No Research?

[bgreet]

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I was just curious as to how many people actually get into med school without doing research? I'll be a junior next year and have not done any yet, should I be frantically searching for some to do?

 

[wends]

there are lots of threads out there about this topic, do a search and it should help you. i dont have research either, and im in your position, wondering if i should get a 4th year project. i have read posts by people who didnt have any research experience and they got into med school, but im wondering if they have really good stats and saved endangered whales or something really incredible like that.

 

[lane]

i got in and i had no formal research experience...although i only got into one school and it was via the waitlist.

 

[dankev]

Maybe it will hurt you, maybe not. You could wait to find out when you apply, or you could spend a few hours a week for a quarter or two in a lab, as insurance. You might even learn something. 😛

 

[Syranope2]

i hadn't done any research after my junior year, either, and my ec's aren't stellar, so i thought it would be a good idea to get some research in (also, it was required for my major, but that's besides the point 😉 ) i would really suggest picking something up, if only for a semester. you don't need to be published or anything, but it helps round out your application and also shows you a different side of medicine. who knows, maybe you'll really like it and end up as a researcher instead of a clinician? most college profs are happy to have someone around the lab to help them out (especially for free), so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding something.

 

[calcrew14]

i got in and i had no formal research experience...although i only got into one school and it was via the waitlist.

Exactly! But it doesn't feel good to be in semi-desperated situation and feel somewhat inferior, right from the start. Unless one has a real good alternative, it will be a kind of nerve wrecking having to wait until May or later to get in.

i hadn't done any research after my junior year, either, and my ec's aren't stellar, so i thought it would be a good idea to get some research in (also, it was required for my major, but that's besides the point 😉 ) i would really suggest picking something up, if only for a semester. you don't need to be published or anything, but it helps round out your application and also shows you a different side of medicine. who knows, maybe you'll really like it and end up as a researcher instead of a clinician? most college profs are happy to have someone around the lab to help them out (especially for free), so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding something.

Exactly! 👍

 

[MissionComplete]

No research = F*CKED!












just kidding. Research is just another component of the admissions rubric. If you have it, great, it'll help. If you don't, ok. It's really going to help the people with whom the ADCOM is sitting on the fence. If you're a strong applicant you'll get in fine. If you're a weak applicant it won't make a difference. 😎

 

[mikedc813]

I somewhat agree with these other responses to the original question. Research can undoubtedly help you. It can boost your application through the roof. If you're published then that's definitely going to look great. BUT, does that mean you simply MUST do research then? Ha! Not in the least! There are several other threads floating around SDN discussing this exact same issue so I suggest you look at them for a lot of other comments. The main idea is to DO WHAT YOU LOVE. If you are fascinated by lab research then do it. If you don't then find something you really do like doing instead. Don't waste your time slaving over something you think that the adcoms want to see. If you just do something you really really enjoy it will show because you will most likely excel at it (for instance, if you love research you're more likely to be published than if you don't).

I personally hated my semester of research experience during sophomore year in college. So I quit. I was a coordinator of an ESL middle school mentoring program for 4 years. That was also my main EC. I put about 10hrs/week into the program and I think the adcoms saw the dedication. In any case I'm off the USF in August so it proves: 1) research isn't a must but can be a great boost to your app; 2) you're better off doing what you like; 3) you can get into med school by just showing dedication to a small # of ECs. Hope this helps

 

[lyragrl]

I had no scientific research experience. But I was (very) non-trad and had a six year career in finance. Accepted at UIC, Northwestern, Columbia, Einstein, USC, UMichigan.

 

[TRUE]

Reserach can definitely help you out. If you do not do research, you should be doing some EC's. As much as we might like to sit at home and watch TV between classes and on weekends, that's not really what medical schools are looking for. In my opinion, research isn't so important in that you're doing something scientifically oriented, but just that you're comitting yourself to something while still putting your time in to studying. You have to be well rounded. Just my two cents.

 

[mikedc813]

You have to be well rounded.

Let me disagree with this. It can't hurt to be well-rounded, BUT I think that the adcoms are looking for people who are really dedicated to something. It doesn't cut it to do a little research here and maybe tutor some kid for and hour a week and also practice the piano a couple hours a week. What does that show them? Sure you're well-rounded, but they see you as being mediocre at best at any of those in terms of dedication and effort.

More important than being well-rounded is to be really good at something and putting 100% towards something. If you're doing research, say, you want to be able to do more than just write on your application "I did research on blah blah blah" and that's it. They'll say, so what? Thousands of other people said they did research too. So why should we choose this guy? Now if you can show that you've done some serious stuff and maybe helped discover something novel, maybe even participated on a published paper, now that's what they're looking for.

