The Best Extracurricular Activities for Medical School

In this video, we'll discuss the best extracurricular activities for medical school.
We've all met students who are involved in every extracurricular activity imaginable: shadowing, volunteering, conducting research, humanitarian work, the list goes on.
While these accomplishments are impressive, they might leave you feeling "average." Wouldn't it be helpful to know exactly where to focus your time during college to maximize your odds of getting into medical school?
To help you select the right extracurricular activities for medical school, we'll tell you:
-Which activities are absolutely necessary
-How much time you should spend on each one
-How to approach them in a way that stands out to medical schools
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Extracurricular Activities Recommendations Resource: www.shemmassianconsulting.com...
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
0:11 The Best Extracurricular Activities for Medical School
1:59 Extracurricular Activities You Need to Get Into Medical School
2:44 Community/Volunteer Service
3:41 Physician Shadowing
5:03 Patient Exposure
6:25 Leadership
7:44 Research
9:57 How to pursue Extracurricular Activities the Right Way
14:04 A Final Word On Being a Premed Superstar
Who we are:
Shemmassian Academic Consulting (SAC) was founded by Dr. Shirag Shemmassian, a medical school admissions expert with over 15 years of experience helping thousands of students get into top programs such as Harvard, Mayo, and UCSF. Despite a roughly 40% medical school matriculation rate nationally, the SAC team’s approach has resulted in over 90% of their students getting accepted the first time they apply. SAC has been featured on The Washington Post, US News and World Report, and NBC.
We'd love to hear from you! Drop a question down below in the comment section; we respond daily!
#medicalschooladmissions #extracurricularactivities #premed

[@Pete-da-peter]

100,000 + students apply to med school every year, it's impossible to be unique. Just be you.

[@Shemmassian]

Hey! Thanks for leaving a comment. In 2019, the AAMC saw 53,371 unique applicants and only 21,869 matriculated (~41%). While it may seem that it's impossible to stand out amongst such a great deal of students, there is a lot you can control within this application process. We encourage you to "be you" but also consider the ways to highlight the most important parts of you to the AdComs in an effective way. We're on the same page here and I hope all that read this realize that there may be a lot that isn't in your control (e.g. the amount of students in the pool competing alongside you), but there is A LOT that you can control (e.g. how you portray yourself through writing and in the interview).

[@Pete-da-peter]

@@Shemmassian waww. Interesting. Thanks for clarifying

[@Shemmassian]

@@Pete-da-peter Not a problem! That's why we do what we do; to offer clarity on all the confusing bits of admission. :)

[@angeliccox]

The undergrad school I applied to had 100,000 applicants lmao im not going to be too worried about med school apps now in terms of how many people are applying

[@AustinNguyenMD]

Thanks for the helpful tips! Very useful and I agree with your points. It’s all about finding activities you love!

[@Shemmassian]

Glad you found it valuable, Austin! Sounds like we're on the same page :)

[@mohammadalquairi6609]

It is really helpful and informative. thank you!

[@DS-iz9bq]

I'm in my sophomore year of pre med so this information is very useful in considering my options. Thank you!

[@jdorsett4157]

Did you make it to med school or are you in a gap year. - sophomore

[@jms3827]

I am only in high school but i will definitely take your advice to heart. Great video by the way!!

[@Shemmassian]

Awesome! Thank you so much! Please share it with one other friend that you think would benefit. :) We'd love that!

[@sakshisurve9668]

@@Shemmassian Hello sir!! I am currently in the first year of my B.Sc in Nursing Course and as a nurse we get a lot of patient exposure and get a lot experience about each and every section of the hospital like OPD and IUC etc. My question is am I eligible to do my masters course or any speciality course in medical sciences at HMS after my graduation?? And when is the perfect timing to start applying for my masters ??? as I will graduate in the year 2024.

[@flashsportzzgaming9697]

I wish I did more research in Highschool! Keep it up man

[@NrsArea420]

As someone who did almost 5 years volunteering at an international humanitarian organization before being done with college I can assure you the sooner you start the better it'll be for you

[@coleolson732]

Hows your premed journey going?

