activity. Would it look weak to include this and have it as most meaningful since it wasn't longitudinal like you said?

For your purposes, it would not be a problem to make this a MM activity. Nor would it be for the original poster.

My point would be that as the sole exposure to medicine, especially if it were in an international environment, it may not satisfy adcomm expectations that one has adequately "tested medicine as a career." This would not apply to you.

 

[mariposas905]

For your purposes, it would not be a problem to make this a MM activity. Nor would it be for the original poster.

My point would be that as the sole exposure to medicine, especially if it were in an international environment, it may not satisfy adcomm expectations that one has adequately "tested medicine as a career." This would not apply to you.

Okay thank you! I have a lot of other US related clinical experience as well. So, this is not my sole exposure to medicine. I will go ahead and continue with it as my most meaningful

 

[mariposas905]

I have a couple of questions as well, which I thought I'd list below:

1. I worked in two different hospice organizations during two different time periods, but I would still like to bunch these into one activity. Say, one of them is "Maryland Hospice" for 50 hours in 2014, and the other is "Unity Hospice" for 150 hours in 2016 - present. How do I list this on AMCAS? What would I put in the single organization name category?

2. For the description titles, is it better to be brief or detailed? For example, should I list Medical Scribe or Medical Scribe at "insert long hospital name..."

3. Is it okay to have a full sentences and then, phrases within one description? For instance:
- "XXXX" is a rural clinic offering free healthcare for the uninsured.
- As a volunteer, I _____ and _____.
- Gained insight into the working of healthcare teams
- Helped organize patient files
- Confirmed my interest in medicine

Would it be alright to have the first two bullet points as sentences even when the rest are phrases?

4. I served on the board for my university Habitat club. However, the club was later removed because our president left unexpectedly and did not renew it. Nevertheless, I still got lots of leadership experience during that year. Can I still list this? I also volunteer with the larger state's Habitat program on the side. I was thinking of listing the state coordinator as my contact and incorporating my leadership within that description, even though it was technically within my university club and not the state club. Is it okay to do this? I will of course say that I was a leader affiliated with my university to keep things honest.

Thank you!

 

[Catalystik]

I have a couple of questions as well, which I thought I'd list below:

1. I worked in two different hospice organizations during two different time periods, but I would still like to bunch these into one activity. Say, one of them is "Maryland Hospice" for 50 hours in 2014, and the other is "Unity Hospice" for 150 hours in 2016 - present. How do I list this on AMCAS? What would I put in the single organization name category?

2. For the description titles, is it better to be brief or detailed? For example, should I list Medical Scribe or Medical Scribe at "insert long hospital name..."

3. Is it okay to have a full sentences and then, phrases within one description? For instance:
- "XXXX" is a rural clinic offering free healthcare for the uninsured.
- As a volunteer, I _____ and _____.
- Gained insight into the working of healthcare teams
- Helped organize patient files
- Confirmed my interest in medicine

Would it be alright to have the first two bullet points as sentences even when the rest are phrases?

4. I served on the board for my university Habitat club. However, the club was later removed because our president left unexpectedly and did not renew it. Nevertheless, I still got lots of leadership experience during that year. Can I still list this? I also volunteer with the larger state's Habitat program on the side. I was thinking of listing the state coordinator as my contact and incorporating my leadership within that description, even though it was technically within my university club and not the state club. Is it okay to do this? I will of course say that I was a leader affiliated with my university to keep things honest.

Thank you!

1) Is it possible to fit both organization names (possibly abbreviated) in the provided space? Then use the Repeated feature for the two timeframes. Alternatively, list the longer experience alone in the header, then give equivalent details for the other in the narrative. Give subtotals of hours for each in the narrative if you don't use Repeated.

2) I'd say "Medical Scribe in Xxx Department. The hospital name would be the Organization, most likely.

3) Try to make the style of each bullet point match within a given space.

4) Yes, as long as you're clear about the situation, as you've described.

 

[truuth]

1. Paid standardized Spanish patient at a med school 12hrs-> Non clinical employment? (A professor at the school said it should be clinical, but no patients so....)

2. Volunteered and attended lectures at a nurse anesthesia anatomy bootcamp at a med school. Involved learning ultrasound guided nerve blocks, etc ~40hrs-> non-clinical volunteer?

3. I have other paid clinical work as a patient care tech. I have other non-clinical volunteering at >300hrs in same field long term. My application is lacking clinical volunteering other than a 10 hr stint I ended up leaving out because I ran out of slots (non-trad with a lot to list) and it was only 10 hrs (RAM). Should I make room for this?

