Residency Advisor
The way most students write AMSA and SNMA leadership on their résumés quietly screams “this is fake.”
Not because you are lying. Because the way you present it triggers every red flag that admissions committees, faculty, and recruiters have learned to distrust over thousands of applications.
If you are premed or in medical school, AMSA and SNMA can be gold on your CV. They can also undermine your credibility if you make the wrong moves. The danger is that many of the most common résumé “tips” for leadership actually make you sound inflated, vague, and performative.
Let’s walk through the 7 big mistakes that make your AMSA and SNMA leadership look fake—and exactly how to fix them before they cost you interviews.
(See also: Stop Joining Every Club: Student Org Overload That Hurts Med Apps for more details.)
1. Inflating Your Title So It Sounds Impressive But Reads Hollow
The fastest way to make your leadership look fake is to “upgrade” your title.
Students do this constantly:
- “Member” becomes “Executive Board Member”
- “Volunteer” becomes “Program Director”
- “Helping with emails” becomes “Communications Chair”
You may convince yourself it is “just clarifying” your role. Experienced readers see something else: title inflation. And once they suspect you have stretched one thing, they start doubting everything else.
Common red flags:
- Titles that do not exist in the organization’s normal structure
- Multiple grand titles for a single year: “Co-President, Chair, Director” all stacked
- Vague but fancy roles: “Chief Coordinator,” “Lead Executive,” “Head Liaison”
If your school’s AMSA or SNMA chapter has an official leadership structure, admissions committees see dozens of CVs from the same institution. They know the real titles. When yours looks different, it stands out—and not in the way you want.
How to avoid this mistake:
Use the exact official title. If the organization’s constitution, website, or email announcements call it “Vice President of Programming,” that is what goes on your CV. Not “Programming Director.” Not “Executive Board Vice President.”
If your role was unofficial, label it honestly.
For example:- “Event coordinator (informal role), SNMA Chapter – Assisted VP with planning monthly meetings.”
- “Fundraising lead volunteer, AMSA Chapter – Organized student bake sales and donation drives.”
Do not invent ‘national’ or ‘regional’ roles you did not hold.
Being an SNMA regional member is not the same as being a “Regional Officer.” Serving on an AMSA planning committee for a single event is not “National Leadership.”
A clean, honest title is far more powerful than an inflated one that smells off. People reading your CV are not impressed by adjectives; they are impressed by clarity and consistency.
2. Listing Leadership Without Evidence You Actually Led Anything
The second major mistake: claiming leadership but describing nothing that required leadership.
You will see bullets like:
- “President, AMSA – Attended meetings and promoted health advocacy.”
- “SNMA Executive Board – Participated in events.”
Those are not leadership bullets. Those are attendance bullets with a nice title.
When an experienced reviewer sees this, they conclude one of two things:
- You did little and are trying to coast on the title, or
- You did meaningful work but have not thought carefully enough to describe it
Neither interpretation helps you.
Ask yourself: if I removed the title, would the bullet still show leadership?
For most students, the answer is no.
Stronger approach: show decisions, responsibility, and outcomes.
For example:
- Weak: “Vice President, SNMA – Helped organize events.”
- Strong: “Vice President, SNMA – Led 8-member committee to redesign monthly pipeline program, increasing URM high school student attendance from 12 to 28 per session.”
See the difference? One line shows actual leadership behavior and a measurable effect. The other could have been written by someone who showed up twice.
Avoid these common non-leadership phrases:
- “Attended meetings”
- “Participated in events”
- “Assisted with planning”
- “Helped with logistics”
Those can describe involvement, but if every bullet reads this way, your “leadership” looks honorary.
Concrete fix:
For each AMSA/SNMA role, write bullets that highlight at least one of the following:
- Decisions you made
- People you supervised or coordinated
- Processes you improved
- New things you initiated
- Measurable changes (attendance, funds raised, number of programs, survey feedback)
If you cannot identify any of those, you may have had a position in name only. Do not try to pretend otherwise. Either be honest about the limited role, or focus your leadership section on more substantive experiences elsewhere.
3. Turning Every AMSA/SNMA Activity Into a “Major Initiative”
Another credibility killer: acting like every single thing you did was a groundbreaking initiative.
Readers know what a typical chapter does: one or two big events per semester, some smaller meetings, a few volunteer outings. When your CV makes it sound like you single-handedly revolutionized premedical education and national health policy during a 1-year term, they stop believing you.
Watch for these exaggeration patterns:
- “Transformed,” “revolutionized,” “completely overhauled” used for small revisions
- Calling a routine premed panel a “large-scale conference”
- Labeling one lunch talk as a “multi-day symposium”
- Claiming to “lead multiple committees” that are really just three friends planning something over text
You do not need grand language to be impressive. In fact, modest but precise language feels more authentic.
Example of unrealistic inflation:
“President, AMSA – Revolutionized premedical advising at the university through creation of multiple high-impact initiatives and policy changes.”
That sounds fake. No premed student “revolutionized advising” at most universities.
