Dele Osisami is a second year MD/MBA candidate at the University of Louisville School of Medicine/College of Business. You can follow him on instagram, twitter, or linkedin.

Extracurricular activities and organizations are a huge part of what admissions officers look for in an applicant. A lot of people have asked, “Which organizations should I join to impress colleges?” The answer to that question is that there is no one answer. You should join organizations that you are genuinely interested in and passionate about. This speaks much more volumes in your application than organizations you just joined to say that you were a member. Be as involved as possible with your orgs; that is so much easier when you actually enjoy them. Besides joining an organization that you are passionate about, when you are choosing organizations to join, think of the following:

Leadership positions:

What most impresses colleges is not so much the organization itself but more of your leadership role in the organization. You should be able to state your roles in this organization as well as how you improved that organization by holding a position. Colleges are looking for leaders; having some leadership position is a good way to show you are a leader!

Exclusivity:

Joining organizations that have more strict requirements and are therefore more exclusive is a good move. Organizations that only accept students with a 3.5 GPA are an example of this. More exclusive further reinforce you as someone who stands out.

National Organizations:

Organizations that operate on a national level may be more likely to be recognized. These include those such as National Honor Society, Beta Club, etc.

Healthcare associated:

Since you want to become a doctor, choosing an org that is related to medicine or healthcare in some way would be an enriching experience. For example, HOSA – Future Health Professionals is an organization that seeks to empower future healthcare leaders through competition, education, etc. They have conferences and also competitions such as the HOSA Bowl which is a team event that involves answering healthcare questions against teams from other schools. A link to HOSA’s website is available in Resources. Do your research to see if your school or community has orgs related to the medical field.