Is research important?

[zroth]

I'm a first year med student interested in EM. I keep hearing that I need to do research during the summer between my 1st/2nd year if I want to get a good residency. I really have no interest in research and it doesn't seem to me that it would be very applicable to working in EM. Should I look for a research job anyway, or is there a better way I could be spending my summer?

 

[EctopicFetus]

Research cant hurt. If you have great board scores >240 and a decent GPA you will be fine. The thing is who knows how you will do. All that being said I know of a ton of people with avg board scores who get into "good residencies". I think if you are looking at some of the elite programs like the Inn N Out residency then a good board score plus research would help.

I think If you are an A candidate it would make you an A+, and if you are a B then you would be a B+.

The above is simply the simple opinion of a simple man.

 

[Hawk22]

I'm a first year med student interested in EM. I keep hearing that I need to do research during the summer between my 1st/2nd year if I want to get a good residency. I really have no interest in research and it doesn't seem to me that it would be very applicable to working in EM. Should I look for a research job anyway, or is there a better way I could be spending my summer?

If you're not interested in research, then by all means don't do it. You'll just be wasting your time and the time of the people you're working for during the summer. Its not essential for your application and you'd be much better served by doing something in which you have alot more interest.

 

[roja]

While I used to be the 'I hate research' person and am now embarking on a research fellowship, I concur with what the above poster said. Do what you like. If you spend your summer doing something really interesting, this will make your application much more interesting.