<p>Whenever I apply? I sat with and read to patients at a convalescent home which is relevant and checked on patients at a hospital, but I also did a ton of work at the Humane Society. I love playing with the dogs and cats, and they always give me the more vicious dogs because I can handle them (I’m sort of strong and calm them). The thing is, saying I have a calming way with difficult animals might make them think I should be a vet and I want to be a doctor. Should I even include the Humane Society work?</p>
<p>You have a limited number of slots (15) to fill on your work & activities list. It’s up to you to decide what to list. </p>
<p>IMO, filling all the slots looks better than leaving half of them empty. If you’ve been a long-time volunteer to the Humane Society list it to demonstrate your ability to commit long term to a single project. </p>
<p>You will only discuss 3 of your most meaningful activities so unless you choose the Humane Society as one of those, I doubt anyone will confuse your work there with a desire to be vet.</p>
<p>You should include anything on there that was meaningful to you. You could be president of the juggling club, and it would still be a positive. </p>
<p>Plus, a surgeon once remarked that young pediatric patients are quite similar to veterinary patients (they can’t talk to you). Of course, surgery is sort of the same (when they’re asleep, THEY can’t talk to you either).</p>
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<p>PS: You’re going to laugh, but my old premed advisor (a legend) used to advise us to fill 13 or 14 of the spots. All 15, and it’d look like we were padding. I’m sure it’s fine either way.</p>
<p>If it shows consistent volunteer ethic or in any way can be tied into presenting an overall picture of you, include it. For example, my DD included her time coaching a sports team, it coordinated with the sport she listed as playing, showed time giving back her expertise and also the ability to lead.</p>
<p>Just my opinion, but I don’t think “liking to play with dogs and cats” = “wanting to be a vet.” I have always had pets and enjoyed them. I too volunteered at animal shelters (didn’t do it very much so ended up not listing it, but I would have if I were in your shoes). I did research technically in vet med (as that’s where one of my PIs was on faculty and where all my equipment was housed) and was never asked “Why don’t you want to be a vet?” A classmate routinely fosters animals and ensures they get proper care–as far as I know, no desire to be a vet. </p>
<p>To me, it looks like you’re thinking too much about it. If you’ve enjoyed your time there and found it meaningful, include it if you have room. You never know–perhaps your interviewer will love cats and dogs (thus you two would have something in common), or will use your experience caring for them as an indicator of your capacity for compassion, or will think it’s cool you found time for hobbies, etc etc etc.</p>
<p>did AMCAS change? When I applied you wrote a blurb about every activity and got the same word limit for each one. Only Penn’s secondary asked me to pick out 3 and elaborate. Where are you getting the top 3 WOWmom?</p>
<p>I don’t know when AMCAS started doing it this way, but for the cycle finishing up now, applicants were allowed a short description about each activity and then additional remarks for the three ‘most meaningful experiences’.</p>
<p>How far back can these activities go, i.e., can the ones during high school be included?</p>
<p>Cool. That is an interesting change.</p>
<p>High school activities should only be listed if they continued into college</p>
<p>Generally speaking, unless it was an activity that started during high school and was continued during college, high school activities aren’t included.</p>
<p>OP: long-term community service, regardless of type, is always a plus. (Of course, one still needs service with humans – lol.)</p>