4. Also lacking leadership on its own as I lumped that responsibility as Head Extern in with my general description of my externship and in the title of the experience. Should I separate out my leadership activities?

 

[Catalystik]

1. Paid standardized Spanish patient at a med school 12hrs-> Non clinical employment? (A professor at the school said it should be clinical, but no patients so....)

2. Volunteered and attended lectures at a nurse anesthesia anatomy bootcamp at a med school. Involved learning ultrasound guided nerve blocks, etc ~40hrs-> non-clinical volunteer?

3. I have other paid clinical work as a patient care tech. I have other non-clinical volunteering at >300hrs in same field long term. My application is lacking clinical volunteering other than a 10 hr stint I ended up leaving out because I ran out of slots (non-trad with a lot to list) and it was only 10 hrs (RAM). Should I make room for this?

4. Also lacking leadership on its own as I lumped that responsibility as Head Extern in with my general description of my externship and in the title of the experience. Should I separate out my leadership activities?

1) I'd use the Employment - Not Medical/Clinical tag.

2) Yes.

3) You don't need clinical volunteering when you have substantial clinical employment and also nonclinical community service. So, leave it out.

4) It's not necessary to have Leadership - Not listed Elsewhere as a tag, when you DID list it elsewhere. You used the right strategy in including the title of the leadership role in the name you gave the activity that led to assuming the leadership role. That way it is highlighted and stays in context.

 

[Babbitt4MVP]

Is it better to list hobbies than not? I don't have super interesting ones like basket weaving or restoring vintage cars. Mine are pretty regular like hiking and playing basketball, which I feel adcoms would see a hundred times per day. Is it worth an entry?

 

[Catalystik]

Is it better to list hobbies than not? I don't have super interesting ones like basket weaving or restoring vintage cars. Mine are pretty regular like hiking and playing basketball, which I feel adcoms would see a hundred times per day. Is it worth an entry?

You aren't required to have a Hobbies entry and might not need it if your application already represents leisure-time, stress relieving activities.

 

[Catalystik]

First of all, I apologize for posting too many questions. I am first-generation applying to medical school and SDN is my most valuable resource.

I am a little bit confused on how to label my part-time tutoring job in AMCAS application. Should I choose "Paid employment - Not medical/clinical" or "Teaching/ Tutoring/ Teaching Assistant"?

Either choice is equally valid. Most would pick the one that balances their application best or that helps support the "image" they want their application to portray. If you have nothing else under Teaching, I'd choose that one, but be sure to mention that you were paid somewhere in the description or via the name you pick for the activity space.

 

[Gauss44]

If I had a volunteer gig where I worked 3 hours a week for 5 years, would I be better off just saying I worked "over 500 hours over the past 5 years" since that sounds more impressive than, "worked 3 hours a week for 5 years"?

 

[Catalystik]

If I had a volunteer gig where I worked 3 hours a week for 5 years, would I be better off just saying I worked "over 500 hours over the past 5 years" since that sounds more impressive than, "worked 3 hours a week for 5 years"?

Your math doesn't come out right, if you're implying the two are equivalent.

 

[Gauss44]

Your math doesn't come out right, if you're implying the two are equivalent.

If the math were right, which method of describing would be better?

 

[Catalystik]

If the math were right, which method of describing would be better?

Experienced adcomms were around when hours per week were required on the AMCAS application for most activities, so we are accustomed to seeing that. Any reason you can't do both?

Side note: If I were to read 3 hours per week for 5 years, I wouldn't believe it unless you added, " . . . . except for school breaks," or somesuch. So if you want to use fewer characters, just give the overall total. Of course, other adcomms might not hold you to the standard of precision that I would.

 

[mariposas905]

You aren't required to have a Hobbies entry and might not need it if your application already represents leisure-time, stress relieving activities.

How would this be represented and where if there isn't a hobbies section?

 

[Catalystik]

How would this be represented and where if there isn't a hobbies section?

Examples: Teaching yoga, Extracurricular sport involvement, writing or musical involvement in Artistic Endeavors.

 

[mariposas905]

Examples: Teaching yoga, Extracurricular sport involvement, writing or musical involvement in Artistic Endeavors.

Okay thanks for clarifying! Also, I am working as a scribe currently, but do not know how long I will continue it. What should I put as my end date on this activity? I'm hesitant to put August 2018 (date of matriculation) because what if I leave the job October 2017 or something like that?