[@maanavjariwala7225]

Thank you for the great advice Dr. Shemmassian! It definitely opened up a lot of ideas since I am just starting my first year of pre-med! Quick question: How long would you recommend to do EMT volunteer work? Maybe one or two semesters? Also, would that count as both patient care/exposiure and volunteering under the clinical hours?

[@taybaaziz6190]

I agree and found most of the tips useful, but I do want to add another. You mention "few will trade time with friends and families on evenings to do x,y, and z," but I will argue that the time spent with friends and family will ultimately be time well spent. I'm not saying to go party every weekend, but to allow yourself to enjoy your premed experience without always thinking of "is this the most productive way to spend my time?" If you constantly hustle, you will ultimately burn out and hate what you're doing instead of being passionate about the changes you make.

[@Shemmassian]

Tayba is out here speaking the truth! Completely agree with this; thank you for sharing. :)

[@NrsArea420]

Totally agree on that, life is about balance

[@Beck-Stein]

Time with family yes not friends as they come and go. When you become an MD you will only speak with people of equal footing. It’s part of a pompous MD life.

[@venkataramanvaidehi5181]

Fantastic advice.

[@Shemmassian]

Glad you think so!

[@genesisrojas1015]

How does this not have more views and likes 😮?! Thank you so much for your wisdom and guidance ❤

[@saradomin89898]

this was an incredibly well informed video. Great job

[@Shemmassian]

Glad it was helpful! Do let us know what we can create next!

[@keeganpeterson6773]

Hi Dr. Shammassian! Your videos are all so helpful! Do you think being a TA for a college course would count as a leadership role?

[@j10001]

I would also love to know the answer to this! Thank you

[@eduard4949]

Question: Can being a PT tech volunteer at a PT clinic be considered as clinical exposure to patients? Thank you very much

[@lilitinoco8869]

Hi Dr. S., Do you need a committee letter to get into top schools? Committee letters aren’t always strong LOR, would supplementing the committee letter with other letters be just as good?

[@noahsilva1781]

Very helpful

[@Shemmassian]

Glad you think so!

[@arghafil7823]

Very useful information. What if I end up in average college / university for my Bachelors do I still have chance to crack MCAT and get into med school if I take care of these extra curricular activities

[@taexbabes8675]

Right now im in my freshman year of college, its a local state college but i have been so far Been a pharmacy technician for 9 months and plan on to continue Volunteer at my church to teach the kids (6 years and going) And am starting a tutoring program in science for first gen students What else should I do more

[@123dan165]

I need more guidance around the prerequisite courses. Is it possible to satify all the prerequisites with just the undergraduate degree?

[@anantmurdeshwar9173]

Hiii.... I am in 12th grade PCB student from India .... It would mean a lot if you guide me through preparation methods specifically focussing on extracurricular ... Thanking you in anticipation

[@matcha721]

Hello! I’m a rising sophomore in highschool with the dream to go to med school and become a surgeon. i just found your channel and i’m very eager to participate in extracurriculars/classes that can increase my chance to achieve my dream. do you have any resources/advice to give? i also live in a city neighboring stanford and was wondering if there might be any opportunities there. if not, is it possible to list out some good places online/in person to do so? i’m willing to do the research :) another question i have is if languages help with college/med school admissions (i speak four languages) thanks!

[@pranav4094]

is this for students in high school or students currently in premed

[@vanessamarquez1259]

Ive been trying to shadow a physician but most of them say that they don’t allow it in there hospital as well asked my local clinic and received the same reply if I can’t shadow a physician is volunteering in the emergency room of my local hospital a good alternative

[@oceanemassamba3303]

Hello, I am in Gabon(Central Africa) right now doing an internship to get more hours ? Should I consider adding this to my extracurricular activities for medical school. My fear is that as french country it might not be considered?

[@harmeetkaur2742]

Could you give some examples of how to obtain patient exposure/direct care? I find that around my area a lot of patient care jobs require a certification which requires additional schooling, and outside of that I am not sure what other opportunities there are for direct patient contact

[@Shemmassian]

Hi! There are plenty of opportunities raging from: hospital volunteer programs to hospice to community clinics to medical assistants, etc. Any place that has patients is an opportunity for you to contact and seek to help!

