Why It Is Important To Be Involved In Extracurricular Activities In Medical School

Like all of my third-year colleagues across the nine podiatric medical colleges, I submitted my externship applications last week. As part of the process, you are required to submit your grade point average over the past two years as well as a resume listing all of your related experiences, including extracurricular activities.

For many of us, the first two years of our four-year journey in podiatry school felt like they flew by. During your first year, you are so focused on getting a grip on things that you almost forget to be a member of the profession. By the time the second year comes around, board exams are already on your mind and it is easy to convince yourself to rain check any additional endeavors to your third year.

Aside from the wealth of material that extracurricular work adds to your resume, there is a strong argument for your early involvement in student clubs, medical organizations and research. As I have mentioned in my previous DPM Blogs, having an outlet to channel your stress during medical school is very important for the mental health component of this challenging stage in your education. Extracurricular work provides the means to leave the classroom world momentarily without having to leave academia. This balance creates an environment of productivity outside of your study schedule, which will train you for a more self-sufficient second half of your podiatry school career.

One of the best things about podiatry is that it is a tight-knit profession. There are so many podiatrists who are ready to pay it forward to the younger professionals and students, and are merely an e-mail or phone call away from a valuable student–mentor relationship. When you join a focus group such as a student club, you are also joining a network of professionals related to that club’s interests. By becoming a proactive member of that club or even an officer, there are plenty of opportunities to interact with leaders of that niche.

You will often hear that relationships are everything and there really is no hyperbole in that statement. Mentorship is very valuable in medicine, a profession whose origins stem from apprenticeship. In fact, as a third-year student, you are a novice learning from a mentor, much like an apprentice. Extracurricular activities like research provide insight early on into the dynamic of clinic-based learning.

Often basic sciences can cause us to forget that there is an entire clinical component to our education lying ahead. Certain clubs provide great primer workshops, ranging from suturing to casting and much more. Not only is early exposure to these facets of clinical medicine helpful for later on in your career, but it also helps you realize what your favorite line of work involves. For example, some students pursue a career in podiatry because of their interest in sports medicine, only to learn that their favorite subspecialty is wound care. Hence, extracurricular involvement is about discovering yourself as much as it is about others discovering you.

So which club or activity should you partake in? The answer is simple: anything you find yourself enjoying. These activities should never feel burdensome. The moment you stop enjoying something you are not required to do, save yourself by redirecting that energy at something productive but also pleasurable. It helps to ask upperclassmen about their experiences with clubs and gauge the commitment it will take to be involved as an officer, if that is a goal of yours down the line.

Lastly, as you delve into the multidimensional world of extracurricular activities, remember that your educational requirements supersede optional work. Keep your grades in check so that when you attend a club event or conduct research, it is an enjoyable, stress-free session, and not something that will cost you points on your next exam.

So here is to your interests, wherever they may lie. May they take you as far as you wish to go.

Follow the author on Twitter at @RamiBasatneh.