RESEARCH! nooo

[uclakid]

What do you have to do in regards to "research" to put it on your med school application? In other words, can you just walk into lab, help them out, do some stuff for 10 hours a week and write it on your app? Is it necessary to write a paper or do an independent project?

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[uclakid]

I really don't even want to do anything related to research...I just want to do some ECs (and NOT work in a lab 10 hours a week)...but I don't think I can avoid research since everyone is telling me that I must do it...

 

[Drakensoul]

I decided that I would rather die than do research, so I'm not going to do it

I'm sure you'll get 15 posts telling you not to do something just so it looks good on your application, and with research I think I'll agree; if you have good ECs I think you'll be fine. You may not get into a top research school ...but then again, it doesn't sound like you'd want to.

RESEARCH

 

[quideam]

When I was a freshman, my pre-med advisor told me that admissions is a 'triangle' with three key points: Stats, Research, and Clinical experience. Stats are obviously the most important. Add clincial experience, and you'll get in somewhere. If you're shooting for a top-10 or top-20 school, especially one that emphasizes research, then you really should do some in order to be competitive. I personally hate labs, so I did clinical research. You can do research in just about anything - Medieval literature, healthcare policy, etc. Be creative - you don't have to live in a lab in order to have some impressive research experience on your resume.

 

[ImmunoANT]

I really don't even want to do anything related to research...I just want to do some ECs (and NOT work in a lab 10 hours a week)...but I don't think I can avoid research since everyone is telling me that I must do it...

do a 99 if you are freshman or sophomore. if you are junior or senior, do a 199. 99 counts as lower divison credit (pass/fail) while 199 can be used as honor credit and is graded, which can boost your GPA significantly since it's your research mentors who give you the grade (if you work decently hard, it's very easy to have A+). To find a lab, you can go to either undergrad research center or CARE, both are on the second (or third) floor of life science building. they are really helpful. research doesn't have to be tedious or boring if you can find a good lab, a good mentor, an interesting project, you'll be hooked.

 

[ehd327]

First of all, research is not required to get into med school. Second, imo, clinical experience is much more important. I know some academic institutions frown on little research experience, but those are the exceptions. Great clinical experience is invaluable (EMT, shadowing, volunteer, etc.). Don't do research if you'll only be in the lab 10 hours per week. With 10 hrs per week you get: washing dishes, ordering chemicals, and cleaning glassware. To get the most out of research (publications, clinical relevance, understanding the reasoning behind techniques) you have to put in way more than 10 hrs per week. Don't waste those 10 hrs. Add them to your clinical experience EC's.

327

 

[uclakid]

Hey, guys. Thanks for the replies...I feel better

So, I don't know why I'm so against doing research, but I just don't want to do it. I want to tutor and volunteer in a hospital and do other things, but NOT research...like...what is a 199?? I'm an MCDB or molecular bio major, and my advisor is basically telling me that I must do it just because my major is essentially a "research" major. I will graduate if I don't do it, but she's making it seem like I better live in a lab the next year and a half to go to med school.

 

[late inthe game]

I just want to emphatically agree here. Research does NOT have to equal working in a lab. In fact, you might look more interesting to admissions committees if your research ISN'T in a lab, everybody else's is. Spend some time finding something you're interested in; there are all kind of cool ways to be involved in ethics, policy, medical anthropology and many other kinds of research. Or just come up with a question that interests you and find a faculty at your school that might help you develop a project around it. If questions like "Why does receptor X, not recognize Y ligand 15% of the time in knock out lab monkeys?" Doesn't interest you, consider something like:

1. What might happen if primary care salaries keep dropping?
2. Do we need some new solutions to improving health care in rural areas?
3. Why is your health likely to be worse if your poor? What might it take to change that? Is medicine really going to solve the problem?
4. Paternalism in medicine: pro/con
5. Impact of women in medicine

I can tell you from personal experience that at one of my interviews my interviewer just about fell out of his chair he was so excited when he discovered that I knew health care policy research.