[@heran4331]

Thank you for the video. How can I get direct patient care experience? What are some examples of this type of activity.

[@Shemmassian]

Hey Heran! We wrote a guide that you can find here: ec@

[@heran4331]

Shemmassian Academic Consulting Sorry but what is ec@

[@Shemmassian]

@@heran4331 Sorry about that! Here it is: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-choose-extracurricular-activities-medical-school

[@faridshahid1833]

For your recommended hours for activities, do we have to do all of those things for as long as you recommend, or only some of those activities, but really well if we want to get into a top medical school? For example, doing a lot of research, but comparatively less clinical experience.

[@Shemmassian]

You don't have to, but these extracurricular activities are what AdComs expect to see. We've written a thorough guide here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-choose-extracurricular-activities-medical-school Should you have additional questions, please let me know!

[@faridshahid1833]

@@Shemmassian Thank you for the help!

[@abhishekchatterjee7184]

Where is the time to do all these things.

[@MilkyWay-gi8km]

is medical scribing considered shadowing?

[@obyo3210]

Could I have any ways to contact you guys please? I have no where to get guidance regarding to my circumstances.. I want to plan for my journey to medical school but have no idea where to start.

[@user-lb9zt2be8k]

If volunteering overlaps with patient exposure would that be good or do you recommend having two separate experiences for that?

[@Shemmassian]

Hi Priya! This really depends on how many hours of patient exposure and volunteering you have elsewhere. If you have sufficient hours outside of this experience, it’s fine to use this for the area in which you’re lacking. If you have sufficient hours in both areas, then you’re welcome to split the experience!

[@victoriafontenot7337]

Question! I’m a part time scribe in an emergency room and have been for over a year now. I already have plans to shadow several other types of physicians as well, but should I also look into other types of patient care experience?

[@Shemmassian]

Hi Victoria! I'm so glad you asked this question because many students wonder where scribing fits when it comes to extracurricular categories. Scribing falls somewhere between shadowing and patient exposure. If you had sufficient shadowing experiences prior to scribing, then you might not need to pursue any more hours. In addition, if you've had 150+ hours of patient exposure (i.e., hands-on patient care experience) outside of scribing, you might not need any more of that, either. I'm curious: How many shadowing hours do you have, and across how many specialties? Also, how many patient exposure hours do you have, not counting shadowing or scribing?

[@elizabethantohi7760]

Hi! I am trying to see if I can find a scribe job. How did you go about getting yours?

[@AndreasChristodoulou99]

Hi Dr. Shemmassian! I have a question regarding patient exposure. I am starting my medical scribe job in a couple weeks and I'm pretty excited. However, I noticed you said that clinical scribing cannot be considered a pure patient exposure experience since there is limited patient interaction. What activities do you recommend that involve a lot of patient exposure?

[@Shemmassian]

Hospital volunteering, community clinics, hospice, caretaker, nursing assistant among others!

[@elizabethantohi7760]

Hi there! How did you go about finding a medical scribe job? I've been searching online, and I keep finding medical scribe courses that cost a lot.

[@Shemmassian]

@@elizabethantohi7760 Most people get a scribe job through a large organization, like ScribeAmerica

[@katherinebrown2841]

I work as a Pharamcy tech. Does that count as patient exposure?

[@Shemmassian]

Hey Katherine! Thanks for leaving a comment; it would only count as patient exposure if you're interacting with the patients. If you're in the back room managing the medications and aren't in contact with the patients, it would not count as patient exposure. I encourage you to look through the following guides on extracurricular activities; I'm confident you and many others will find great value in them. www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-choose-extracurricular-activities-medical-school wa@

[@ivanavellaneda9927]

I work as a patient transporter, is that considered patient exposure? Also, with this pandemic situation going on, where can students go to find ways to volunteer and shadow? Will med schools be more lenient on the requirements to be a matriculant? I say this because students don’t want to get sick and get others sick so I’m sure lots of students ceased activities related to getting into med school.

