Hobbies Amcas

For a moment, put yourself into the seat of the interviewer at a medical school. They’ve read over dozens, if not hundreds, of applications that most likely fall under the same mold: basic science research, clinical volunteering, and plenty of community service. While all of those extracurricular activities are crucial in demonstrating interest in medicine, they don’t necessarily provide a wholesome picture about who you are as an individual. This is where hobbies and interests help. Showing the interviewer that you are well versed in discussing interests outside of medicine demonstrates that you are capable of relating to people on multiple levels. After all, if you were an interviewer, would you prefer to ask a student about their clinical research, or discuss how they became interested in performing magic or fencing?

Write About Your Hobbies on the Medical School Application

A medical school’s atmosphere, its charm, is defined by the energy and passion that the students embody. Students are encouraged to maintain their wellbeing and cultivate a diverse community, and many schools promote cultural celebrations, athletic competitions, talent shows, art showings, and philanthropic fundraisers. While your GPA and MCAT score will meet the basic criteria for each school, it will be your interests and hobbies that round out your application and allow you to stand out as a unique applicant.

Under the Work/Activities section of the AMCAS, there is a experience type called “Extracurricular/Hobbies/Avocations”. Describing interesting hobbies such as traveling, cooking, playing intramural sports or an instrument, and website building are all ways to show a school that you’ll be able to contribute to the school in more ways than just academics. For example, one of my classmates with whom I coordinated a student-run clinic with is an avid long distance runner and is currently training for the Boston Marathon. Earlier in the year, she encouraged classmates to train together and participate in San Francisco’s Nike Women’s Half Marathon. The diversity of student keeps medical school exciting by providing opportunities for students to share their passions with one another.

Below are four reasons why you should not underestimate the strength of describing your avocations and hobbies on the medical school application Work/Activities section.

1. Hobbies demonstrate your passion

Cultivating a hobby and demonstrating commitment to that activity reveals a passion that every medical school searches for in its applicants. For example, playing the piano for 10 years and performing in a yearly community concert shows discipline in practicing, confidence in performing, and long-term dedication to an art. These are all qualities that can be channeled into a passion for medicine. In order to emphasize your passion, be specific in describing your hobby. If you cook, don’t just say you enjoy preparing pasta for yourself and your significant other. Instead, describe where you gain your inspiration from, the types of cuisine that you’ve tried your hand at, and what tricks you’ve learned in the kitchen.

2. They make you more relatable as a person

For a moment, put yourself into the seat of the interviewer at a medical school. They’ve read over dozens, if not hundreds, of applications that most likely fall under the same mold: basic science research, clinical volunteering, and plenty of community service. While all of those extracurricular activities are crucial in demonstrating interest in medicine, they don’t necessarily provide a wholesome picture about who you are as an individual. This is where hobbies and interests help. Showing the interviewer that you are well versed in discussing interests outside of medicine demonstrates that you are capable of relating to people on multiple levels. After all, if you were an interviewer, would you prefer to ask a student about their clinical research, or discuss how they became interested in performing magic or fencing?

3. They round out your application with diversity

Throughout the application process, you will undoubtedly find mention of the word “diversity” numerous times. As the American patient population continues to grow more diverse, medical schools are adapting by training an equally diverse cohort of students to become the next generation of physicians. The end goal is not to produce a class of book-reading, test-taking robots, but to educate students on the art and science of patient care – to take care of the most diverse group of human beings. Diverse hobbies such as speaking a foreign language or traveling to different countries shows that you have embraced cultures besides your own.

4. They demonstrate that wellbeing is a priority in your life

Medical school is 4 years of hard work and can easily become overwhelming at times. It’s important that you don’t sacrifice your interests and hobbies and continue to have a life outside of medical school. Whether it’s waking up early twice a week to catch the surf down at Venice Beach (shout-out to PDr’s Evan Laveman) or holding band practice for the all-school Talent Show one evening a week, it’s important to have regular, positive stress relief. Medical schools have figured out how to train doctors, but they haven’t quite figured out how to maintain everybody’s sanity throughout those 4+ years, so they want to accept students who are already experts at doing so.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ProspectiveDoctor

Making Time for Hobbies and Recreation in Medical School: Strategies at Multiple Levels

Considering the relatively high prevalence of burnout and psychological distress among medical students, it is imperative that strategies are employed by student communities and institutions to defend student freedom to find balance in hobbies or recreation.

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The views and opinions expressed in this collection are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Eric Nagarajan is a third-year medical student at University of Minnesota. He is interested in well-being in healthcare, especially in medical education. He has worked with the University of Minnesota Medical School Well-being Committee and Medical Student Council to promote wellness among students, and he is engaged with quality improvement efforts in medical education.

