Threshold at which medical schools care about non-medically related activities

[ranob]

Unfortunately, I missed the deadline for summer research applications at my university. Luckily, during the year, I have been able to cultivate a relationship with a company to the point where they officially pay me $90/hour for part time work (in reality, the pay works out to much more). They have also asked if I am interested in working on a whitepaper with them. Will med schools care about this activity at all? Normally they wouldn't since it's not medically related, but maybe it could substitute for research (if I get my name on the whitepaper) and help distinguish me from other applicants?

Really the question is whether to try for unpaid medically-related research over the summer or continue seeking out niche opportunities (that come with whitepapers, presumably) in high-paying fields. Which one would benefit my medical school application more? One highlights my interest in medicine, the other helps me stand out from the other applicants and makes me a more well-rounded candidate. To reiterate, which option do you think would help my application the most?

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[Ismet]

I don't know where you got the notion that we don't care about non-medical experiences, because that's completely false.

What matters is doing what you enjoy. Yes, you need clinical exposure. Yes, research is a good addition to an application. But if this job is something that interests you and you want to try your hand at it, go for it.

For research, we're looking for hypothesis-driven research. Doesn't have to be clinical (or even in a science field) but from a brief google of what a whitepaper is, I don't think that will count as research. Certainly will be unique, though.

 

[supremus]

..........................

 

[ranob]

@Ismet I enjoy both research and the part-time job equally. Given that, I want to pick the one that looks better on the app. I plan on landing a paid research internship next summer, so given that, which do you think would make for a stronger application: two summers of research, or one of research and the other of well-rounded experiences?

@supremus
The pay is nothing compared to what doctors make, and I can't even mention in on the app...

 

[Ismet]

@Ismet I enjoy both research and the part-time job equally. Given that, I want to pick the one that looks better on the app. I plan on landing a paid research internship next summer, so given that, which do you think would make for a stronger application: two summers of research, or one of research and the other of well-rounded experiences?

@supremus
The pay is nothing compared to what doctors make, and I can't even mention in on the app...

A strong application is not made by a single activity. I think either experience would be a good addition to an application, and a lot of what looks "better" is how you talk about it. Also a summer of research is typically not super productive in terms of seeing a project to completion, is there a possibility you can do research during the school year and thus have a more longitudinal experience (plus opportunities for abstracts, posters, pubs)?

 

[ranob]

Bump; still looking for a couple more responses before I let this thread die. I'm sure I'm not the only one that missed the summer research application deadlines...

 

[DokterMom]

If you can earn $90/hr doing something that's legal and 'well-rounded' do that. But your "can't even mention it" gives me pause. Is it something you would be embarassed about if it came to light? (Ex. Stripping and porn are legal, but yeah - wouldn't mention 'em)

 

[Bottle]

$90/hour? No brainer.

This. Do it for yourself man. That is a great pay + counts as activity + a good thing to put on CV if med school do not happen.

 

[LizzyM]

Over and above some clinical experience, some service to people in need, and a bit of research, you can do what you please. Adcoms in some respects are looking for people whom they'd like to meet, people who have had interesting experiences that adcom members would like to hear more about.... so, if you have a "hook" whether it is a white paper, a professional career, an appearance on a TV game show, or an unusual hobby that just might distinguish you from among the many other similarly qualified applicants in a quantitative sense.

 

[ortnakas]

$90/hour as an undergrad? I'm not sure I believe you, but if it's true you can't turn that down. Maybe it's not as typical of an activity as research, but having your name on a white paper would be an interesting addition to your resume.

 

[ranob]

I guess I should clarify that it's not so much about this particular opportunity as about seeking out other niche opportunities in high-paying fields (that come with whitepapers, presumably) vs looking for unpaid research. The $90/hour part-time work doesn't take up all that much time, and could easily be managed along with research. The concern stems from the fact that said research would be unpaid, at which point, I'm not really sure whether it would look better on my app than additional job opportunities.

@DokterMom I was referring to the pay; I can definitely mention the activity, although I think it would hard for adcoms to distinguish it from the fluff people usually pad their apps with without knowing how much the pay is, given that it's a very niche area in the security field.

@ortnakas I haven't given them any reason to believe I'm an undergraduate. They probably think I'm an industry professional, hence the high pay.

 

[justadream]

You working part-time for like Palantir?

 

[ranob]

You working part-time for like Palantir?

No, just an obscure startup that adcoms will definitely not have heard of.

Edit: The reason the part time job was mentioned was to show that it is possible to find niche opportunities in high-paying fields, as an undergraduate. The specifics are not all that important with regards to the question of which summer activity would make for a stronger application: seeking out niche opportunities in high-paying fields (that come with whitepapers, presumably) or looking for unpaid research.

 

[Alejandro]

As Ismet said, don't emphasize what the job is, emphasize what the job means to you, and what you've learned from it. Sorry, but the way how you write about the job, you make it sound like adcoms literally give like 3.5 points to a clinical job, and 1.75 points to a non-clinical job, with a .5 point differential if there's research involved or something. How you talk about the job matters, meaning what did you get out from it? Or are you a robot and all you can do is just follow directions.