[@Shemmassian]

Hey Ivan, thanks for dropping a comment. That would be considered patient exposure; you're certainly interacting with many patients in that capacity. As for volunteering in the current pandemic, many students are you the same boat you are. Shadowing will probably be more difficult as the healthcare system is at capacity, but volunteering opportunities are aplenty! Many organizations (student organizations and non-student organizations such as non-profits) are still offering their services via Zoom. In my local community, there are mental health organizations that are offering free mental-health group checkups for those who are feeling isolated at home. I encourage you to dive into your resource networks and see where you can lend a hand! Of course, as every student is in this unique situation; medical schools will certainly be lenient for this coming cycle. In the years to come, as things resume to normalcy, the requirements should reset to original standards. I'm confident you'd also find value in the following guides regarding extracurricular activities and shadowing. Please do look through these resources and if you have any other questions, let me know! www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-choose-extracurricular-activities-medical-school kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpWXonmjrJuJaqc www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-ask-to-shadow-a-doctor kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZjcooqZftZsZ68&

[@joethedude3641]

Hello to the people reading this. The day I write this is December the 6th of 2022. I am currently still in year 9 of high school, but I will be going to year 11 next year. I live in NZ, and we have 13 years of school here. But I'll be going to year 11 next year, I will finish high school in 2025 and go to Uni in 2026. I just wanted to write this comment here because if anyone ever likes this comment or replies, then I will remember this comment and can see what I wrote. This is sort of like a 'To my future self' letter. I hope you have accomplished your goal of going to med school through a direct entry programme in Australia. I hope you have accomplished the goals you set along the way, and I hope those goals are also ambitious and impactful. I will keep this short. Hope you all the best in your future life. To everyone who sees this comment, I also hope you all the best in your future life and in accomplishing your goals. I have confidence in us. Also a very helpful and inspiring video, Dr. Shemmassian! Thank you so much.

[@samanthaperez1551]

Great video! I was wondering how I could get patient exposure as a pre-med student in college, any tips?

[@Shemmassian]

You could go for "essential health work" like EMT or MA, remote opportunities like a suicide hotline or crisis text line, etc.

[@henny6365]

Question. I’m realizing that I should be doing extracurricular activities but with the corona virus going on I have no idea where to start. I don’t know any doctors that I could shadow and there are so many things to do. I’m feeling so overwhelmed and so much time is being wasted. Also what year in college should I start studying for the mcat? and putting my application together?

[@Shemmassian]

Hey there! Thanks for dropping a question. Unfortunately, with COVID-19, many students are in the same boat as you. I'd encourage you to reach out to the faculty/organizations in your network and see if you can help it in a remote fashion. Stay active and pursue those opportunities! There is certainly still much to do, even if we're confined to our respective homes. Regarding your other questions, I encourage you to read the following guides. They answer your questions in detail! - How to Get Into Medical School Guide: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-get-into-medical-school - Extracurricular Activities Guide for Medical School: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-choose-extracurricular-activities-medical-school Please let me know if I can answer anything else.

[@shanayamiskin7852]

How can you get patient exposure?

[@shanayamiskin7852]

@Tara Johnson Thank you!

[@hermellakebede859]

Does getting CNA training help fulfill some of the requirements?

[@Shemmassian]

Yes! You can gain lots of clinical experience as a CNA and earn an extra income while doing it

[@soul11134]

Is there uncondtional offee in Harvard?

[@YogiYarnham1709]

The best activities are the ones you like to do. I have 210+ hours as a volunteer karate instructor to kids ages 4 - 10. It's something I'm passionate about and I love challenging myself to be able to teach these kids at their level and perform like disciplined older kids. I have tons of hours because I love it and I'd do it whether I was a premed or not. That's just one thing. Hours at the deaf center (where I've made deaf friends and started learning bits of sign), rural health centers among others. I've had a very fun and fruitful service experience. Find the activities that are YOU. Not what you think others want to see, they want to see legitimacy.

[@Shemmassian]

You can certainly develop a strong profile in so many different ways!

[@sabahbacker705]

I've been volunteering at Northwestern Hospital for about two years now(I was forced to be on hiatus for a while bc of the pandemic), and have about 90 hours of volunteering with the hospital. The thing is, does my 90 hours of service count since I technically did it when I was a senior in high school?

