No research, what schools are not worth applying to?

[nontrad33]

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I'm a 30+ non-trad, good stats (4.0/518) and decent ECs including many clinical and volunteer hours. However I have no scientific/hypothesis based research experience other than in the classroom for required prerequisites. Using the MSAR my stats make me at least relatively competitive for several higher level schools, but I wonder if the lack of research will totally sink me at many of them. I'm not adverse to doing research in the future, just honestly did not have time to pursue it while returning to school, working, and volunteering. Below are the schools on my initial list that I am wary of, I'd love some feedback on which I should avoid donating an app fee to (as well as any others not listed here that should for sure be avoided without research). Thank you so much!

Columbia
Mayo (MN)
Northwestern
Perelman
Stanford
UCLA
UCSF
Pritzker
Michigan
Yale
Cornell

 

[Goro]

Perelman
Stanford
Pritzker
Yale
Cornell

delete the above

 

[Gurby]

I was also a non-trad with many clinical hours, similar stats. I interviewed at many of those places despite having no research.
Lack of research won't totally sink you anywhere if your other EC's are strong enough. It will hurt you some places more than others, though.

Contrary to Goro above, I think you should keep Pritzker if you have really major volunteering, as they are huge on service.

I have an impression that Hopkins and Stanford are particularly picky about wanting research.

 

[nontrad33]

delete the above

Thank you!

 

[nontrad33]

I was also a non-trad with many clinical hours, similar stats. I interviewed at many of those places despite having no research.
Lack of research won't totally sink you anywhere if your other EC's are strong enough. It will hurt you some places more than others, though.

Contrary to Goro above, I think you should keep Pritzker if you have really major volunteering, as they are huge on service.

I have an impression that Hopkins and Stanford are particularly picky about wanting research.

Thank you for the fellow non-trad insight! I've got quite a lot of service based volunteering and felt like my PS fit the mission Pritzker was pushing on their website so I may keep them in as a long shot. Sounds like Stanford is definitely out, which I expected. Thanks again!

 

[Goro]

I agree; pritzker has more interest in atypical nontrads than other top schools as mentioned by @Goro

Good to know!

 

[Woe_is_me23]

Can confirm that stanford is incredibly picky about research experience, would almost certainly be a donation for you (unless there’s something exceptional about your app beyond stats)

Also, this advice is really assuming your ORM. If URM that changes the story.

 

[efle]

Honestly I'd still apply to your favorite half dozen or so of the research powerhouses. Even at places like you're listing, they like to have some diversity, not just 100% people from lab or clinic research backgrounds. With a 4.0/518 and as a nontrad bringing in a lot stronger ECs than a fresh college graduate, my money says you still get several top 20 interviews like Gurby did

 

[dodolol21]

I agree with @Gurby and @efle. You're a legit non-trad with good stats so might as well keep those top programs

 

[Lucca]

There were people at Stanford coming in with 0 research. Definitely a minority, but they exist. I wouldn't rule out schools this way, I think you would be surprised how diverse med school classes are once you are on the other side of this process in terms the kinds of experiences people have. Your stats are obviously strong, if you have strong experiences in categories other than research than your school list shouldnt necessarily exclude any of the ones you mentioned.

 

[differentiating]

I’d say both Stanford and UCSF are long-shots without research. Unless you have some sort of amazing ECs to make up for it, I’d take them off the list.

 

[deleted895369]

Take Northwestern off the list. One of Northwestern's ADCOMs came and spoke to our pre-med society two months ago, and he received this same question during our Q&A section. He basically said "don't bother to apply here if you don't have research. There's no reason for me to admit you if you don't have research."

 

[theKingLT]

There were people at Stanford coming in with 0 research. Definitely a minority, but they exist. I wouldn't rule out schools this way, I think you would be surprised how diverse med school classes are once you are on the other side of this process in terms the kinds of experiences people have. Your stats are obviously strong, if you have strong experiences in categories other than research than your school list shouldnt necessarily exclude any of the ones you mentioned.

Take Northwestern off the list. One of Northwestern's ADCOMs came and spoke to our pre-med society two months ago, and he received this same question during our Q&A section. He basically said "don't bother to apply here if you don't have research. There's no reason for me to admit you if you don't have research."

I interviewed at both of these schools with no research experience, but also waitlisted at both, so I don't know what to think lol. OP, as far as T20s in general, definitely don't feel like you can't apply due to lack of research experience. I got interviews to 10 out of the 14 T20s that I applied to and accepted to half of these with a pile of waitlists for the rest. Some schools definitely care more about research than others. Pritzker was the only one that specifically asked why I didn't have any research experience although I did bring it up in quite a few other interviews when talking about sacrifices I've had to make