Doing research for the gap year?

[lajessmess]

Hi guys

I'm currently studying for the May 19th MCAT and decided just last month that I wasn't going to apply this year as I don't feel I am ready the app cycle. Especially since I won't be sure what my MCAT score will be.

Anyways, I'm looking for some advice. I hope to apply 2018, which will give me a little under 2 years to do something significant I can write about in my applications. In particular, I was hoping to find a job where I could work under a doctor (hopefully) on a cool clinical research or translational research project. Obviously, this is incredibly specific and I haven't had much luck landing this kind of job.

Has anyone else here done research for the gap year(s) and have any advice on how to get into a research lab? Is it connections or do I just have to be incredibly resilient and endure no replies?

I did research for a little under a year my junior year and full time during that summer under a research scholarship. My issue is... I'm not sure my PI will write me a SPECTACULAR LoR for any academic research lab. I quit because the lab because it was on the brink of closing down and working in the vivarium became quite depressing. The lab was empty most of the time so I think being in a bigger lab will definitely be better. Anyways.... does anyone have advice on how I can into research as a post grad?

Or, if there was something similar I could do that would help me get a good LoR I can use for med school? Research would be most ideal.. but open to suggestions!

JUST FYI... I have a 3.8 gpa, two years from a community college (3.7) and two years from a high ranking undergraduate institution (3.8). I've also volunteered at a hospital for a clinical research project and TAed biochemistry for two semesters. So thats my experience in a nutshell

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[flip_08]

Basically you'll just have to send out mass applications to any openings you can find and hope that someone is interested. Having previous research is very helpful especially if its in the same category. You will need references though and if there isn't anyone at your previous research position that can serve as a reference that may be problematic.

Keep in mind that because you already have research experience adding more research won't do a ton for your application. I spent years in research and adcoms didn't care about it in the way I thought they would. Make sure to spend your gap year(s) working on rounding out your application with a good MCAT score...it looks like you could use some more volunteering as well.

 

[aldol16]

Has anyone else here done research for the gap year(s) and have any advice on how to get into a research lab? Is it connections or do I just have to be incredibly resilient and endure no replies?

Many pre-meds do research during their gap year(s). The first place to look is your university's job listing board (usually a website). Many research positions will be posted on there. The second, more lower yielding thing is to look at institutions/PIs you're interested in and apply via their portals. You have to keep in mind that these openings may not be openings at all - they may only be posting to comply with labor regulations when they already have someone in mind for the job or they might have a 9 month window for filling the position. Connections will always help and it doesn't hurt to try. The NIH also has an established research program for people going through their gap year(s). I will say overall, it's harder to find someone will hire you for only one years as opposed to two.

I did research for a little under a year my junior year and full time during that summer under a research scholarship. My issue is... I'm not sure my PI will write me a SPECTACULAR LoR for any academic research lab. I quit because the lab because it was on the brink of closing down and working in the vivarium became quite depressing. The lab was empty most of the time so I think being in a bigger lab will definitely be better. Anyways.... does anyone have advice on how I can into research as a post grad?

You most likely will not need a LOR for getting a job in a research lab. You will only need the contact information for references. So as long as your PI can say something good about you for a little while over the phone, it shouldn't be much of a problem. But if you already burned that bridge, it of course won't help you.

 

[hubbsbubbs]

Great gpa, hopefully you'll get a good mcat to boot. It's pretty common for premeds to become clinical research coordinators (like me) or research assistants in labs. Good advice I was given was, "be plucky, persistent, and uncomfortable." Go to your nearest academic institution and knock on some doors. send a bunch of emails. go on the job listing site and start applying. If you get a great LoR from your new position, forget about the old one.

 

[koolkid596243]

Mass emails work really well! Feel free to PM me and I can send you a template if you're interested in mass emailing!

 

[lajessmess]

Basically you'll just have to send out mass applications to any openings you can find and hope that someone is interested. Having previous research is very helpful especially if its in the same category. You will need references though and if there isn't anyone at your previous research position that can serve as a reference that may be problematic.

Keep in mind that because you already have research experience adding more research won't do a ton for your application. I spent years in research and adcoms didn't care about it in the way I thought they would. Make sure to spend your gap year(s) working on rounding out your application with a good MCAT score...it looks like you could use some more volunteering as well.

thanks for your input! when you said you spent "years", how many years did you take off before entering medical school? for me, taking these two off (applying 2018, entering 2019) already sounds like so much time away from school in my mind, but i'm hoping it will be for the better.

 

[lajessmess]

Great gpa, hopefully you'll get a good mcat to boot. It's pretty common for premeds to become clinical research coordinators (like me) or research assistants in labs. Good advice I was given was, "be plucky, persistent, and uncomfortable." Go to your nearest academic institution and knock on some doors. send a bunch of emails. go on the job listing site and start applying. If you get a great LoR from your new position, forget about the old one.

thanks for that

could i ask how you became a clinical research coordinator? i've applied to similar jobs and a lot of them require prior clinical coordinator experience

 

[hubbsbubbs]

thanks for that

could i ask how you became a clinical research coordinator? i've applied to similar jobs and a lot of them require prior clinical coordinator experience

Yeah they always say stuff like that, it's so dumb bc no one has experience going in -- I sure didn't. If you've been a research assistant, just relate all of the duties to that. Say, like I did recruiting and I can to consent them for participation in the research study, blah blah. Just apply broadly. I applied to around 200 jobs before I started getting hits. It took time, but it was worth it. Sometimes you get the chance to acquire authorship.