Extracurricular activities are known to help you stand out from the crowd, but what extracurriculars are best for medical school? The idea behind choosing a specific extracurricular activity for your college years is that it will help you gain insight into different fields of study. Let’s cover the 9 best extracurriculars for medical school.
If you’re going into medicine, choose an activity incorporating science and humanities.
Here we compile the 9 best extracurricular activities for medical students.
You can do extracurriculars outside your normal study schedule to gain experience and develop new skills. This article will discuss the best extracurricular activities to help you succeed in medical school.
What are Extracurriculars, and Why are they Important for medical students?
Extracurriculars are activities that students participate in outside of the classroom. They can be anything from athletics to student council to volunteering at a hospital.
Extracurriculars allow students to develop skills not taught in school, such as leadership and teamwork.
In addition, they give students a chance to explore their interests and find out what they enjoy doing.
In medical school, extracurricular activities are important because they help students see how medicine is practiced outside of the classroom setting.
They also teach them to work with people with different backgrounds and beliefs than their own.
Extracurricular activities allow you to prepare yourself for the rigors of medical school by preparing for life after graduation, including residency training and clinical rotations.
Suppose you are interested in participating in extracurricular activities. Starting before time is important, so you don’t have too much time to prepare for the first day of school.
The earlier you begin, the better your chance of finding a group or team that suits your personality and interests.
9 best extracurricular activities for medical school:
Medical school is more than just classes and lectures. You’ll need to do a lot of studying, too – and that means you must put in a lot of time outside the classroom.
Fortunately, there are plenty of extracurricular activities for medical students to enjoy.
They can help you stay healthy and fit, build new skills, and develop relationships with other students in your class or department.
Here are 9 best extracurriculars that will help you get through medical school:
1. Medical school clubs:
These organizations meet regularly to discuss medicine-related topics, or they may provide social contacts and community service opportunities.
You can find these clubs through your school’s website or by contacting the local chapter of the American Medical Association (AMA). If you want to be a doctor in the USA, you need to qualify for the USMLE Step 1.
2. Medical volunteer work:
It includes helping at a local hospital or community clinic or conducting research studies at a university or pharmaceutical company.
Many hospitals will have volunteer programs for medical students, and many universities have research teams that need help with clinical trials.
3. Community services:
It is an excellent way to make friends and have fun simultaneously.
You can choose from several organizations that offer community service opportunities, including Habitat for Humanity, food banks, and volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross or blood drives.
4. Music:
For some people, music is a way to express themselves, so if this is the case for you, joining a band or choir may be something you enjoy doing.
You might be thinking that music isn’t an extracurricular activity, but it can be if you choose the right instruments and classes.
The main thing to remember is that you’re not going to be playing music all day long; there will be breaks between classes and clinic hours, so you need to ensure that your schedule allows for that.
5. Leadership positions:
Leadership is a very important part of being a doctor and is one of the most sought-after skills in the medical world.
Being able to lead people and be able to motivate others is one of the most important traits of a good doctor.
It also helps with decision-making, which is extremely important for a doctor.
Leadership positions are not just about leading your classmates but can also help you deal with stress and pressure better than most other extracurriculars because they require more time management skills.
6. Publications:
Medical schools are looking for publications by their applicants, so if you have any writing ability, writing papers could be a way of showing off your abilities as an applicant and making yourself stand out; in the process!
7. Service Learning:
Service learning is another great way to show your leadership potential and commitment by volunteering outside school hours.
You might even find that service learning is one of the things that help you get into medical school.
8. Playing and yoga:
Playing sports is always a great way for medical students to get some exercise and stay healthy at the same time.
Sports such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, and swimming are great choices for medical students who want to stay fit and healthy during their school years.
There are many different types of leagues you can join when it comes to sports in college; whether it be intramural or recreational teams, it doesn’t matter because there is always something you can do.
Yoga is another great way for medical students to stay healthy while also helping them relax at the same time.
It has been proven that practicing yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, making it an even better choice than staying fit by playing sports or working out at the gym.
9. Internships :
Internships are an important part of a medical student’s experience. Many internships are unpaid and help build a resume, but they can also be valuable experiences for the future.
Internships can help you get hands-on experience in medical practice and allow you to develop your leadership skills.
They will also allow you to network with people who can help you after graduation.
Internships should be considered a major extracurricular activity because they are a great way to gain valuable medical experience.
Why is it important to have a well-rounded life for medical students?
Life is about balance, and a well-rounded life is the best way to achieve it.
We all have different roles in life, and each role has its own set of responsibilities, expectations, and rewards.
In addition, various people with different personalities, skills, and interests can fill each role.
To be successful at any role we choose to fill in our lives, we must understand what that role entails and decide whether or not we are willing to take on those responsibilities.
Medical students face many challenges during their training years:
- learning about human anatomy and physiology
- managing time efficiently
- staying healthy while studying
- working with other medical professionals
- refining interpersonal skills, and more
To make these transitions as smooth as possible, they must develop their strengths to help them succeed at each career stage.
A well-rounded life helps medical students become better professionals because it helps them develop their strengths as individuals while also developing their weaknesses as professionals through experience.
Conclusion :
Of course, there are many extracurricular activities out there. However, choose the ones that are most important to you and your goals.
Just remember to have fun and make time for friends, family, and yourself.
Don’t forget your health either! After all, your well-being is a key factor in keeping you happy and productive as you prepare for medical school.
MedSmarter helps Medical Students pass their USMLE Step 1 & Step 2 CK Exams and provide Live and Live Online Review Courses as well as 1:1 Tutoring.
