After applying to medical school twice, my application didn’t change much overall. One major change was my MCAT score, which improved by 7 points. The second major change was my AMCAS activities section. I added one new activity that became “Most Meaningful” and rearranged and deleted some other activities.

Throughout undergrad, I worked several part-time jobs which I had originally included in my first application cycle, but the second time around I found that I could replace them altogether with more meaningful experiences that would help build the context around my story.

Here are some things I wish I knew before filling out my AMCAS Activities Section!

Tip 1 – Don’t get bogged down on the hours

I remember when I was in undergrad I was super stressed about meeting the requirements and having a solid application. My pre-med advisors had instilled in my head that I needed to have 100 volunteer hours and at least 100-200 clinical hours. I was so focused on the numbers that I lost sight of why I was actually volunteering and shadowing.

When you are filling out your activities section don’t stress out about the hours so much. They aren’t as important as you’d think. What’s the difference between someone who showed 100 hours versus 200 hours? What’s the difference if you miscounted by one or by two hours?

Put your self in the mindset and perspective of the admissions committee. When they sit down to read your descriptions do you think they over-analyze or count all of your hours? They want to see long term commitment, dedication, and self-reflection. These qualities aren’t only defined by the number of hours you volunteered, shadowed, or worked.

Tip 2 – Don’t make this a résumé

In a résumé, we normally list all of the things that we have done in a specific job or things we have accomplished in college. Having a list of your tasks, your roles, and your honors is great, but that’s not enough.

Don’t turn your AMCAS activities section purely into a list of things you have done. Anyone can create a list of things they have accomplished over time, and that list of things can be quite impressive based on the hours you dedicated or the number of things you did over four years, but it doesn’t tell your story. It doesn’t allow the admissions committee to get to know you or to understand how these experiences and accomplishments have shaped who you are. And this leads me to the next point.

Tip 3 – Show the impact

I know that word count can be quite limiting in the activities section. But it is crucial that you show the admissions committee how each activity or experience impacted you and what you may have learned from it. Spend the first few lines listing what you did, and spend the second half of your word count reflecting on the experience.

Here’s an example from my application. I had an amazing gastroenterologist as a teenager that I still continue to see to this day. Because I admired how he handled me as a patient, I decided to ask if I could shadow him a couple of days out of the week. This is how I described the experience.

I shadowed Dr. Walden in the GI lab as he talked me through every procedure, going into great depth on patient history. I learned that a patient’s background is the key to proper treatment and that picking up on subtle patient details is crucial.

I also accompanied the doctor to talk with the patients’ families, carefully noting the way he approached them and how he managed to reassure and relate to them. I learned that patient relations are vital when it comes to minimizing stress and gaining trust.

I also volunteered in the clinic where I restocked exam rooms and accompanied patients. I learned about compiling and deciphering symptoms and the hectic scheduling issues that arise daily.

You might not always learn something new from every experience and that is totally okay. Not every shadowing experience or part-time job will be eye-opening or impactful, but you should still be able to reflect and include some commentary on the activity.

Tip 4 – Build a narrative

You can see in the activity description above I note all of the things that I learned through my shadowing experience. This is one way that I begin to build my narrative or overarching story that allows the admissions committee to get a small insight as to who I am, what my beliefs are, and how I envision engaging with patients when I am a medical student, a resident, and one day a physician.

You can tactfully use each activity to give a glimpse of not only what you learned and the impact of the activity, but also to show who you are. My activities had recurring themes or patterns. I had a lot of teaching experiences where I emphasized working with various ages and backgrounds, catering to unique learning styles, and engaging creative teaching methods. I also had experiences abroad that stressed cultural awareness, open-minded views, adaptability, and working outside my comfort zone.

All of these activities help you to build a narrative that is later reinforced by your personal statement and your letters of recommendation. Think of it as building blocks. All of these pieces come together to build an overarching theme of who you are and what you stand for.

Tip 5 – Stand Out

During my time in undergrad, I felt compelled to do what all of the other pre-med students were doing. I thought if I didn’t partake in these activities then I was failing as a pre-med and that I would not have a strong application. Now, I view this mindset as completely flawed.

I am going to severely generalize here, but all pre-meds engage in similar activities. We all volunteer typically in some medically relevant manner. We all shadow and engage in clinical observation. A majority of us will partake in medical scribing, working as an EMT, and conducting some form of research.

Again, let’s put ourselves in the perspective of an admissions committee reading hundreds of thousands of activities section. If we all have the same or similar activities, what sets us apart? One thing that can differentiate us can be the impact that a specific activity marked on us. The second thing is taking part in activities that aren’t the typical pre-med experiences.

Do weird things. Do unique things. Do activities that are only unique to you. Don’t stick only to the pre-med routine. If you can have a few activities or hobbies that will grab the attention of an admissions committee and make them intrigued, then you are more likely to be memorable at the end of the day.

Do things that you like! I was lucky enough to spend time abroad, to travel to 13 countries, to live in Paris, and learn new languages. Although these things aren’t strictly pre-med activities, they are life experiences that the admissions committee can appreciate. If you like horseback riding, note it down! If you enjoy knitting as a long-term hobby don’t discard that. If you work the summers on a farm as a cow wrangler then please teach me. Be your unique and genuine self.

Check out my full list of AMCAS Activities on YouTube

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and based on my personal experiences.