Is research necessary for undergrads?

[YankeesfanZF5]

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Just wondering about research, I am a kid who wants to go to his in-state school which is not highly ranked. It is a midwest school and their main focus is rural and family med and that is what I want to do. I applied for a REU and an government (wildlife) internship for the summer. I got the internship but they want an answer soon. I am waiting on the REU until I make a decision. So would research be necessary for some who just wants to go to med school? I would even go DO just depends on where I get in. I know research looks great but I will probably apply for the REU again if I take the internship. Just do not want to close any doors yet. More interested in internship. Probably will not get the internship again if I reapply. Not sure what to do or think. Thanks and any feedback will be appreciated.

 

[Glandzburg]

Research always looks good, but it is not a requirement. Do it if you are interested and able.

 

[efle]

Research is ubiquitous now, even the least research-oriented schools have 60+% of accepted students with research experience, according to MSAR. That said, your public school with rural focus is going to be among the most forgiving if you lack it.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

Research is ubiquitous now, even the least research-oriented schools have 60+% of accepted students with research experience, according to MSAR. That said, your public school with rural focus is going to be among the most forgiving if you lack it.

Yeah thats good to know I plan to do research at some point. Just feels like a summer outside will be better then a summer in the lab. I will be applying for more research next year if I take the internship. Ochem prof said he would write me a LOR for it again. I kinda dread research but it seems relaxed. Too bad the research I am applying for is not medical related.

 

[Lucca]

Yeah thats good to know I plan to do research at some point. Just feels like a summer outside will be better then a summer in the lab. I will be applying for more research next year if I take the internship. Ochem prof said he would write me a LOR for it again. I kinda dread research but it seems relaxed. Too bad the research I am applying for is not medical related.

I think showing you know how science is done and being able to interpret science is more important for applications like yours that aren't focused on bench research. There's no need to do basic research to fulfill that, do what you enjoy instead.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

Research always looks good, but it is not a requirement. Do it if you are interested and able.

Able and not really interested because the reu is in green chemistry. I heard even basic research is great. I read the mission statement at the med school I want to attend and the pretty much said there focus is rural medicine and family med. (What I want to do!) I think I could get some research next summer if I ask around. You think it would be better to get some more shadowing and volunteer work while doing the internship instead?

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

I think showing you know how science is done and being able to interpret science is more important for applications like yours that aren't focused on bench research. There's no need to do basic research to fulfill that, do what you enjoy instead.

Will be doing a research deal for my honors thesis next year. Does that count for research?

 

[DingoPingo]

Will be doing a research deal for my honors thesis next year. Does that count for research?

A research deal sounds like a research deal to me.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

A research deal sounds like a research deal to me.

I guess it is something you start junior year if you are in the honors club at our school. Your probably right it should count just might not be on my med school apps. Only a soph right now and wondering if I should take this darn REU.

 

[DingoPingo]

I guess it is something you start junior year if you are in the honors club at our school. Your probably right it should count just might not be on my med school apps. Only a soph right now and wondering if I should take this darn REU.

I would do the internship because you want it more. Research can be done later.

 

[Lucca]

I guess it is something you start junior year if you are in the honors club at our school. Your probably right it should count just might not be on my med school apps. Only a soph right now and wondering if I should take this darn REU.

anything you do reluctantly just shouldnt be done unless that thing is "do well in school and on standardized exams". Do what you want. If you didnt want to be around sick people then that would be a red flag, but it's ok not to do basic science. Many people still get in with other types of research or even none.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

anything you do reluctantly just shouldnt be done unless that thing is "do well in school and on standardized exams". Do what you want. If you didnt want to be around sick people then that would be a red flag, but it's ok not to do basic science. Many people still get in with other types of research or even none.

Thanks but it is not that I do not want to do research completely. I actually was kinda excited to give it a go this summer but then I applied and got this job which is way more interesting to me. To each his own! Yeah if sick people bothered me I would be posting in the wrong place for sure!

 

[WedgeDawg]

If you want a very general guideline for how important research is, the higher you go up on the USNWR research ranking, the more the schools will care whether or not you've done research. As has been said, even at very primary care oriented schools, a majority of matriculants have research experience (though MSAR does not say how much or what kind). At top research schools, 95%+ of matriculants have some sort of research experience.

I think that it will benefit your application marginally more to have research in a biomedical field (for a couple reasons), but given an interest in scientific research outside of biomedicine and a general lack of interest in biomedical research, the better approach is to go with the thing you're more interested in because you're more likely to be productive, passionate, and invested in your work, which will come through in your application and likely make you a more satisfied person.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

If you want a very general guideline for how important research is, the higher you go up on the USNWR research ranking, the more the schools will care whether or not you've done research. As has been said, even at very primary care oriented schools, a majority of matriculants have research experience (though MSAR does not say how much or what kind). At top research schools, 95%+ of matriculants have some sort of research experience.

I think that it will benefit your application marginally more to have research in a biomedical field (for a couple reasons), but given an interest in scientific research outside of biomedicine and a general lack of interest in biomedical research, the better approach is to go with the thing you're more interested in because you're more likely to be productive, passionate, and invested in your work, which will come through in your application and likely make you a more satisfied person.

I want to do that particular reu because it is at my university with one of my favorite professors. Not that interested in making research my life but want to find out what it is all about. Who knows maybe I would really enjoy it. But right now I believe that internship will be much more enjoyable.

 

[Goro]

Go for the REU and the wildlife fellowship. But keep in mind that the research powerhouses like research int heir applicants, and ~90+% of all MD matriculants have research ECs in their app. DO schools are far more lenient.

Just wondering about research, I am a kid who wants to go to his in-state school which is not highly ranked. It is a midwest school and their main focus is rural and family med and that is what I want to do. I applied for a REU and an government (wildlife) internship for the summer. I got the internship but they want an answer soon. I am waiting on the REU until I make a decision. So would research be necessary for some who just wants to go to med school? I would even go DO just depends on where I get in. I know research looks great but I will probably apply for the REU again if I take the internship. Just do not want to close any doors yet. More interested in internship. Probably will not get the internship again if I reapply. Not sure what to do or think. Thanks and any feedback will be appreciated.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

Go for the REU and the wildlife fellowship. But keep in mind that the research powerhouses like research int heir applicants, and ~90+% of all MD matriculants have research ECs in their app. DO schools are far more lenient.

Cannot do both, they would conflict too much. Both are full-time. I would not mind being DO as long as I could practice medicine! Will reapply for REU next year.

 

[Goro]

Target what is most interesting to you, of the REU vs wildlife thing.

Cannot do both, they would conflict too much. Both are full-time. I would not mind being DO as long as I could practice medicine! Will reapply for REU next year.

 

[eugnandez]

I read the mission statement at the med school I want to attend and the pretty much said there focus is rural medicine and family med.