When I was a freshman, my pre-med advisor told me that admissions is a 'triangle' with three key points: Stats, Research, and Clinical experience. Stats are obviously the most important. Add clincial experience, and you'll get in somewhere. If you're shooting for a top-10 or top-20 school, especially one that emphasizes research, then you really should do some in order to be competitive. I personally hate labs, so I did clinical research. You can do research in just about anything - Medieval literature, healthcare policy, etc. Be creative - you don't have to live in a lab in order to have some impressive research experience on your resume.

 

[celticmists18]

First of all, research is not required to get into med school. Second, imo, clinical experience is much more important. I know some academic institutions frown on little research experience, but those are the exceptions. Great clinical experience is invaluable (EMT, shadowing, volunteer, etc.). Don't do research if you'll only be in the lab 10 hours per week. With 10 hrs per week you get: washing dishes, ordering chemicals, and cleaning glassware. To get the most out of research (publications, clinical relevance, understanding the reasoning behind techniques) you have to put in way more than 10 hrs per week. Don't waste those 10 hrs. Add them to your clinical experience EC's.

327

Clinical experience is important, but it is not any more helpful than research. Everyone had clinical, many more than have research.

I hate research, but I landed a very prestigious internship with a biotech company (actually I kinda cheated, but hey those are the breaks). I worked there for three summers and during this year while I have been out of school. I had minimal/basically no clinical experience so I can tell you with 99% certainty that it was my research that got me my interviews (FYI: I have no published papers). NOT EVERY LAB HAS YOU CLEANING GLASSWARE. People are pretty impressed when I tell them that I have spent the last year of my life trying to find a cure for breast cancer (even if I was bored most of the time I was doing it).

My advice is to try and do both. Find a paying research job for during the summer and do you clinical stuff during the school year. Keep the balance, its the best way to go.

 

[uclakid]

Clinical experience is important, but it is not any more helpful than research. Everyone had clinical, many more than have research.

I hate research, but I landed a very prestigious internship with a biotech company (actually I kinda cheated, but hey those are the breaks). I worked there for three summers and during this year while I have been out of school. I had minimal/basically no clinical experience so I can tell you with 99% certainty that it was my research that got me my interviews (FYI: I have no published papers). NOT EVERY LAB HAS YOU CLEANING GLASSWARE. People are pretty impressed when I tell them that I have spent the last year of my life trying to find a cure for breast cancer (even if I was bored most of the time I was doing it).

My advice is to try and do both. Find a paying research job for during the summer and do you clinical stuff during the school year. Keep the balance, its the best way to go.

Well, I'm a third year and will apply to med schools next year. I don't have ANY research experience at all. So if I do get a chance to work in a lab (which will be hard since profs want ppl with experience), I will be cleaning glassware first. Then, IF I stick to the lab, I will progress. This whole cycle in itself is sooo time consuming. It's going to take me forever to get to a level where I can actually say that I've done "research". In other words, just doing "whatever" in a lab isn't meaty enough to write on your app...

It's just not my thing, I guess...

 

[NikkiFSU]

Hey, guys. Thanks for the replies...I feel better

So, I don't know why I'm so against doing research, but I just don't want to do it. I want to tutor and volunteer in a hospital and do other things, but NOT research...like...what is a 199?? I'm an MCDB or molecular bio major, and my advisor is basically telling me that I must do it just because my major is essentially a "research" major. I will graduate if I don't do it, but she's making it seem like I better live in a lab the next year and a half to go to med school.

It depends on the lab, really. I hated my first one, like the other person said, you will be hooked with a good project and mentor, etc. I found the most commendable FSU prof w/ tenure to do my thesis with.

 

[Neuronix]

If you're shooting for a top-10 or top-20 school, especially one that emphasizes research, then you really should do some in order to be competitive.

If you don't want to do research, why shoot for a top school that emphasizes research? Prestige? Med schools and residency programs are prestigious because of the quality of their research. Subspecialties are looking for those who will continue to advance their specialty through research.

