<p>Can anyone premed relate how they are able to blend in research, volunteer work/ job, other extracurriculars, and still have time for schoolwork, studying for the MCAT, and having a social life...?</p>
<p>I think it would be tough to have the best of all those categories. If I had to pick, I would go with the great grades first, then a great MCAT, and then leave time for a social life so I wouldn't be insane by the time I reached med school.</p>
<p>If I had all 3, then I would go see if I could add in some research/volunteer service/work/or extracurriculars. But I am fairly sure the last 3 criteria you mentioned are more important to admissions committees!</p>
<p>Thanks!
Priorities are always a good thing.</p>
<p>Blending college life is something that is different for everyone. Me, I have no trouble with my pre-med requirements, Bio, Chem, O-Chem, Calc, (can't say for sure on physics, but I think it should be easy), and I'm at Vanderbilt, a university not known for handing out Summa Cum Laude diplommas like Harvard. The other classes I take determine how hard blending different parts of life are. This semester, along with calc and organic, I'm taking neuroscience, a music class, and a Hitchcock class( this is harder than it sounds, very demanding-> weekly readings, movies, and papers). However, this isn't a bad semester. I'm working in a lab 20 hours/week, involved in H4H, having piano lessons. Balancing your pursuits is determined by your own abilities. If you can get grades without having to study all the time, you can easily put yourself out there, but for some people, the premed requirements and other classes (like English :<) can weigh you down.</p>
<p>Hi Volstomper,</p>
<p>As awed as we all are by your awesome and oh-so-worship-worthy talents and impressive courseload at a university that's clearly more difficult than Harvard, suffice to say that there are some premeds who have to work. We are, however, all very happy for you.</p>
<p>For those of the rest of us, it's been hard. My personal philosophy has always been to focus on school during the school year and everything else (clinical work, MCATs, research) during the summers. This helps keep me focused on what I'm doing at the moment, but it does reflect a weakness in my multitasking - something medical schools are aware of and will notice. That's the tradeoff I've chosen to make, and it's not necessarily the best one for everybody.</p>
<p>I've also believed that doing some of everything and a lot of some things also worked very well. To be honest, my non-clinical community service is a little thin. I did some simply because I wanted to (this was prior to my becoming a premed), but most of my community service has been in clinical settings.</p>
<p>The thing you have to remember is that schools are going to ask you why you believe you'll be a great doctor during essays and interviews, and pointing to a high alcohol tolerance, lots of friends, or good grades or MCAT scores will be hard to use. Do you have a story about a sick person? A child whom you helped? These are stereotypes - they work, but there's no need to constrain yourself to these archetypal premed stories. Find your own passion for helping people with health issues.</p>
<p>On the interview circuit, I met a young man who was trying to build artificial nerves during his in-between year. I met a young lady running a pregnancy counseling center. I've known premeds who spent their summers working with the biodefense department of Homeland Security, or one student who isolated the structure of melanin. These are the things premeds are made of. They all have wonderful numbers, but they have more: passion.</p>
<p>They found something they love, they found that it pushed them towards medicine and taught them about patients, and they can use these experiences to stand out on their applications, in their essays, and during their interviews.</p>
<p>Find something you love. If it pushes you towards medicine, wonderful - use it to explain why you ought to be a doctor. Use it to stand out.</p>
<p>
[quote]
As awed as we all are by your awesome and oh-so-worship-worthy talents and impressive courseload at a university that's clearly more difficult than Harvard, suffice to say that there are some premeds who have to work. We are, however, all very happy for you.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>hahaha, could't have said it better myself.....
VolStomper, you have to realize that the main reason you aren't having trouble with your premed requirements is because your schedule seems average or maybe even easier than average since you are (I'm assuming) a humanities or english major. Its true that if you can understand things more easily then you can do more, but there are people who have to study alot (either because they learn more slowly or their major is much harder than lets say...english) and still do many extra curricular activities and "put themselves out there". Also, please dont insult the top institutions in such a ridiculous manner, it just makes you look silly! No, Vanderbilt is not better/harder/tougher than Harvard.</p>
<p>As for the original question....
It is very hard to blend everything that you should or want to do in college no matter whether you are premed or not. Being premed though, it is harder since it never seems like you are doing enough. As i mentioned before, alot of whether you will be able to handle the load depends on your major. It is usually easiest to either major in something non-science or in something closely related to most of the premed courses like bio. However, there are some insane individuals like myself who go into engineering. When it comes down to it, choose a major depending on your interest since that will be the primary determining factor of your success. As for ECs...try not to waste your time with things that arent very meaningful and try to have a leadership position or two. Also, in this case you should do things that interest you and that have potential for providing you with experiences that you can talk about. I, for one, opted not to do lab work because I wouldnt like it and because I dont think it would be very interresting if all i could talk about when it comes to my college experience was sitting there and watching my cell cultures grow. bluedevilmike gave some great advice though when he said try to do some of everything....try not to discount any activity or experience until you try it....and before i sound like a hypocrite, i must add that i will hopefully be doing lab work over this summer to try it out (though i did work in a lab over summer). </p>
<p>Basically, the short answer to your question is....med school admission is alot like college in one respect...they dont want to see people who sit and study 24/7 and do well....anyone can do that, nothing special there, they want to see someone who can balance their activities and schoolwork well and excels in whatever they do</p>
<p>Thanks everyone...</p>
<p>so basically its good to stay involved over the summer too, right?</p>
<p>It's very good to stay involved over the summer.</p>
<p>First, you're simply expected to.</p>
<p>Second, though, it helps you free up time during the school year. A research project that happens over the summer is, say, 10 hours a week during the school year that can now be spent on school.</p>
<p>Like I've said - and unlike what I've done - it's better to have some things going during school as well, to prove that you can multitask. But certainly, you should keep your summers full.</p>
<p>I see...</p>
<p>If one has research and clinical and gpa and everything going, are clubs a necessity as well?</p>
<p>First of all, I would like to point out that I'm a chemistry, neuroscience double major. My schedule is easy? Who thinks Organic, Calculus, Neuro, together, are easy. I said clearly that this isn't the toughest schedule I have ever had, notwithstanding. Where did I insult Harvard? I said that Harvard has a reputation for giving high grades. There is most clearly grade inflation at Harvard. Vanderbilt is better than Harvard in some respects, I might add; however, I am not intimating that Harvard is bad. It is the best academic institute in America if not the world. Shraf, do you have any idea how hard or easy Vanderbilt grading is? Yeah, that's right, you have no damn clue, so don't insult my fine institution. What I was trying to get at is that for some people, science is a strong suit. Balancing pursuits is different for every person. I was offering my college life as an example that working outside of the class is a possibility. I work extremely hard. Don't castigate me because I was giving a genuine response to a genuine question.</p>
<p>Romanian,</p>
<p>There's no formula. If you find a club that you think will make you a better doctor, get involved.</p>
<p>There are no magic bullets for medical school, no secret tricks. They are looking for young men and women who will be able to do a very good job taking care of sick people. If you find a way to prepare yourself better, jump on it.</p>
<p>wow, i am impressed volstomper. i'm sure med schools r going to love u. but really, a pre-med has 4 yrs. i think the best strategey is to go slow. because unfortunately, not everyone can be like volstomper. like the first yr. u should concentrate on ur grades and having a social life. then sophmore yr., try to do join clubs or do research. By junior year, if you've managed to keep up, then try taking on another activity. The worst thing to do would be to try getting a job, volunteering, and being president of a club all in ur first or second yr.</p>