Chances at top schools w/o strong research

[confusedchild]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So I've been flying around SDN lately, a bit too much I'd say, and it seems that for top schools research is pretty much a must. I do have research but it's definitely not my strong point. I've been volunteering in a Drosophilia genetics lab for about 8 hours/week for the past two years. I haven't won any research awards and don't have any publications. I should be getting one but the project I'm working on should take about 3 years and this is the first year so if I get published I'll probably be in medical school already (hopefully). Compared to most people my research is pretty weak. I am making a science poster for my school's science poster day but anyone who makes one can present but I figure it's better than nothing. I am getting a letter from my PI, but for me research was never really my forte. I was always under the impression that if you don't like research, you can focus more time on clinical experiences (which I have a lot of and a wide variety too). But it seems as tho w/o research even with decent numbers like 3.9+ GPA / 33 MCAT, my chances at top schools are small. Is this ture?

 

[DukeMurken]

I'm relatively new at SDN too, but I have been skimming it through out the season, and just started getting more into it while trying to learn about schools to make my decision between acceptances. One thing that I've noticed is that for whatever reason, people here seem to have a check list of things you need to do to get into a top school (or any school for that matter).

This is completely false, and I know because I didn't do research, or volunteer at a hospital, and I got in. Not to say I didn't do other healthcare related stuff, but I think it is most important to get involved in things that you are passionate about and do a great job at that. It is most important to be yourself and then use your genuine personality and experiences to answer "how do you know you want to be a doctor" and "what type of doctor do you want to be". That's what will make you stand out against a back drop of applicants that are all doing the checklist.

For some people, that passion is research, and that's wonderful. For others, including me, it isn't. I blatantly admitted in a top research school interview that the extent of my genetics knowledge was dominant versus recessive genes (don't remember how that came up), and I got in. It takes all sorts, so just be yourself, and do whatever ECs you're passionate about and make a big impact there, research or not.

In the end, schools will admit you for who you are and if they think you're a fit, and its the places that fit your same passion and personality that should be considered the "top schools" because that's where you'll be happiest anyways. Good luck!!!

 

[GeoDoc]

I'm relatively new at SDN too, but I have been skimming it through out the season, and just started getting more into it while trying to learn about schools to make my decision between acceptances. One thing that I've noticed is that for whatever reason, people here seem to have a check list of things you need to do to get into a top school (or any school for that matter).

This is completely false, and I know because I didn't do research, or volunteer at a hospital, and I got in. Not to say I didn't do other healthcare related stuff, but I think it is most important to get involved in things that you are passionate about and do a great job at that. It is most important to be yourself and then use your genuine personality and experiences to answer "how do you know you want to be a doctor" and "what type of doctor do you want to be". That's what will make you stand out against a back drop of applicants that are all doing the checklist.

For some people, that passion is research, and that's wonderful. For others, including me, it isn't. I blatantly admitted in a top research school interview that the extent of my genetics knowledge was dominant versus recessive genes (don't remember how that came up), and I got in. It takes all sorts, so just be yourself, and do whatever ECs you're passionate about and make a big impact there, research or not.

In the end, schools will admit you for who you are and if they think you're a fit, and its the places that fit your same passion and personality that should be considered the "top schools" because that's where you'll be happiest anyways. Good luck!!!

Well said, Duke...congrats on the acceptance!

 

[hopslam]

From what admissions people at a couple of "research" schools have told me, most of their matriculants have research (~85%) Few have any pubs though. Two years is plenty too. I think it helps to come from a research frame of mind as a physician and that is why some of these schools value research so much. However, they know that most of their grads are going into clinical practice, even if it is academic - not becoming PIs. And that is what you want to do - become a doctor. So I think that your 2 years research is average to above average for most schools. Don't sweat it. It sounds like your passion is for treating patients, and that is what a doctor does. Thats why you are applying MD not PhD.