Look, I wasn't a "well-rounded" applicant and was accepted. I had barely any research experience. I discussed how I play a ton of tennis each week and have had some experience shadowing a doctor on my apps. But what made me stand out is my community service record. I coordinated a kids program for middle school students who had no where else to go after school and who didn't know one lick of English. Most of them were from Latin America and had just moved to the US. I put a lot of effort into this (~10 hrs/week) and really emphasized in my apps how much I cared about my program and how much of an impact I saw it had in the kids. This was my program and I planned the entire curriculum. Especially since my gpa and mcat scores weren't stellar, but at least solid, I'm going to say that my dedication to this one thing (while not being well-rounded) is what made me stand out. But hey, if you're great at lots of things then you're an awesome candidate and the more power to ya! I could only manage one thing! I'm just trying to show being well-rounded isn't necessary...

 

[J33]

I'll reinforce the idea that research can help your app. a lot, but isn't necessary. I didn't have any research and got into 6 out of 15 schools I applied to (All 6 were "top 40", and 3 "top 20"). You can pm me if you would like any more details. Do research if you think you'd find it interesting, but there's no need to do it just to add it to your app. Your time is better spent doing something you enjoy. Good luck.

 

[TRUE]

Look, I wasn't a "well-rounded" applicant and was accepted. I had barely any research experience. I discussed how I play a ton of tennis each week and have had some experience shadowing a doctor on my apps. But what made me stand out is my community service record. I coordinated a kids program for middle school students who had no where else to go after school and who didn't know one lick of English. Most of them were from Latin America and had just moved to the US. I put a lot of effort into this (~10 hrs/week) and really emphasized in my apps how much I cared about my program and how much of an impact I saw it had in the kids. This was my program and I planned the entire curriculum. Especially since my gpa and mcat scores weren't stellar, but at least solid, I'm going to say that my dedication to this one thing (while not being well-rounded) is what made me stand out. But hey, if you're great at lots of things then you're an awesome candidate and the more power to ya! I could only manage one thing! I'm just trying to show being well-rounded isn't necessary...

Mike, what I meant by well-rounded is pretty much what you wrote here. You have to dedicate yourself to something other than studying. That's all I meant. You obviously did that with your program, and I'm sure that was crucial in your success.

 

[mikedc813]

I've heard stories of people with a 4.0gpa/40mcat getting rejected because all they did was study. they literally had no ECs. So grades aren't everything like some people would like to believe, for sure...

 

[the_cipher]

I'm applying to schools this summer, and as of now, I have not done any research b/c I've been heavily involved in other EC's. I wouldn't mind doing research for a semester next year (sr. year) just to see what it's like, but will this just be effort that will go unaccounted for by med schools? I have yet to fill out my AMCAS app, but is there some way of working in future experiences or anything like that? Sorry if this is an idiotic question.... 😕

 

[lilmo]

I have absolutely no research experience and got into both of the schools I applied to (University of Kansas and TCOM.) I do have over 100 hours shadowing experience and worked as a CNA for 2 years. I've also been active in a leadership role in the residence halls at my university. I wouldn't worry about a lack of research experience.

 

[mooklyster]

Best thing you can do...get married. When they ask about research etc, explain that your family comes first. Do some EC's in a hospital to show the dedication to medicine angle. Also be sure to point out that your wife/husband is behind you 100% and that this is a partnership agreement for you to pursue your dream.

 

[Vandyfox]

I have yet to fill out my AMCAS app, but is there some way of working in future experiences or anything like that? Sorry if this is an idiotic question.... 😕

No, I'm pretty sure you can't write about things you haven't done yet.

Encouraging words to all you non-researchers. I didn't go anywhere near anykind of research and I got into 3 schools - and turned down one interview 😉 I did a fair amount of community service, but I wasn't a track-star in that either. I did some theatre work, hung out with our women's tennis team, held one office in my fraternity, and played lots of golf.

Do what you LIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I also majored in Creative Writing, so you can avoid sciences and get into med school, too. My GPA was good (not GREAT) and my MCAT was solid (but no record breaker).
Wait a minute. . . how did I get in?

Relax peeps. Work hard on the things you enjoy and interviewers will in turn enjoy talking to you about those things, and before you know it - you're an M1.
Good luck to everybody.
-Vandyfox

A few words of contradicting advice: It might be a good idea to atleast be aware of what is going on in the world of research. It's nice to be informed and interested in where medicine is going, even if you aren't the one working on it.

 

[45408]

i got in and i had no formal research experience...although i only got into one school and it was via the waitlist.

(hey, lane, I think it's because they need a certain number of special students each year :mamoru: )


anyways, I know plenty of people who've gotten into med school without doing any research, and others who haven't gotten in who have research, so don't worry

 

[jdr]

Research is certainly not necessary. I have never done scientific research and was accepted into multiple schools. Basically, med schools want to see that you are committed to something. I worked with a charity and organized a fundraising event for them, something that showed I was committed. I also am a writer and composed a book through college-certainly not scientific, but an activity that showed I am a committed person. Do what you enjoy and do it well, that's all AdComs care about.