Lack of research- is that REALLY bad?

[woodhorse22]

Hi.. I am senior graduating in May and applying this year for medical school after retaking my MCAT in April. However, I have no solid research experience and thus no publishing, etc.
My GPA is a 3.92 and I have lots of volunteer experience and shadowing experience. I should be able to get a 27-29 MCAT score this April. In addition, I will have solid letters of recommendation from my unviersity's health science recommendations committee. In this year that I will have off, I plan to do an EMT B course and perhaps work as one in a hospital. However, I will have no research experience.
Will this keep me from getting into medical schools in Illinois? I believe that I might be able to compensate for that lack of research with some EMT experience. Please offer your thoughts.

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[woodhorse22]

nothing.

 

[GoLAClippers]

Hi.. I am senior graduating in May and applying this year for medical school after retaking my MCAT in April. However, I have no solid research experience and thus no publishing, etc.
My GPA is a 3.92 and I have lots of volunteer experience and shadowing experience. I should be able to get a 27-29 MCAT score this April. In addition, I will have solid letters of recommendation from my unviersity's health science recommendations committee. In this year that I will have off, I plan to do an EMT B course and perhaps work as one in a hospital. However, I will have no research experience.
Will this keep me from getting into medical schools in Illinois? I believe that I might be able to compensate for that lack of research with some EMT experience. Please offer your thoughts.

You will need a higher MCAT score than that, I would think

 

[NN11]

So this is a tough one. Research experience is certainly not as important as clinical experience in applying to Med school. Meaning you can probably get in without Research but not without clinical experience.

Some Illinois schools are more research oriented than others, ex. U of Chicago and Northwestern. For research oriented schools not having research experience can hurt you, a lot.

I'm sure there are lots of people in this forum that can tell you that they got in with similar stats as you. There is no point to getting an EMT certification if you don't use it, I was asked about this at one of my interviews. In other words, take the EMT course if you've arranged to have a job afterwards. There are others who are/or have been EMTs and can probably give you better advice on this.

Your goal should be to get your MCAT above 30. It definitely helps to get a high MCAT, schools tend to be more forgiving on your other shortcomings.

Take home message: don't do research if you don't enjoy it and if you don't plan on applying to research oriented schools. Instead invest your time in activities that you have a passion for (I hope you don't have a passion for drinking, because I may have just given you the worse advice ever ) Bottom line, med schools look for depth of experience and not a mere check mark next to an activity.

 

[BigRedPremed]

EMT and research experience are two different things so one doesn't "compensate" for the other. That said, you don't need research experience unless you are applying for MD/PhD programs or very selective research-oriented med schools.

 

[etf]

you've got a 3.92. i'd take a year off just to study for the mcat and get a 36 or higher. at that point, you'll pretty much be able to write your own ticket.

 

[neurofreak]

would a 3.92/36 be good enough to get into a top school without extensive research experience?

 

[BloodySurgeon]

would a 3.92/36 be good enough to get into a top school without extensive research experience?

For top ten schools its a maybe, but definely for second tier med schools.
You can get by without research experience if you have some sort of unique clinical experience. I got a paramedic friend who just got into a top med school with only a semester of research.