No research

[LoveWalk]

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No research

I have lots of clinical experience and lots of shadowing (1000 hours and 300 hours respectively)

I got until summer 2011 (when I apply for med school)

MCAT is done

Grades are solid

Research does not interest me...should I just suck it up and start something?

 

[Mobius1985]

About 60% of med school applicants list research on their application. If you are aiming at the more-selective med schools, >92% will have research on their Primary. Research can be clinical where you get data from patients, or non-medically related to qualify, as long as it adds to human knowledge in a scholarly manner. You don't need to slave over a soapstone sink doing basic science research to cover this base. If less-selective schools are your aim, you'll likely be fine without a research experience. Though a lot of your competition will list research, if your application is solid in every other way, you can still get an acceptance.

 

[tiedyeddog]

it really depends on where you are applying.

If you want into a top 20 (according to US News) research is almost an unspoken requirement. However, you can do basic or clinical research and probably be fine. The two are COMPLETELY different worlds. Clinical research is most likely going to be compiling data and helping pick out trends, which is more interesting to most premeds. If you're not into repeating experiments on a wet bench then consider doing clinical research. Most departments in an academic institution have some form of clinical research going down.

If you are shooting for a school not in the top 20 research is not so required. I would not recommend doing it unless you actually want to. Unmotivated people in research is setting up for an epic failure (maybe I am exaggerating a bit here....).😀

 

[LoveWalk]

Cool

I'm gonna see if I can get inspired in the next month or two and start something solid immediately

I'll do alot of reading

see if any lightbulbs go off

 

[FuturaDocta]

Correct me if I am wrong. But, I don't think it matters what subject you study as long as you have some research pasted on your resume, at least that is what a medical student told me. You don't have to be stuck in the lab with a pipette. You could explore the ocean with marine research or whatever inspires you. Some of these research experiences are really very exciting and almost like a vacation! 🙂