Your extracurricular activities are a crucial part of your medical school application. They showcase your dedication, leadership, and hands-on experience in ways that numbers (GPA and MCAT) cannot. However, many applicants fall into the trap of writing dry, job-like descriptions that fail to highlight the impact and personal growth that medical schools are looking for.

At AcceptMed, we help students craft compelling, standout applications that tell a story beyond just numbers and titles. Admissions committees want to see how your experiences have shaped you—not just a list of responsibilities. Your Work & Activities section should give them insight into your journey toward medicine and why your experiences matter.

The Problem with Generic Job Descriptions

One of the biggest mistakes applicants make is listing duties instead of impact. A generic, job-like description reads like this:

Example of a Weak Description:
"As a medical scribe, I recorded patient encounters, documented medical history, and assisted with charting."

What’s Wrong with This?

• It only describes what the job entailed, not how the applicant contributed or grew from the experience.
• It fails to highlight the significance of the role.
• It doesn’t show any personal connection to medicine.

What Medical Schools Actually Want to See:

• How the experience shaped your perspective on medicine.
• What skills you developed that will make you a better doctor.
• A specific moment or story that demonstrates growth, leadership, or impact.

How to Make Your Descriptions Stand Out

To make your descriptions more engaging and impactful, use the CAR Method:

C – Challenge: What problem or need did you address?
A – Action: What specific role did you play in addressing it?
R – Result: What was the impact of your actions?

Example: A Strong, Engaging Description

"As a medical scribe in a busy emergency department, I witnessed firsthand the importance of rapid, accurate documentation in high-pressure situations. I collaborated with physicians to streamline patient notes, ensuring crucial details weren’t missed. This experience deepened my understanding of real-time decision-making in emergency medicine and reinforced my ability to work efficiently in fast-paced environments."

Why This Works:

• It paints a vivid picture of the setting.
• It emphasizes the applicant’s contribution rather than just listing tasks.
• It connects the experience to medicine and personal growth.

How to Highlight Leadership and Initiative

Even if you weren’t in a formal leadership role, you can still show initiative and responsibility.

Weak Example:
"Volunteered at a free clinic where I assisted with patient intake and vital signs."

Stronger Example (Showing Initiative):
"While volunteering at a free clinic, I noticed many patients struggled with understanding their discharge instructions. To address this, I worked with the clinic staff to create a patient-friendly summary sheet, ensuring clearer communication. Seeing patients leave with a better grasp of their care reinforced my commitment to patient advocacy."

Why This Works:

• It shows problem-solving and initiative.
• It highlights an applicant’s role in improving the experience for others.
• It connects to a broader theme: patient-centered care.

Using Storytelling to Make Your Activities More Memorable

Admissions committees read thousands of applications, so telling a short but powerful story can make your experiences more memorable.

Example of Storytelling in an Extracurricular Description:
"During my time as a hospice volunteer, I met a patient named Mr. R., who had advanced Parkinson’s. Despite his condition, he loved sharing stories from his youth. I learned that sometimes, the most meaningful care is not medical—it’s about listening. Sitting with him every week taught me the value of presence in patient care, a lesson I will carry with me as a physician."

Why This Works:

• It engages the reader with a personal connection.
• It reflects on what was learned and why it’s meaningful.
• It makes the applicant’s compassion and empathy tangible.

How to Apply These Strategies to Your Application

DO:

• Focus on impact—how did your experience contribute to patient care, teamwork, or your personal growth?
• Use active language—describe what you did in a way that highlights responsibility and engagement.
• Show personal development—how did this experience shape your understanding of medicine?

DON’T:

• List tasks without context—avoid writing like a job description.
• Use passive language—instead of “Assisted doctors in taking vitals,” say “Worked alongside physicians to ensure accurate and efficient patient intake.”
• Write in vague terms—make it specific and personal.

Stand Out with Purposeful Descriptions

Your extracurricular activities should reflect your passion, growth, and contributions—not just a list of duties. The strongest descriptions connect experiences to medicine, demonstrate initiative, and showcase your readiness for medical school.

• Avoid writing like a job description—focus on impact and personal growth.
• Use the CAR Method (Challenge, Action, Result) to frame your experiences.
• Highlight leadership, problem-solving, and initiative—even in non-leadership roles.
• Incorporate storytelling to make your experiences more memorable.
• Show how your experiences reinforce your commitment to medicine.

Applying to medical school is competitive—make sure your extracurricular descriptions truly reflect who you are and what you bring to the field of medicine.