MCAT Application question

[Coffee Monster]

Hey guys,
So I have a question about my options for the summer of 2015:

Background: current junior applying to med school summer of 2015.
Option 1: Take summer classes (I can either take them this summer or the summer after my senior year -- I need them to graduate, so I'm going to be taking them either way)
Option 2: summer research + poster presentation

My question: If I go with option 2, would it be too late to put that summer research + poster presentation in my AMCAS application, and would it be too late to ask the professor for a LoR for the 2015 cycle? AMCAS submission opens June 3rd, but the summer research doesn't end until August. August is also the time (if/when) I ask the professor for a LoR for med school.
My debate: If it is in fact too late to put the research, presentation, and LoR on my application, I think I'd rather get the classes this summer instead of waiting for the summer after my senior year, so I would at least have some sort of break between UG and med school. The alternative means I end summer classes and a week later, I would have to start med school (that is, if I actually get accepted)
I don't know if this makes a difference, but this wouldn't be the first time I did a summer research+poster presentation program.

Thanks!

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[claduva94]

Do you have other research experience?

 

[Coffee Monster]

Do you have other research experience?

Yup, by this summer, I would have about 4 semesters.

 

[claduva94]

Yup, by this summer, I would have about 4 semesters.

Can you get a LOR out of that? Do you have any other poster presentations or publications?

 

[Coffee Monster]

Can you get a LOR out of that? Do you have any other poster presentations or publications?

Yup, 1 LoR from my current research professor. Not sure about publication...I'm working on an independent project at the moment, but since I'm working with tissue culturing, I don't feel comfortable saying I will have a definite publication before I graduate. Besides the 1 poster presentation already, I plan on competing an honors thesis on my research thus far.

 

[Coffee Monster]

I don't know if this makes a difference either, but I plan on applying to research-heavy schools like Pitt, Duke, ect.

 

[claduva94]

Yup, 1 LoR from my current research professor. Not sure about publication...I'm working on an independent project at the moment, but since I'm working with tissue culturing, I don't feel comfortable saying I will have a definite publication before I graduate. Besides the 1 poster presentation already, I plan on competing an honors thesis on my research thus far.

Haha I know what you mean. Based on your experience I wouldn't say the summer program is completely necessary. And it would definitely make your life easier to take those classes this summer rather than the summer before you matriculate. You want to be able to relax before you start school for 4 years.

Edit: This doesn't apply as much for research heavy schools. For those schools it is much more important.

 

[itsthat1guy]

I don't know if this makes a difference either, but I plan on applying to research-heavy schools like Pitt, Duke, ect.

If you're aiming for research heavy schools, then the more research experience you have the better. You could always update the schools about your poster after applying.

 

[Lamel]

If your research starts in June, before you submit your application, you can technically list it as a "current activity". Or you can use it to update schools later one. If research heavy schools are your goal, go with the research. Just make sure that the classes you take in the summer after senior year are done before med school matriculation (and that if there is a pre-req in them, you talk to the medical school to confirm it is ok to take them the summer before matriculation).

 

[Coffee Monster]

Thanks for all the response guys!
I must ask. If an applicant has a lot of research (3+) years, would adcoms be wondering why the applicant is only applying MD and not MD/PhD?

 

[Marleywh]

Thanks for all the response guys!
I must ask. If an applicant has a lot of research (3+) years, would adcoms be wondering why the applicant is only applying MD and not MD/PhD?

I think this is an interesting question, and I would like to know the answer to this as well. I am pursuing MD schools, but not an MD/PhD program, even though I think I would like to perhaps go back to school later to get a PhD in order to do more significant research. Would they ask me why I didn't just apply for an MD/PhD program initially?

 

[Lamel]

Thanks for all the response guys!
I must ask. If an applicant has a lot of research (3+) years, would adcoms be wondering why the applicant is only applying MD and not MD/PhD?

No, as long as you have clinical experience as well. MDs do research as well.