[@Shemmassian]

Typically, experiences that started and ended before attending college should not be included on your med school apps. However, if you continue an experience during college, you can include that.

[@karmadayang3977]

Hello Dr. Shemmassian, Due to Covid, shadowing physician is very difficult and also being in Canada where shadowing physicians is not probable, can online shadowing be used in my application in the future? Best, Karma

[@Shemmassian]

Yes, it will be fine to do virtual shadowing, but make sure that's not all of your shadowing hours!

[@m.lkyway]

Hello. I have a question. What if you've done a lot of hours only in one year does that mean they wouldn't consider your application because it wasn't a period of 4 years?

[@Shemmassian]

Not at all! We go through seasons in our lives where we're involved more with one thing over the other. Commitment over time is nice because it allows the AdCom to see your work grow and mature, but if you've done a great deal of hours in one year and decided to move onto another commitment, there's certainly no problems there.

[@shoRts4Rx]

Hii, I'm an international student offering doctor of pharmacy and these terms seem like really foreign concepts and the only time I may be allowed near a hospital to "shadow" or even get some hospital experience is when you're doing your internship. Mostly these internships are done between July and august with a minimum of 6 weeks . Seeing that Pharm.D program is completed in 6 years and after each year I go for internship training, Is that alone enough to make me competitive?

[@Shemmassian]

Hi Nicholas, that would depend on your overall application profile. You'll need great grades, MCAT , and extracurriculars, too!

[@channinggarnett4760]

I'm a D1 student-athlete, thoughts on collegiate athletics?

[@Shemmassian]

They certainly provide context for your achievements given the time commitment!

[@verniellove891]

Hello , I just transferred from a small health focused school to a large more liberal arts school and I have a chance to declare a minor. ( my major is cell biology and neuroscience) I am stuck between theater, a foreign language specifically German / Spanish and psychology. I don't know what to do, I was hoping to pick theater but I'm not sure if that will negatively affect my application/ be useless since theater is not something I want to pursue professionally.

[@donatello4645]

If you chose to pick a random minor that does not pertain to your major, it can give you something to talk about so you seem more than just a medical drone.

[@adamleone3449]

Hello! I have a question of clarification about your advice. Would you advise that we become competitive in each of the areas you described in the beginning of the video and then go further and deeper into a smaller subset of those, or would you advise that we get minimally competent in each of those areas and then dive deeper into a few to reach the competitive level?

[@Shemmassian]

Good question, Adam! I advise you to meet the recommended minimums in each category and to specialize in or two of them. If you do everything pretty well, but nothing outstanding, you'll be seen as a jack of all trades, master of none. Unfortunately, being a jack of all trades leads to blending in, which is exactly what you want to avoid. I encourage you to review my guide on this topic to learn more about how to approach your extracurriculars for medical school: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-choose-extracurricular-activities-medical-school

[@adamleone3449]

Shemmassian Academic Consulting thank you!!

[@aabbas802]

Also, many of the fields can also be combined as you delve deeper into them. Especially the community service part which could coincide with your leadership initiative, and would be anything you are not getting paid to do. Or maybe Leadership & Research could combine based on what program you are part of... And where time is concerned if you're spending 3+ months or so on something on a weekly basis & you're passionate about this, the hrs will come automatically, what needs to be showcased are your achievements.

[@prototypeblitz8200]

Aylia Abbas thanks!

[@taylorkurtz5223]

Due to covid and shut downs my research experience was cut down from 10 months to only 4, I'm hoping this won't effect my application too much but I'm still concerned... any tips?

[@Shemmassian]

Such a bummer, Taylor--sorry to hear it! Which cycle do you intend to apply?

[@setragsarafian9409]

Շնօռհակալեմ!!!

[@Shemmassian]

You’re welcome!

[@setragsarafian9409]

@@Shemmassian ❤️🇦🇲

[@setragsarafian9409]

@@Shemmassian are you Armenian?

[@sandrinayousif842]

do you consider nursing assistant consistently throughout the four years as patient exposure? also great video!