More credible alternative:
“President, AMSA – Created a structured peer-mentoring program (pairing 35 underclassmen with 18 upperclassmen) and a monthly application workshop series in collaboration with the pre-health office.”
Notice: still sounds substantial, but grounded in specific numbers and reality.
Ask yourself two questions before using big language:
- Would a neutral observer (faculty advisor, other board member) agree with this description?
- Could I explain the exact steps and outcomes if someone asked in an interview?
If the answer to either is “not really,” scale the language down. You are safer erring on the side of understatement than inflation.
4. Copy-Pasting Generic Leadership Buzzwords
This is where well-meaning “résumé advice” from random websites hurts you.
Premeds copy the same leadership clichés for AMSA and SNMA:
- “Collaborated with diverse stakeholders”
- “Demonstrated strong leadership and communication skills”
- “Developed strategic initiatives to enhance engagement”
- “Showed commitment to diversity and inclusion”
These phrases are so overused they have almost no meaning. More importantly, they sound external—like something you are supposed to say—rather than internal, like something real you did.
Readers do not trust buzzwords without substance.
Buzzwords that trigger skepticism when used alone:
- “Leadership”
- “Teamwork”
- “Strategic”
- “Innovative”
- “High-impact”
- “Synergy”
- “Stakeholders”
- “Robust”
- “Cutting-edge”
- “Holistic”
The fix is not to avoid all these words forever. The fix is to make them unnecessary. If your bullet is concrete and specific, you rarely need to label it with “leadership” or “strategic.” It shows those qualities instead of declaring them.
Compare:
- Buzzwordy: “Demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills by collaborating with stakeholders to increase event attendance.”
- Real: “Organized first joint SNMA–Latino Medical Student Association health equity panel; coordinated 4 student groups and 3 departments, growing audience from 25 to 80.”
Same basic activity. One sounds like a template. The other sounds like a human who did actual work.
Practical strategy:
When you catch yourself writing a buzzword:
- Circle it.
- Ask: “What, specifically, did I do that justifies this word?”
- Replace the buzzword with the concrete behavior.
For example, instead of “advocated for diversity,” you might write “Proposed adding an SNMA-sponsored URM student welcome session to orientation; presented the plan to the dean’s office and helped pilot the first program (38 first-years attended).”
Buzzwords say “I know what you want to hear.” Concrete details say “I actually did the work.”
Guess which one admissions committees trust.
5. Hiding Time Commitment and Scope (So It Looks Like You Are Padding)
A subtle but damaging mistake: omitting how much you actually did in the role.
Two people can both be “SNMA Community Service Chair.” One spends 3 hours a month sending reminder emails. The other spends 10 hours a week building a pipeline program. Without time or scope, readers assume the lighter version.
Red flags that suggest padding:
- Many leadership roles listed simultaneously with no indication of scale
- Vague bullets with no numbers: “led events,” “organized workshops,” “coordinated volunteers”
- No sense of how long you held the position (months blur together)
This is where high-achieving students accidentally hurt themselves by being overactive on paper. If you list 9 different “leadership roles” with no sense of depth, it looks like you just chased titles.
How to show scope without sounding defensive:
Include at least one element from this list for substantial AMSA/SNMA positions:
Time frame with detail
- “2022–2023 (elected for full academic year)”
- “Aug 2023–May 2024 (2nd-year medical student)”
Hours per week (especially on med school CVs)
- “~3–4 hrs/week during academic year”
- “Peak ~10 hrs/week for 2 months leading to conference”
Scale of people & events
- “Coordinated 15 volunteers per event”
- “Managed ~120 premed student members on email list”
- “Planned 4 large events (50–100 attendees each) and 6 small workshops”
Example:
“Community Service Chair, SNMA Chapter (Aug 2022–May 2023; ~4 hrs/week during academic year) – Organized monthly service events with 10–20 volunteers; created new partnership with a local free clinic, resulting in 7 recurring volunteer spots for medical students.”
This does not look like padding. It looks like sustained, real work.
When reviewers see scope and time, they feel more comfortable trusting that your leadership was substantive. When they see only big titles with no detail, they assume the opposite.
6. Separating AMSA and SNMA From Your Real Values
Here is a mistake many URM students and allies make without realizing it:
They list SNMA or AMSA leadership in a separate “student organizations” box with no narrative connection to their personal story, research, or clinical interests. It looks like an add-on for optics.
You do not want your involvement in SNMA or AMSA to look like:
- A checkbox for “diversity”
- A social club you joined because everyone else did
- A random leadership line that appears disconnected from your path
When that happens, your leadership feels performative, even if it was genuine and intense.
What makes AMSA/SNMA leadership look fake in context:
- Strong equity language in one bullet, but nothing else in your CV touches health disparities, mentorship, or policy
- Being “SNMA President” but listing no related outreach, pipeline, or advocacy work
- Having major AMSA advocacy roles but no mention of policy interest, health systems, or public health anywhere else
Readers do not need a perfectly curated narrative. They do, however, look for some coherence.
Safer, more authentic approach:
Show continuity.
