8 years of State Level Championship Swim Club experience - is this useless for BSMD application?
From one BS/MD app - so I’d say no (not useless) given the last line - and it certainly won’t hurt for the regular college apps you’ll need to do in tandem.
Activities and leadership
Students will have the opportunity to list up to 10 high school (or college) co-curricular activities and/or leadership experiences. Students should provide a detailed description of involvement with school sponsored clubs and organizations, community related activities, volunteer experience and/or community service, and work experience. For each activity, students will be asked to provide the dates of participation, the estimated hours per week devoted to each activity and the leadership role held within the activity (if applicable). Students should not list health-related activities in this section.
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Long term commitment to an activity, including an award winning/championship team is always a positive. Leadership would be a bonus if you were/are a team captain.
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Definitely list swim team. This shows a long term commitment PLUS some time management…you will need both for becoming a doctor.
But this won’t move the needle to an acceptance to BS MD programs…which are highly competitive for admissions.
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And to add, if you happened to have had an opportunity to work with a team doctor (if there is anyone in that role) they would be helpful to note too. Have you had an opportunity to shadow or do any health-related activity?
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Also, our swim team members got to work with the school sports trainer.
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Yes, did hospital volunteering this summer plus 2 days shadowing with PCP. Not a lot of hours though.
Shoot your shot, but know these programs are highly, highly competitive and like to see a lot of prehealth experience so they’re confident the student knows what they’re getting into. My daughter had excellent college results, but nothing at the BSMDs she applied to which were not big names. She had wonderful ECs but was light prehealth experience. Honestly I think the system works as once she obtained more direct clinical experience, she realized the path wasn’t for her and pivoted to research. High level athletic experience is always valued, but they’ll also be looking for direct clinical experience and quite a bit of it.
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Thanks for everyone’s responses. This was prompted by a miserable conversation with a ‘counselor’.
Counselor: You are straight Science, you need experience outside of Science
Me: What about swimming (8 yrs) and orchestra (3 yrs).
Counselor: Those are not intellectual
Me: shocked, annoyed
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Could it be they were talking about academics? I don’t know your focus at school but heavy science based vs humanities when it comes to APs perhaps ?
The example provided was - be interested in Journalism, or Politics or Philosophy
So it was not in reference to a school curriculum.
Anyone who claims music/orchestra is NOT intellectual has lost their credibility. It was an ignorant comment, showing lack of experience and immaturity.
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Well guidance and perspectives are good.
Ultimately, you get to listen to all sides and make the best decision for you.
Most counselors probably don’t deal with BS/MD apps regularly.
She was SPECIFICALLY BSMD counselor.
You’re right, I am advocating for INTERVIEWING the counselor before hiring them.
This was a counselor specific to BS MD applicants?
I’ll tag @WayOutWestMom . But here is my opinion.
Your student is applying to BSMD programs so needs a great high school record PLUS some of the things a medical school applicant would need…this includes things like volunteering with less privileged folks (volunteer in a soup kitchen, or a skilled care place, for example). If possible, and your state allows it for your student age, get EMT or CNA certification. Maybe work as a life guard (requires first aid and CPR too). Get the very best grades possible.
Swimming and orchestra are fine ECs.
What did this counselor suggest your kid needs to do??
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@Bunches you might find this thread helpful. It has lots of good info in it.
Off the bat she said - son has NO CHANCE despite having 4.0 GPA, some science competition awards and research.
This is how exactly it went -her reaction opposite each thing we have.
Red Cross Ambassador - not good, must do hospice
Special Olympics volunteer - not good, must do tutoring
Research program from Moonprep - not good, must do Yale summer program
Summer hospital volunteering - not good, must be the whole year
Doctor shadowing for 2 days- not useful
Swimming 8 yrs - what else?
Youth Orchestra 2 yrs - what else?
I felt attacked when I talked to her. She is a physician - does this explain the superiority complex?
The good news is - I had the presence of mind to tell her that she does NOT have the experience and counseling skill that we are looking for.
It sure doesn’t sound like she was a good match for you.
BSMD programs are highly highly competitive. But the things she listed as must do things will not guarantee an acceptance to a BSMD program.
The only thing I definitely agree with…2 days of shadowing is not enough. Read the thread I linked. There are some good pointers in that.
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Agree- time for a new counselor!
Thank you!! I will check it.
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I think you need a different BS/MD counselor.
Orchestra and swimming team are fine ECs. They demonstrate dedication and discipline, plus the ability to work cooperatively. These qualities are highly valued by med schools.
Unfortunately these activities won’t move the needle for a BS/MD acceptance.
Those require strong academics. (And no, all science, all the time isn’t what they’re looking for…although strong science & math academics are absolutely necessary.) Foreign language, social sciences, and some humanities are expected.
The secret sauce that med schools are looking for are service to others less fortunately than yourself, shadowing (to demonstrate you understand the kind of life you’re signing up for) and some clinical exposure, if at all possible, so you can see that patients are seldom grateful, often argumentative and disagreeable, and very often non-compliant.
As @thumper1 suggested working as junior CNA or ENT is great. However, many states require you to be 18 or older for those roles. Consider volunteering at a nursing home. Elderlies are biggest group of healthcare consumers, so getting experience with them is important. Your future patients will not all be young, educated, healthy or middle class or even clean & pleasant smelling.
Also keep in mind, getting a BS/MD acceptance is harder than getting into an Ivy. Be sure you have other universities on your application list.
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