[@Shemmassian]

If you're interacting with patients, then it's clinical/patient exposure! I'm glad you found it useful. Please do us a favor and just share it with one friend. That would mean the world to us! :)

[@zidamv1944]

are this recomandation for students who will apply for Medical schools after done with Highschool or Alevls ?

[@Shemmassian]

Hi Asif! These recommendations are for undergraduate students who intend to apply to medical school.

[@ArvindRajan]

Super helpful video! One question though, how important is your undergraduate institution in premed admissions? My undergraduate school isn't the most prestigious, but I chose to attend because of a full scholarship, and numerous opportunities as a premed. It always seems like the students getting into the big-name med schools are also coming from big-name undergrads, but is this just a coincidence?

[@Shemmassian]

So glad you liked it! Your undergrad institution matters, but it's not everything. Check out our guide on the subject here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/does-undergrad-matter-for-med-school

[@ArvindRajan]

Shemmassian Academic Consulting Just read through it! Thanks for the perfect scenarios you gave too!!

[@Shemmassian]

@@ArvindRajan Glad you found it valuable!

[@cassandrajane7302]

Would being an EMT count as patient exposure? Asking as a volunteer EMT

[@Shemmassian]

It certainly does!

[@attabaig6848]

Hi I am a volunteer courier at a hospital. I escort guest(s) and/or patient(s) to their destinations, deliver mail and/or floral arrangements to patient(s), distribute patient trays as requested by dietary. I distribute information such as surgery schedules and events flyers. I distribute menus and pencils to patients, assist in marking menus as needed. Would this count as clinical experience? Would it also count as just a community service? Can I put this under community/clinical for my application?

[@Shemmassian]

Hi Atta! Thanks for your question. This is a mixed bag because you're involved with so many different things in this volunteer courier role. I'd consider the portions where you're interacting with patients as clinical but everything else (e.g. delivering mail, escorting guests, distributing surgery schedules and event flyers, etc.) would count as community service. I'd classify this as community service - clinical, just like you said! Here's two guides that I'm confident you'll also find useful: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-choose-extracurricular-activities-medical-school www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/amcas-work-and-activities

[@Dylan-jn3dq]

How do you get patient exposure??? I don’t understand

[@Shemmassian]

Hi Dylan! There are a number of ways you can obtain patient exposure experiences. For example, you can volunteer at a hospital or train to be an EMT. I encourage you to read our guide on med school extracurriculars here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-choose-extracurricular-activities-medical-school

[@dailan45]

I'm a freshman at a community college looking to get into medical school one day. Should I wait until later down the line to start thinking about extracurricular activities or should I start now?

[@Shemmassian]

Definitely start thinking about them now! You can read our guide here: ec@

[@fuckingallthesehoes3295]

If you’re not working I say do it because if you’re not you can spend that time might as well volunteering which will be good, and you’ll still have time to study and do all that as a full time student

[@zanmar6764]

How would these be different for a early acceptance BAMD programs. How many hours of shadowing and volunteering is recommended

[@Shemmassian]

When it comes to hours, it's more important to demonstrate initiative and impact than to focus on accumulating a certain number of hours. Shadowing is one exception. Because it's observational, aim for 100+ hours in total (beyond 100, more is not necessarily better). For clinical experience, think of new initiatives, demonstrate longevity (e.g., length of time), and impact, which can also be highlight by rec letters.

[@venjaminnefua9267]

Does Athletic training count as clinical experience? If I want to be a sports medicine physician

[@Shemmassian]

Unfortunately not, but it sounds like it's been a very rich experience for you!

[@indumathid9894]

Hi. Iam from India. Iam in my 9th grade. I am planning to join medicine in US. Iam doing some shadowing and volunteering at a cancer hospital for kids. How can I contact you?

[@tomkunnel411]

How much does high school shadowing, research, and volunteering play into the application for medical schools during your undergrad?

[@Shemmassian]

Hi Tom! Are you asking if applicants should mention HS activities in their med school applications?

[@tomkunnel411]

@@Shemmassian Yes. Do all medical schools only look at undergraduate work? Thanks.

[@Shemmassian]

@@tomkunnel411 Thanks for clarifying! Medical schools will only be considering your undergraduate record since it's the most recent.

