CCLCM Research Experience / LOR question

[karis0166]

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Hi, I am hoping someone can give me CCLCM-specific advice for my situation. (I hope this is the right place to post this question, too.)

I found Case Western/CCLCM's college track program very intriguing, as I'm interested in research, but didn't think I would be a good fit (not likely candidate) for an MD/Ph.D program.

I have a research MS but it's in environmental science (soil science, to be exact), earned in 1996 (obviously I'm non traditional). I have 5 years experience in that research field with a handful of publications; I not only did the MS but worked full time as a faculty research assistant. However, I changed careers and have not been in science for the past 12 years or so, not counting my recent jump back into pre-med endeavors.

My question is -- Is my research likely to be regarded as too old or too irrelevant, since I left that line of work in the late 1990s (and it was in soil science)?

I chose Case Western as one of my schools when submitting the AMCAS, thinking to try for the CCLCM program, but didn't realize I would need a research LOR until afterwards. I'm trying to decide whether I even have a shot at it. I'd have to get an LOR from one of my research mentors from 15 years ago, which I can do, but, I wonder how that will be regarded.

Would appreciate insight from someone with knowledge of the program there, if at all possible. Thanks so much!

 

[vc7777]

My name is vc7777 - I am a moderator for the premedical Non-trad forum AND a third-year medical student at CCLCM.

I also contribute to 2013 Case thread along with Myuu - another red mod for Pre-allopathic forums and also a current Case med student. Between the two of us - and cameo appearances by other current and former students - we try to answer many similar questions about Case, CCLCM, and Cleveland proper. I highly encourage anyone interested to try and follow the thread. 😉

I suppose I am somewhat qualified to talk about CCLCM

Yes, you would need to get a letter from your research mentors/advisors/bosses. No - neither the topic nor the length of time since you performed the research per se invalidate it for consideration for matriculation to CCLCM.

However, I would (rhetorically) ask why you haven't done research since then in two different ways: First, why did you leave in the 1990s? And second, why are you now returning to research?

As long as you have adequate, reasonable responses for these two issues as part of your "story" and application - there is no reason why you should not be considered for CCLCM.

Best of luck.

 

[karis0166]

Those are of course good questions, and my med school application essays do discuss this, and I can easily talk about it greater detail.

Thanks for the Case thread.
Thanks for your reply!

 

[CCLCMer]

Your previous research won't be regarded as irrelevant, but it IS old. Like vc7777 said, you will need to have a good explanation for the sudden change of heart in going from researcher, to no research for a decade, back to researcher again. And yes, you will need a research letter. Have you done any research since starting your pre-med studies? If so, I suggest asking that PI to write your LOR since it's the most recent. If not, can you contact your PI from grad school or your chairman from when you were faculty to get a LOR? I would also suggest having your research LOR address this second change in career--specifically, how you got interested in doing research again after having already switched out of a research career for another non-research career. Ideally, the writer will also support the conclusion that you are now fully committed to an academic medicine career. Good luck!

 

[karis0166]

My most recent peer-reviewed journal publication, despite having left research in 1997, is dated 2005; that paper was based on my MS thesis (1996) -- Weird but true. Regardless, it is, yes, OLD!

And yes, I have an explanation. I wanted to support science education rather than continue to specialize in research, so I went into web/multimedia and medical illustration (rather than pursue a Ph.D.), which is what I have been doing in the last 12 years since I left research. I'm currently a web developer for a medical research institution; and during my career, I have chosen projects/jobs that are either educational or public service-oriented. I had loved research; I just didn't want to get so specialized (as seemed to be the trend at the time) such that my work lost meaning in the big picture. I thought facilitating science education would serve the greater good more effectively.

However, I miss research and working directly with people (I'm behind a computer monitor 99% of the time), see many more opportunities in healthcare, and just want to do much more with myself. I've also seen more, and experienced more... of life and healthcare issues, creating an appreciation for medicine that I simply couldn't have, and didn't have before.

I don't have any current/recent research though. I have been a volunteer clinical research assistant (500+ hrs), but that's not the same (and I have a LOR from them already anyway). I'd have to go back to one of my old research profs/bosses in for a research LOR. Last I asked (years ago, as I was considering the dive into pre-med) all 3 that I contacted were amenable to the idea; I'm the one being a little sheepish now. I am getting over that sheepishness NOW though. At least I did let them know I was changing directions some time ago so this will not be a complete surprise. I would like a chance at CCLCM!

I am aiming to ask my MS advisor rather than my bosses at my full time research job because the 2005 publication was with the MS advisor (we were coauthors) and he has known me longer (I worked for him as an undergrad 1991-1992 and then as a grad student 1993-1995) and even thereafter (we worked on an educational interactive CD-ROM after I transitioned into web/multimedia).