Minimal research/shadowing experience. Chances for a specific school?

[ferraridoc]

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Hello all!

I will be applying this coming summer (2010). But I'm a little worried about not having too much research or physician shadowing experience. Will this significantly affect my chances?

I won't have time to do extensive shadowing between now and application time (busy school + summer travel). And since there wasn't a tangible product from engineering research, I don't know if this holds much weight. So how much does this affect my success applying to med school?

 

[Mobius1985]

Shadowing experiences need not be extensive. Something like 8-40 hours with 2-3 types of specialists seems to be average. This can be done in chunks of time, like over spring break. Adcomms like to see that you've shadowed docs at home, but I think some weight will be given to your African experience if you emphasize how closely you worked with doctors (if true) while helping patients. Most of my shadowing (while working as a translator) was overseas and it didn't hurt me, but I did also demonstrate that I had witnessed how medicine is practiced in the states as well.

You have about the average amount of experience in research. That may not be enough for the highly-selective, research-intense schools. I don't think it matters so much whether you published, as what you learned from your projects, were they substantive, and whether you can speak knowledgeably about it. All three of my projects failed. At one of my interviews I was assigned a faculty member with experience in my area. The entire interview was a minute dissection of my techniques and problem-solving skills. He was so critical and belittling that I thought I was sunk. It turned out to be a classic "stress interview." At the end, he told me I could work in his lab anytime. (And I got accepted at this school.)

Overall, I think you have an excellent application. Will you get into the schools you listed? You won't know unless you try. And success might come down to how intriguing your PS is, how effusive your Letters of Recommendation are, and how well you interview. I'm pretty sure that you will get in somewhere, but be sure to apply broadly.

 

[flip26]

Are you a Michigan resident? For OOS, they look for high MCAT scores from a select group of colleges...

FWIW, I know a Michigan resident with identical numbers to you and more research, shadowing, and volunteering who did not get an acceptance, but this same person is an MS1 at a top 20 med school who had multiple offers from Top 30-ish programs.