[@keiraalfred2716]

I am in ninth grade right now and I am documenting all my activities and say to myself,"you do nothing for med"😂

[@Shemmassian]

Hey Keira! Glad to hear you are getting started early! Check out our guide on developing a unique extracurricular profile for college admissions here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/extracurricular-activities I think you'll find it valuable!

[@fatimabah5663]

I am in high school, currently a freshman how can I do a physician shadowing?

[@Dylan-jn3dq]

As a college pre-med I wouldn’t worry about it as a highschool freshman. Just work on getting into college first of all.

[@be7749]

I am going to be a freshman in university come fall. My major is nursing, in order to graduate I need to do a certain amount of clinical hours, will these hours count as part of my volunteer/community hours?

[@Shemmassian]

They'd count specifically as Community Service/Volunteer - Medical/Clinical. See this guide for further classifications! www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/amcas-work-and-activities

[@Daddywawa]

Hi! I'm in high school is there any way I can help during Covid-19 or any online services I can do that will help me for medschool in the future?

[@Shemmassian]

Hi! I'd look to your local community for opportunities or Google ways to volunteer online. As for preparing for medical school at this stage, please read this guide: howmed@

[@jia9385]

Shemmassian Academic Consulting, the guide can’t be opened.. it would be great if you could please resend it

[@Shemmassian]

@@jia9385 Here's our guide on selecting the right extracurriculars for college: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/extracurricular-activities

[@Dylan-jn3dq]

I wouldn’t worry about doing that right now in highschool. I’d just wait until college. Unless you are staying in the same area for college and can connect with the doctor in college aswell. I would just go for a minimum of hours if that’s the case, just to establish a initial connection with him for later college years.

[@StrawberryNinjaNibbles]

Do you have to “prove” that you shadowed those doctors for all those hours?

[@Shemmassian]

You won't need to submit proof of hours. However, if one of your LORs is from a physician you shadowed, they can mention the length of your shadowing experience in the letter.

[@leosteinman3057]

@@Shemmassian do you have a video on how to ask for LORs? I'm never sure about what's appropriate to ask

[@ShammahEmmanuelU]

can I email you guys for a consultation. I feel so lost!

[@Shemmassian]

Hello! What questions do you have?

[@fruitystar6085]

plz add subtitles.....!!!!

[@Shemmassian]

You can turn them on on the subtitles on the bottom right, or press c! :)

[@davisjohn1517]

How do you shadow a physician? Do we just call a clinic and ask?

[@chickens366]

Rather than calling the clinic, I would check out the clinics website and locate certain physicians that are in line with what you would like to study. They should have an email and you can email them directly. There’s also numerous videos that explain how to properly contact these physicians :)

[@Shemmassian]

Hey Davis and chickens366! Thanks for starting this conversation. :) We have a guide on shadowing here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-ask-to-shadow-a-doctor

[@chickens366]

Shemmassian Academic Consulting thank you! Your comment was perfect timing because I had my first day of shadowing yesterday :)

[@humnafatimaofficial]

Try going on hospitals' websites. They usually have a large physician directory and you can scroll through the specialties you are interested in. The doctors in those specialties will have their contact info there and you can try to call them. Most small clinics probably won't be taking volunteers, but they might let you shadow them.

[@no-de3lg]

Im a international student of radiological science program I studied in overseas 5 years is there’s a limited age I can apply to med school ? Also how do i do extracurricular work while im in same hospital

[@Hass960]

Hey there’s not a limited age to apply to med school, you can be 80 years old and still get into med school!

[@no-de3lg]

@@Hass960 even to Harvard or. Oxford but do they discriminate against people who took many years off i work to raise money for medical school because it’s extremely expensive so i need to work for couple of years to afford it since salary here is low for foreigners

[@FutureDocta]

But what if we have to work to provide for our families ? I work 40 hrs a week as a waiter to pay bills and help my mom. I volunteer at a hospital 5 hrs a week. That's all I really have time for. The rest of my time goes to working and focusing on my classes. I chose to prioritize my grades over volunteering or other extracurriculars and have a 4.0gpa. but the consequence is low extracurriculars. Does this mean I am not a competitive candidate?

