Research

[Flowerguy]

Hey guys.
How pivotal is research?
I'm a junior and I have gone through three research experiences
One for plants, the other for malaria with a different professor and a scientist at the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). I'm working with these professors and the scientist until after I graduate.
I'm working on getting published. I have a subpar Gpa (3.2)and a 3.3 Science GPA but I haven't take my MCAT yet. But I pray to God its high when I take it.
What would I need to work on to be a favorable applicant? I also volunteer at a church and I'm working on finding a doctor to shadow and a hospital to volunteer at.

Thanks in advance.

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[ruedjgtc]

Hey guys.
How pivotal is research?
I'm a junior and I have gone through three research experiences
One for plants, the other for malaria with a different professor and a scientist at the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). I'm working with these professors and the scientist until after I graduate.
I'm working on getting published. I have a subpar Gpa (3.2)and a 3.3 Science GPA but I haven't take my MCAT yet. But I pray to God its high when I take it.
What would I need to work on to be a favorable applicant? I also volunteer at a church and I'm working on finding a doctor to shadow and a hospital to volunteer at.

Thanks in advance.

If you're looking for validation of your research time, yes it's important.

Restricting the subject just to research and being a favorable applicant, then your amount of time and responsibilities in research is probably the most important (LORs help to qualify this).

For your last question, what do you need to do to be a favorable applicant, you probably already know as nuanced from your post: scores and ECs. As you're a junior, and if you work hard, you'll have to come to terms with what ever your best possible finishing undergraduate GPA can be if you. The rest of your ECs sound pretty normal, not that anyone expects you to cure poverty. To your last question, what can you do to be more competitive:

1. Do well in your junior and senior years, it will show maturity. You can easily explain anyways the freshman and early sophomore buffoonery as adjusting the "life". But in the senior and late junior years, even if your reasons are legitimate barring a tragedy, less people will give you a pass for poor grades late in the transcript. A past GPA is a past GPA, no point crying over spilt milk — though, it's good that you've taken a honest assessment of your situation.

2. Continue research, if you ever have to make Sophy's choice about which lab or project pick the one with the highest reward (this doesn't necessarily mean financial, e.g. LORs, experience, responsibility, and of course impact on your field.

3. Do well on the MCAT [the FIRST TIME], this goes without saying. Many a-prayer have gone unanswered on this exam, study hard and strongly consider taking a course — though the fault in that advice is that it assumes you have the funds, but generally speaking, it's cheaper to do well on the MCAT and get into medical school than to not and re-apply + retake the exam). Some people do fine with self studying, I did, but I wouldn't suggest it unless you really believed you could do it by yourself.

In the end, you'll have to stratify yourself against other applicants and determine if you're "competitive" based on the usual matriculating classes. Apply DO and MD, apply broadly (in the US, I'm biased), and if you don't get in make a plan to re-apply (fix prior deficiencies).

Here's something I wrote about research for undergrad premeds on my blog:
https://doctororbust.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/research-doing-research/

 

[LabrattoRx]

"working" on getting published does not guarantee your name on a paper.

Of course, learn techniques as this will continue to open doors when in medical schools. But find a way to make SURE, that you get credit from your lab/professor in the form of a co-author. I've seen profs string along students, and ultimately screw them over.

Get your name on that paper. GET YOU F'ING NAME ON THAT PAPER!

Edit: a senior thesis helps in this regard.

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

Research is something that's generally looked upon favorably but is by no means required. I think it tends to matter more if you're applying to a research-heavy top tier school. Honestly, OP, I wouldn't stress out about publishing. If it happens for you, that's great. It's definitely something to shoot for but it's fairly uncommon and even if you end up getting published, it's not going to make up for a low GPA or MCAT.

If I were you, I would continue with whichever research experience you enjoy most. Are you planning on taking a gap year? If so, I would work on getting more clinical experience (shadowing doctors and getting some patient contact). A gap year might benefit you, if you think you can improve your GPA in your last year. A 3.2/3.3 is low for MD programs but may be okay for DO.

 

[LabrattoRx]

Sounds like the OP has already been immersed in research, it's like getting a red belt in taekwon do and not getting a black belt; hence a name on a paper or even more a first author paper.

Getting a coauthorship in undergrad is outstanding and medcomm knows that if you can continue whilst in med school, this will significantly improve your chance of obtaining a residency in this uber competitive field, especially when more an dmore med schools are going to a pass fail system.

Just my 2 cents, if you've already done work as you say, in this direction, might as well reap the benefits. Thank you for your correspondence.

 

[Goro]

Research/lab experience is always good, and the vast majority of acceptees have some experience, even at the HBCs (75% for Howard; 74% at Morehouse; 73% at Meharry.)

But the more important thing is your ability to prove that you can handle med school, so even if you have a Cell paper, no one will be doing you any favors if you're at high risk to flunk out of med school.

Your numbers are within the 10-90th %iles for the HBCs and in striking distance for the "lucky" state MD schools, and fine for nearly all DO schools.

If you have any rising GPA trends, those always help.

Hey guys.
How pivotal is research?
I'm a junior and I have gone through three research experiences
One for plants, the other for malaria with a different professor and a scientist at the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). I'm working with these professors and the scientist until after I graduate.
I'm working on getting published. I have a subpar Gpa (3.2)and a 3.3 Science GPA but I haven't take my MCAT yet. But I pray to God its high when I take it.
What would I need to work on to be a favorable applicant? I also volunteer at a church and I'm working on finding a doctor to shadow and a hospital to volunteer at.

Thanks in advance.