If you did SNMA outreach, highlight related items:- Shadowing in underserved clinics
- Research on health disparities
- Volunteer work with pipeline programs
- Personal statement themes about access and equity
Connect across sections.
For example, if your AMSA work focused on physician burnout:- Clinical experience: mention working with residents or student wellness initiatives
- Research: highlight any related mental health or education projects
- Essays: reference how that leadership shifted your perspective on the profession
Avoid ‘performative-only’ language.
Do not lean heavily on “diversity” and “inclusion” vocabulary without concrete examples of what you actually did. Admissions committees have seen applicants use these words as decor rather than description.
The mistake is not being involved in these organizations. The mistake is isolating them so thoroughly on your CV that they look like something you did to impress, not something tied to who you are and what you care about.
7. Misrepresenting Level: Local vs Regional vs National
This final mistake is especially dangerous: blurring the line between campus, regional, and national roles.
There is a major difference between:
- Serving on your school’s SNMA chapter executive board
- Serving on an SNMA national committee
- Holding a national elected office
When you label everything as “national leadership,” you invite scrutiny.
Problematic patterns:
- “National SNMA Leader” when you attended a national conference and joined a working group call once
- “AMSA National Officer” when you served in your school’s AMSA chapter and attended one national event
- Using “National” in the title when the role is local:
- “National AMSA Volunteer Coordinator – State University Chapter”
Experienced readers know how SNMA and AMSA are structured. If your titles do not align, they assume exaggeration.
Clean way to present roles:
Local chapter officer:
“Co-President, SNMA Chapter, [University Name]”
“Vice President of Membership, AMSA Chapter, [Medical School]”Regional role:
“Region II Co-Director of Community Service, SNMA”
“Region X Programming Team Member, AMSA”National committee (non-elected):
“Member, SNMA National Academic Affairs Committee”
“Student Representative, AMSA National Education and Research Committee”Elected national office:
“National President-Elect, SNMA”
“National Chair, AMSA Medical Education Committee”
If you are unsure how to word it, err on clarity over prestige. “Member, SNMA National x Committee” is honest and still impressive. Trying to make it sound higher than it is invites doubt.
Also be very cautious about saying you “worked with national leadership” when what you did was attend open Zoom calls or respond to surveys. If you would feel uncomfortable explaining the exact nature of your role in a high-stakes interview, tone it down now.
Common Formatting Traps That Make Leadership Look Less Real
Beyond content, formatting can subtly undermine you.
Avoid these traps:
- Burying AMSA/SNMA leadership in a long list with no bullets or explanations
- Using different date formats or inconsistent capitalization across entries
- Mixing involvement and leadership with no visual distinction (e.g., President looks identical to “Member” on the page)
- Overcrowding with four lines of dense text under every role—fake-sounding leadership loves clutter
A clean approach:
- Use consistent structure: Title, Organization, Location, Dates
- 2–3 bullets for substantial leadership positions
- 0–1 bullet for simple membership roles (and sometimes none)
This lets readers instantly see what really mattered and what was minor. Over-format everything as equally important, and the truly meaningful work disappears into noise.
FAQ (Exactly 3 Questions)
1. Should I list AMSA and SNMA if my role was just “member”?
Yes, but briefly and honestly. A simple line under “Activities” or “Student Organizations” is enough:
“Member, SNMA Chapter, [School Name] (2022–2024)”
Do not create fake bullets trying to turn membership into leadership. If you occasionally volunteered, you might add one concise bullet like:
“Attended monthly meetings and volunteered at 3 community health fairs.”
That is it. Overselling basic membership is more damaging than leaving it simple.
2. What if I had a title but genuinely did not do very much?
This happens more often than people admit, especially when boards are understaffed or poorly organized. You have three safer options:
- List the title with no bullets (signals minimal activity).
- List the title with a single, modest bullet that reflects what you actually did.
- If the role was almost entirely inactive, consider leaving it off or moving it to a lower-priority section.
What you must not do is invent large projects or impacts that did not happen. Interviewers sometimes directly ask, “Tell me about what you did as SNMA Secretary.” If your answer does not match your CV, the trust damage is severe.
3. Can I combine AMSA and SNMA leadership under one heading on my CV?
You can, but do not blur them so much that the structure becomes confusing. A safer strategy:
- Use a section titled “Leadership – Student Organizations”
- Under that, list each organization separately with its own roles
For example:
Student National Medical Association (SNMA)
Co-President, Local Chapter, [School] (2023–2024)
Community Service Chair, Local Chapter (2022–2023)
American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
Policy and Advocacy Chair, Local Chapter (2022–2023)
What you must avoid is merging them into a vague cluster like “Leadership Roles – AMSA/SNMA/Other” with unclear dates and responsibilities. Ambiguity is where your leadership starts to look manufactured.
Remember these core protections:
- Do not inflate titles, levels, or impact—clarity beats prestige every time.
- Replace buzzwords and vague claims with specific, concrete actions and outcomes.
- Align your AMSA and SNMA leadership with your broader story so it feels lived, not layered on.
If you avoid these mistakes, your résumé will not just list AMSA and SNMA. It will prove that your leadership is real, grounded, and worth trusting.
