Clinical activities, such as shadowing a physician or volunteering in a hospital, can help you gain firsthand experience working in health care. This helps solidify your decision and shows medical schools you have truly thought about what life as a physician will be like. You can take a course to become a Certified Nursing Assistant or Emergency Medical Technician, which will allow you to obtain paid, part-time employment in the medical field.
If you are interested in medical research, working in a laboratory as an undergraduate is a good idea. If you know you are not interested in medical research, however, it can be a waste of your time. If you do decide to try research, make sure you are actively involved in your project, working independently and engaging in analytical thinking. While biomedical research is particularly relevant to medical school, all forms of research, including basic science or sociology research, can show your dedication to the scientific process and your ability to work on your own. In addition to working with professors on your home campus, you can also look into summer research programs that allow you to journey to other campuses to work on a project for the summer.
Volunteering shows your compassionate and caring side. Do not volunteer because you feel it will look good on your application -- volunteer because you are passionate about a cause, which will come through in your description of the activity. The organization or cause you work for does not matter. If it is meaningful to you, you will be able to speak about it passionately. Seize opportunities to show your leadership skills by taking the lead in organizing activities or holding a position that involves management.
Student clubs and sports allow you to explore outside interests. They prove that you can manage to balance other activities with scholarship. Only participate in a club or sport if it interests you. Try and stick with the activity for a year or more to be an active participant. Holding an officer position or organizing a student event is another great way to show off your leadership, creativity and initiative.