[@Shemmassian]

Hey Shohrukh! I recognize how challenging it is to balance a full-time job with school. I recommend focusing on just one or two extracurriculars and achieving at a high level in them to make yourself a competitive candidate.

[@humnafatimaofficial]

Maybe you can take a gap year to focus on extracurriculars or try to hone in on them during the summers when you are not taking any classes.

[@FutureDocta]

@@humnafatimaofficial thanks for the reply. I ended up getting into my dream med school this year and will be starting in 2 weeks! I did take one gap year to work in a medical office and get clinical experience but overall didn't have too much extracurriculars or research. So I guess having a good gpa and MCAT was enough for me!

[@humnafatimaofficial]

@@FutureDocta That’s so great to hear, I’m so happy for you! I’m also similar in which I like to prioritize my studying since science has always been a challenging subject to me. I’m a sophomore right now and I get stressed about all the different extracurriculars I need to do so hearing that you got in without having a 100 extracurriculars really was a relief for me.

[@nemoxiv6132]

Does working as a surgical technician count as patient care?

[@Shemmassian]

If you were working/interacting with patients, that's a clinical experience!

[@jia9385]

Hi, I have started a non-profit program online that would help raise fund for COVID-19 patients, help the homeless in my local community, plant trees at a small scale, etc. Can this help in my med school application? Awesome video btw :)

[@Shemmassian]

This type of organization will indeed help with your applications. However, it's not sufficient to simply start an organization; what matters is the impact you make through it. Thanks for your compliment! Glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@Shemmassian]

This type of organization will indeed help with your applications. However, it's not sufficient to simply start an organization; what matters is the impact you make through it.

[@jia9385]

Thank you so much, I’ll make sure I create a positive impact as well as inspire my peers :D

[@shameikaellis2736]

Does Harvard offer nursing programmes

[@Shemmassian]

Hello! Harvard does not have a nursing school.

[@Nurauq]

How successful did your students get after your help?

[@Nurauq]

I meant in their success in happiness with attending such prestigious schools.

[@Shemmassian]

We suppose that the level of happiness varies greatly from person to person!

[@Madamefirstlady]

Can u be my med counselor..

[@Shemmassian]

Of course! I can be the peoples' counselor, should they accept me!

[@holanino249]

@@Shemmassiansoo do you have like a website or online class or something cause I could really use your help

[@Shemmassian]

@@holanino249 We do! You can reach it here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com

[@anantmurdeshwar9173]

@@Shemmassian hey... a new subscriber for you : )Your videos are awesome ... I am from India , would you make a video to guide international students ?

[@Shemmassian]

@@anantmurdeshwar9173 Thanks for the suggestion, Anant! We'll add it to our list!

[@notmee4374]

am i too late for realizing i wanted to be a doctor now that im in college?? 🥺 pls answer this

[@Shemmassian]

You're not! In fact, the average age of students entering medical school is 24. Check out our guide on applying as a nontraditional student here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/non-traditional-medical-student

[@notmee4374]

@@Shemmassian no im currently in premed course! i wanted to be a psychiatrist but im kinda hang on becoming a surgeon :)

[@notmee4374]

also, will they acknowledge any webinars with certification since it’s hard to find any program or medical activity due to the virus? :(

[@Ban-dp4gp]

I thought extracurricular activities are like hobbies basket ball . Or any club could share 😔😔?

[@oceanemassambambe8762]

Oh MY GOD . This video is so helpful. I am an international student. Do you have an email in which I could reach out to you?

[@Shemmassian]

Hello! You can reach out to us here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/contact

[@oceanemassambambe8762]

@@Shemmassian your calendar is full for March but I signed in. Hopefully I will get a call back from you anytime soon :)

[@dunn7920]

what is wrong with your eyes?

[@Shemmassian]

Watch this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/naSan5yBfdaijM0

[@i.theo_]

U talk too slow considering that I talk very fas 😂😂😂

[@Shemmassian]

:) Hoping the content is still useful for you!

[@i.theo_]

Shemmassian Academic Consulting yah mn so so helpful thnx 🙏🏼