Extracurricular Activities for Premeds

While medical schools want their applicants to have clinical experiences, the successful applicant also makes their out-of-class time productive in non-clinical ways as well. Therefore, an applicant’s non-clinical extracurricular activities are an important part of their application record.  Lack of a significant and productive extracurricular record is a real negative in medical school applications.

UMW premedical students should engage in extracurricular activities, particularly those that demonstrate a desire and commitment to helping others (community service), leadership, and a desire to excel outside the classroom, such as one might do in varsity sports.

Community Service

Community service is an important type of extracurricular activity. Medical schools prefer students who are compassionate and have a genuine desire to help others. Students show this desire through active involvement in community service volunteer activities.

The following are places that students can find community service activities. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Leadership

Leadership is also a quality admired by medical and schools. Students should seek out active leadership positions in student government or other student or community organizations.

Other activities to think about:

  • Varsity sports
  • Club activities
  • Military service

Be Selective

No one can do everything, and no one is expected to do everything. So, you should find at least two activities or organizations that you will really enjoy and that reflect who you are – activities to which you commit yourself in the long-term and are very active in the long-term. It is better to get heavily involved in a few extracurricular activities rather than join lots of different clubs and organizations and do very little with any of them.

Links to more information for UMW premedical students: