I Cannot Find Any Research Opportunities

[drorthoman]

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I'm a rising high school junior, 16 years old, hoping to get into a BS/MD program and I cann't find any research opportunities. I've contacted a hospital near me and was able to get someone there to e-mail one of the doctors, but he's currently out of the country, and is expected to come back in a couple of weeks. I doubt he'll read my e-mail or even see it. I've looked around almost everywhere, and can't find anything. What troubles me the most about this, is that those who have gotten accepted into BS/MD programs and who I've talked to did some sort of research and I haven't done any, and the way it looks right now, I never will. 🙁

If I don't do any research, will my chances of being accepted into a BS/MD program be much less? Is there anything I can do to be able to do research? What have your experiences been, and if you've been accepted into a BS/MD program can you please tell me if you did any research? And I know that research isn't the only thing the programs look at, I'm also looking for opportunities to volunteer and shadow a couple of doctors.

 

[davidbm95]

You need to have perfection in your academics to be accepted in those programs and show a large dedication to medicine. That means close to if not around 2350 on the SAT if possible. I know people who have applied with not one B throughout high school to these programs and got accepted into Yale and Harvard but not the BS/MD programs. Research is the least of your problems honestly.

If you are a junior you should have already a good amount of volunteer and shadowing hours but you said you are still looking for opportunities... You have a lot of cramming to do.

What did you get on your SAT/ACT? Also get in contact with these programs and find out what your missing specifically they should help you.

Lastly, this may sound offensive but doctors are busy people and when they see e-mails like that, it's the last thing on their mind especially because you're only in high school. Your better off volunteering at a hospital and making relationships with doctors and slowly making your way to shadowing them... that's what I did and it worked, I got about 200 hours that way.

 

[oGatsby]

I'd advise you against BS/MD programs anyway. They're a social isolation nightmare, never fitting in with either the undergrads or the medical students. Extra stress that just doesn't need to exist.

But if you go that route, steer clear of UMKC. I've heard some things, man...

 

[Merely]

Which programs are you looking at because they vary quite significantly in degree of competition. You should be volunteering in a hospital, shadowing, and doing research. However, research is not that important as a high schooler. Many people get in without research. Keep in mind you need great grades and scores though.

 

[dancertodr]

I sent you a PM about specific places. BS/MD or not, I think you showing solid interest this early is definitely not a bad thing.

 

[drorthoman]

I'd advise you against BS/MD programs anyway. They're a social isolation nightmare, never fitting in with either the undergrads or the medical students. Extra stress that just doesn't need to exist.

But if you go that route, steer clear of UMKC. I've heard some things, man...

Like what?

 

[davidbm95]

Like what?

You really don't want to know.

 

[drorthoman]

You really don't want to know.

No, I really do lol.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Typically research opportunities are going to come from academics, not doctors. So that's one reason you're not finding anything. The other reason is that you're in high school. An incompetent person in a lab can cause enormous devastation to the lab's productivity. As a result, scientists are often reluctant to take on kids who don't know what they're doing. I've been in a lab before that wouldn't even consider taking college freshmen on board, much less a high school student. High school students are especially undesirable because not only do they not know anything, they're also not in control of their schedules and very often don't have their own transportation.

I've yet to meet a scientist who doesn't also wonder who these other scientists are that take on high school students and give them actual projects that aren't just scut work. There are research opportunities for high schoolers out there, but they're rare and hard to come by, especially if you don't live near a large research university. To be completely honest, I and most of the people I've talked to about this are of the impression that most high school kids with significant research experience only have it because mommy and daddy were well connected.

 

[Courtjester8]

Do yourself a favor, don't do a 6/7 year program. You have no idea what you'd be giving up...

 

[AntiHouseMD]

Do yourself a favor, don't do a 6/7 year program. You have no idea what you'd be giving up...

Agreed. If you decide later that you aren't really interested in medicine, you are already in it for the long haul. You can't explore other interests, the social side of college is gone, etc. I would definitely recommend going to undergraduate then medical school. But you're the person who has the ultimate say.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

NIH, bioengineering firms, drug companies like medimmune. Doctors rarely are running research unless they are professors of medicine or directly working at research firms.

When I was in HS my AP bio teacher told us about paid RA positions over the summer at NIH. The only requirement was that you had passed AP bio though as you need to be competent with lab methodology.

 

[davidbm95]

Agreed. If you decide later that you aren't really interested in medicine, you are already in it for the long haul. You can't explore other interests, the social side of college is gone, etc. I would definitely recommend going to undergraduate then medical school. But you're the person who has the ultimate say.

What actually happens when you decide you want to drop out of the program half way through it? Do you have to start all over in college?