What extra curriculars would look good to a university when applying for a medical degree.

Question: What extra curriculars would look good to a university when applying for a medical degree.
- Keywords:
  degree,
  university,
  work experience
Asked by anon-384801 to Tia F, Michael S, Martin M, Erin P, Alexander dB on 20 Feb 2024.
- Erin Pallott answered on 20 Feb 2024:
  
  Any kind of experience will be really helpful (shadowing a doctor or other healthcare professional). Any extracurricular activities will be helpful, as long as you’re not doing too many and it would distract from schoolwork. If you’re involved in any sports or clubs, aim for a leadership role in them.
  
  An idea I was just told from someone who did medicine was they trained as a first aider, then volunteered as a first aider at events like football games.
- Martin McCoustra answered on 20 Feb 2024:
  
  I’d agree with Erin…. Almost any activity that gives you the opportunity to shine will work well… So team sports, volunteering, etc. will help. There’s no harm in asking admissions tutors to medical school what they might be looking for but if you are in your final year at school, it might be a little too late to build up a portfolio of supporting activities. Then you have to make sure that you are a straight As student.
- Tia Fletcher answered on 23 Feb 2024:
  
  I did an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) at college, this was an essay about a topic of my choice. I wrote mine on the history of genetics starting with Charles Darwin and ending with gene editing! Unfortunately, not all colleges offer an EPQ but I loved mine and it made me want to become a geneticist (it also gave me more UKAS points which helped me get into uni).
  
  I also agree with the anwsers below, any kind of experience is great – it shows you are passionate and proactive! I also trained as a first aider with St John Ambulance and it looked really good on uni and job applications.
- Alexander De Bruin answered on 26 Feb 2024:
  
  generally anything that will highlight your passion for patient care or your skills in science and following procedures
- Michael Schubert answered on 29 Feb 2024:
  
  They like to see a wide range of activities! Here are a few you might consider, but don’t limit yourself to these kinds of lists. Pursue the activities that are most meaningful and beneficial to you!
  
  – Volunteering, especially if it has to do with helping other people. That might be anything from food banks to visiting seniors’ centres.
  – Group activities. That could be things like team sports, creative groups (like dance or drama), community groups (like Scouts), or anything else that involves working cooperatively with other people. It’s even better if you can show that you were a leader in those kinds of groups.
  – Activities related to science or medicine. Someone mentioned becoming a first aider; other options might be judging science fairs, volunteering or working at a museum, or giving talks in schools.