 

[Catalystik]

I am working as a scribe currently, but do not know how long I will continue it. What should I put as my end date on this activity? I'm hesitant to put August 2018 (date of matriculation) because what if I leave the job October 2017 or something like that?

Put in October 2017 as the end date, if you feel it's pretty sure you'll stay at least that long. Explain in the narrative that your true end date may be later.

If you are unsure about the October date, then enter only the dates and hours you've completed so far, and say in the narrative that you hope to continue with the activity but are unsure of the end date.

 

[Gauss44]

Can you control the order in which your activities show up on AMCAS? I ask because I have some activity descriptions share context that would not have to be repeated if I knew the reader would read one before the other.

 

[Catalystik]

Can you control the order in which your activities show up on AMCAS? I ask because I have some activity descriptions share context that would not have to be repeated if I knew the reader would read one before the other.

You have absolutely no control over the order in which your Activities will show up on the application when they are viewed by med schools, as each school has the ability to sort them by their own preferred criteria.

 

[Gauss44]

If I combine a minor in medical science, volunteer experience in ER, and paid clinical experience all as one activity, which category should I choose? I think paid employment would probably get me the most points? Or should I not combine these 3?

 

[Catalystik]

If I combine a minor in medical science, volunteer experience in ER, and paid clinical experience all as one activity, which category should I choose? I think paid employment would probably get me the most points? Or should I not combine these 3?

You'd have to use Other, as the three are so diverse.

 

[Gauss44]

If I keep selecting the same label on the drop down bar, like community service - non medical, is that a sign that I will do poorly on the Activities section of the application? My guess is that some schools will "grade" this by the categories on the drop down bar each being worth a certain number of points.

 

[Catalystik]

If I keep selecting the same label on the drop down bar, like community service - non medical, is that a sign that I will do poorly on the Activities section of the application? My guess is that some schools will "grade" this by the categories on the drop down bar each being worth a certain number of points.

Ideally, you'll have a variety of tags so that your application will have a broad appeal to a lot of med schools.

 

[mariposas905]

If I combine a minor in medical science, volunteer experience in ER, and paid clinical experience all as one activity, which category should I choose? I think paid employment would probably get me the most points? Or should I not combine these 3?

You'd have to use Other, as the three are so diverse.

Huh I didn't know we could combine such diverse activities in one...I'm curious on how one would write the description to fit it all in

 

[Catalystik]

Huh I didn't know we could combine such diverse activities in one...I'm curious on how one would write the description to fit it all in

If I am correct in assuming that all three involve clinical exposure to patients, one would link them together by this common element through the title of the space. I'd name the activity Clinical Patient Experience Through Volunteerism, Paid Employment, & Coursework. Then one is free to describe each subcomponent in its own paragraph.

 

[Gauss44]

Now, I'm considering combining Mental Health Specialist at Hospital with Mentor in Foster Care. I could tag that as other. But my new question is that combining stuff like this will render the "total hours" meaningless, I think. Combined, there will be a very large estimated number instead of a specific number for a paid position. Should I include separate estimates of the total hours for the paid position and the informal foster care position?

The MHS was a part time position of about 16 hours a week, kind of unimpressive, so maybe the mystery of non-specifics is better?

 

[Catalystik]

Now, I'm considering combining Mental Health Specialist at Hospital with Mentor in Foster Care. I could tag that as other. But my new question is that combining stuff like this will render the "total hours" meaningless, I think. Combined, there will be a very large estimated number instead of a specific number for a paid position. Should I include separate estimates of the total hours for the paid position and the informal foster care position?

The MHS was a part time position of about 16 hours a week, kind of unimpressive, so maybe the mystery of non-specifics is better?

Yes, you'd give subtotals for each activity included in the narrative and then a grand total in the header. You also have to fit contact info, dates, role etc into the narrative for each one that wasn't in the header.

One would not want to use the Other category unless they had another space that utilized a volunteer or employment clinical category already.

 

[danae39]

I'm sorry if a similar question to mine has been asked, I could not seem to find a straight forward answer. Anyways, I completed a research project for a class my senior year. It was sociological, and only involved forming a hypothesis and testing it against survey data (N=480). The statistics were only meant to show correlation and then regression. My hypothesis was that part of the correlation between SES and depression could be explained by beliefs on human nature. Would this technically count as research for AMCAS? No papers were published obviously (though my professor did seek more data because he wanted to publish, it just wasn't out there) and obviously its not bench/lab experience. I dont really know if I should include it, though I really enjoyed the project.