<p>For most college students, summer vacation is 4 months long- 1/3 of the year. What activities do you guys do to strengthen your application for medical school? </p>
<p>I'm a freshman and I've looked through the myriad of opportunities that are available but all seem just out of reach.</p>
<p>I applied for my college's summer enrichment program, which covers subjects like biochemistry, physics, and microbiology. Im doing research on immunology at a hospital, volunteering at the emergency room, and shadowing doctors there as well. Im a camp counselor as well.</p>
<p>What do you guys do to get involved and keep your summer productive?</p>
<p>You're doing research, volunteering, shadowing, doing a summer program of some kind, and you think this is not enough so you worry about opportunities that may or may not be out of your reach?</p>
<p>You're doing plenty, and it sounds good enough to me.</p>
<p>You're a freshman, remember to enjoy life. I spent the summer after my freshman year giving tours and interviewing prospective students for my college. I also did some volunteering at a nearby hospital for about 4 hours a week, but I wouldn't call it a big commitment. Definitely find something to do that is productive, keeps you busy, and is enjoyable, but also PLEASE enjoy your summer. You'll be killing yourself later in life when you realize you don't have summers anymore.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if the things you listed are all the things you ARE doing, or the things you are thinking about doing for the summer? On first glance, the summer enrichment program seems like a continuation of classes. While I think it's advantageous to do things academic over your summer break (research in any form or discipline for instance), I don't think taking extra classes is really going to add too much to you "pre-med portfolio" and probably won't help you explore medicine or develop skills relevant to medicine as much as some non-academic activities might. If you'd like something that might be fun and medically relevant, getting involved with public health/social work organizations is great. It often puts you in positions where you can interact with patients without having any prerequisite medical knowledge.</p>