I have no research experience...big problem?

[DrDre2001]

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I have no research experience. I do have good amounts of volunteering hours and shadowing. Is this a huge problem for my application?

The reason i have no research is my GPA was too low to get into any of the programs (atleast that i knew of) at my school. My MCAT score is high enough to make me a descent applicant for DO schools, but i just got that high MCAT scores two weeks ago, and thus it obviously didnt help land a research spot last summer and the summer before that.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I have no research experience. I do have good amounts of volunteering hours and shadowing. Is this a huge problem for my application?

The reason i have no research is my GPA was too low to get into any of the programs (atleast that i knew of) at my school. My MCAT score is high enough to make me a descent applicant for DO schools, but i just got that high MCAT scores two weeks ago, and thus it obviously didnt help land a research spot last summer and the summer before that.

You don't need research to get in. It just helps, if you did something worthwhile.

 

[Relativity]

Having no research is not a big problem at all. I have research experience of which not one was talked about during my interviews. Now, hospital and health care experience with volunteering activites is a much bigger issue. Keep volunteering at places even during the interview cycle, it will show great committement. Good Luck

 

[JamesBond15]

From what I have seen, DO schools don't place that much emphasis on research.

 

[deleted172531]

I have NEVER done research and I am getting along fine. None of my interviewers have even mentioned it.

 

[beachblonde]

FWIW, I've got boatloads of research experience at some top tier institutions with a paper published in a major journal...and oh wait, I didn't get in anywhere last cycle.

I would say volunteering and gaining clinical experience will help out your app much more than any research might have. One school even went so far last year to say that maybe I should have gone and done a medical mission trip in African in lieu of doing research during one summer vacation. This was, of course, very helpful to tell me two years after the fact. 🙄

 

[khen7513]

Yeah no research here. It's funny, cause this one Pre-Allo girl in all of my classes always competed with me, and she would tell me how shadowings not as important as research, so I had little chance. She ended up not getting accepted this year, because her past showed no indication she wanted to be a doctor. hmm.

However, in interviews, I wouldn't mentioned that you didn't do research because of your low GPA. Thats a bit negative.

 

[NTF]

She ended up not getting accepted this year, because her past showed no indication she wanted to be a doctor. hmm.

Do I detect a hint of schadenfreude?

 

[DrDre2001]

Oh wow. Im happy to here this. I was thinking research was a big deal.

 

[NurWollen]

Ok, so here is my dilemma. I am a about two years off from starting the application process. My undergrad doesn't offer many research opportunities. It's good to know that alot of schools don't emphasize it much, but if I decided I want to do research in order to be competitive at a greater number of schools, what is the best way to do so, given my undergrad's lack of research programs?

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Ok, so here is my dilemma. I am a about two years off from starting the application process. My undergrad doesn't offer many research opportunities. It's good to know that alot of schools don't emphasize it much, but if I decided I want to do research in order to be competitive at a greater number of schools, what is the best way to do so, given my undergrad's lack of research programs?

Contact other local schools and inquire about their research programs. Also, try a search for Research Assistant and related positions on Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com. I'd also Google the type of research you're interested in and add your city. There could be some private companies around you that would let you work or volunteer.

Good luck!

 

[beachblonde]

Ok, so here is my dilemma. I am a about two years off from starting the application process. My undergrad doesn't offer many research opportunities. It's good to know that alot of schools don't emphasize it much, but if I decided I want to do research in order to be competitive at a greater number of schools, what is the best way to do so, given my undergrad's lack of research programs?

Apply to summer REU programs. Some of them won't give you the time of day since you have no background, but some will. You can also try to get a spot at NIH. If you pick the right lab, in those 2.5 months you might be even to get a publication out of your work.

 

[NPEMTIV]

You don't need research to get in. It just helps, if you did something worthwhile.

I second, and place even more emphasis on the WORTHWHILE part. ADCOMS can smell fluffing miles away....

 

[Ghirahim]

WHEW! This is a huge relief to me! I have no research experience, and not because there isn't any (research school-TONS of opportunity) but because I'm not particularly interested. There was a clinical research position I interviewed for back in Sophomore year, but they wound up taking someone with more experience with patients. I have the experience now, but the position hasn't been open since... Anyway, love what research can do, it's just never been my thing, so good news YAY!

 

[dbizzy]

Nope. Not a big deal.

 

[msmitra]

Research is not a must. It just helps, just like an A in ORGO helps.

 

[DrMediterranean]

yay for resurrecting this thread 👍

 

[COMedic2Doc]

yay for resurrecting this thread 👍

LOL yeah was starting to think, ok if we go ahead and shock at 360 it'll come back alive again and again and again or just give it enough epi that a rock will get up and dance.....