A widely-held association with medical education (and the bane of many medical students’ existence) is the daunting commitment of time and work. A recent survey of over 1,100 Florida medical students identified “medical school workload,” “time management,” and “work-life balance” as the greatest stressors in their education, 1 echoing the findings of past studies which have linked these stressors to outcomes like burnout and decreased empathy. 2,3 The Florida study emphasized a lack of social and administrative support as contributors to stress in a new generation of medical students. As a medical student, I see how demands to be successful are compounded with feelings of isolation, as the degree of time-stress is not always normalized among students or addressed by an institution

At the University of Minnesota, successes in the issue of time strain have been achieved at multiple levels, via a student-led Medical School Well-Being Committee and thoughtful action by administration. Our multidimensional approach to well-being targets Community, Relationships, Health, Purpose, Environment, and Security as contributors to overall wellness. 4 Initial data from graduating students since the formation of the Well-Being Committee in 2016 to 2018 shows an increase from 10.4% to 29.9% of students “very satisfied” with “student programs/activities that promote effective stress management, balanced lifestyle, and overall well-being.” 5 We hope these strategies inspire other medical schools as we work together to produce great, caring physicians. By increasing support from the student community and administrative action following a comprehensive wellness program, we have helped protect students’ time for hobbies and recreation to promote balance and well-being in medical education.

Student initiatives to build community and relationships

At the level of a student community, structured efforts can promote spending time on hobbies and recreation. The University of Minnesota Medical School Well-Being Committee targets multiple dimensions of wellness among medical students. For the past three years, the Well-Being Committee has run a program through a scavenger hunt app that incentivizes students to engage in hobbies, physical activity, and other small actions that promote wellness and balance. By completing challenges and sharing their activities, students earn points for wellness-related prizes at the end of the semester. Users see photos and progress from their peers, building community and encouragement to reach goals. A community that normalizes and rewards taking time for wellness can reinforce engagement in hobbies and recreation, even pushing students to try something new. Ongoing efforts by the Well-Being Committee include promotion of extra-curricular events in the student community, recognition of students who have gone out of their way to support others, and individualized support to students in times of personal stress.

Support from administrative action to promote student health and purpose

Medical students at University of Minnesota benefit from structural changes by an engaged administration. Scheduling regulations are currently being implemented in clerkships, requiring students one full day off every week, with a consecutive full day off or half day off on alternating weeks. Every year, preclinical course directors streamline lecture content based on student feedback to increase protected independent study hours, lessening the need for students to fill nights and weekends with content review. Formal time regulations and protected study hours help students more clearly understand study expectations. Students can more confidently maintain a healthy balance of activities and more freely engage in research, volunteering, and leadership opportunities. Importantly, these goals and changes are vocalized to students, so students are aware, feel comfortable approaching administration with further feedback, and gain a sense of support. We encourage other schools to implement similar changes, and we encourage students to advocate for their well-being needs.

Amid the many pressures facing medical students, free time becomes valuable and vulnerable. Understandably, hobbies and recreation are sacrificed to a rigorous academic schedule. While our data show no significant change in graduating student disengagement and exhaustion from 2016 to 2018, we hope to see improvement over the next few years with our changes in place. 5 Considering the relatively high prevalence of burnout and psychological distress among medical students, it is imperative that strategies are employed by student communities and institutions to defend student freedom to find balance in hobbies or recreation. 6 These strategies promote well-being for the maintenance of great learners and the development of great physicians.

Eric Nagarajan
Medical Student
University of Minnesota Medical School

Michael Kim, MD
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
University of Minnesota Medical School

1. Hill, Monica R., Shelby Goicochea, and Lisa J. Merlo. “In their own words: stressors facing medical students in the millennial generation.” Medical education online. 23.1 (2018): 1530558.
2. Santen, Sally A., et al. “Burnout in medical students: examining the prevalence and associated factors.” Southern medical journal.103.8 (2010): 758-763.
3. Neumann, Melanie, et al. “Empathy decline and its reasons: a systematic review of studies with medical students and residents.” Academic medicine. 86.8 (2011): 996-1009.
4. “The wellbeing model.” Taking Charge of Your Health and Wellbeing, Regents of the University of Minnesota (2016): https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/wellbeing-model
5. “Medical School Graduation Questionnaire 2018 Individual School Report: University of Minnesota.” Association of American Medical Colleges. (2018).
6. Dyrbye, Liselotte N., Matthew R. Thomas, and Tait D. Shanafelt. “Systematic review of depression, anxiety, and other indicators of psychological distress among US and Canadian medical students.” Academic medicine. 81.4 (2006): 354-373.