Don't like research? Go to your state medical school or somewhere else that has a primary care focus. Research IS NOT necessary to get into medical school at all. It just has to do with your interests matching the interests of the medical school. That being said, be sure to set yourself apart somehow by getting involved in other ECs.

Good luck!

 

[derf]

Keynote Speaker:

Isaac Yang (MSIV @ David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA)

Premed AMSA Graduate Advisor


TOPIC: ?How do I get into Medical School??

Isaac says it isn?t a secret. Currently on the UCLA SOM Admissions Committee for the second year, he knows what it takes to get accepted into some of the top medical schools in the nation.



1. GPA

-Keep your GPA high. The best advice: Study!



2. MCAT Scores

-Take a Prep Course and again: Study!


3. Letters of Recommendation

-Shows how well you can interact with your superiors


4. Extracurricular Activities

-participating in extracurricular activities displays one of the most important qualities necessary for medical school ? people skills!


5. Research

-Research is one way to get your foot in the door and essential for research-oriented schools like UCLA


6. Interviews

-The importance of first impressions

 

[ImmunoANT]

When it comes to ECs, everyone has a different say...
But I think when it comes down to the bottom line, you have to answer one question: why? Ask any pre-med who does lots of volunteering, they'd tell you because they want to have exposure to the clinical work, to get to know what it is like to be involved in helping/treating people, and this inspires them to go into medicine. All good, all legitimate. But I wonder how many pre-meds who do undergrad research could answer the question why they want to do research in order to get in a med school. because everyone else is doing it? or because my advisors told me so? YES, all the top tier med schools are research oriented and the quality of their research is what's boosting the name of each school. But, I'd also like to argue that doing research is important in your personal growth. Research is the tool to address scientific questions/puzzles - it helps you cultivate your problem-solving ability; 90% (hell, 99%) of time the results always turns out crappy - so it tests your patience, perseverance, and your creativity (to see if you are able to come around and solve the problem w/ a different approach); in addition, doing research also helps sharpen many skills like communication, leadership, networking, etc. Last but not least, biomedical research is always a very important aspect in medicine. (is this why some schools look so much into research?? maybe) Now imagine you were one of the committee members at a prestigious med school that's proud of its biomed research. Sitting across you is an interviewee who hates research (clinical, basic science, or disease oriented) and just wants to practice medicine. What would you think of this applicant?
I was very lucky to find a good research lab back at UCLA, a good mentor who taught me science (and wrote an awesome recommendation letter), a good graduate student who sparked my passion in research. PM me if you want more info but I got to tell you, my knowledge about UCLA is kind of outdated (been 2 years since I graduated).
Oh, just to be as objective as possible, I'm all for research, I love research, and am MSTP (don't throw stones at me...)

 

[musiclink213]

try telling my dad that research is not required for medical school. he just assumes that you have to do research. i was offered a research position for the summer (10 weeks, publication at the end with my name either as author or co-author, and a presentation in may at the undergrad research thing or something) but i turned it down because i'm taking a summer class and then leaving to study abroad. but the prof. already told me i could do it next summer. my dad says to me, do it now and next summer. cancel study abroad. No thanks dad, i'll take my chances.

 

[musiclink213]

on the flip side, there's one person in my school who has a 3.75 GPA, a year of research with a publication and stuff, he interviewed at a few places, but he doesn't have acceptances yet because he doesn't have enough clinical experience.

 

[TRUE]

on the flip side, there's one person in my school who has a 3.75 GPA, a year of research with a publication and stuff, he interviewed at a few places, but he doesn't have acceptances yet because he doesn't have enough clinical experience.

In reality, you don't know why he doesn't have acceptences. You're not on the admin committees. A friend of mine on here had absurdly high MCAT scores and a high GPA with some clinical experience but no research and he too has no acceptences unfortunately.

I think research is somewhat key to getting acceptences, but that's my personal opinion. Most people who apply to medical school have done clincial work. That doesn't set you apart.

 

[thewebthsp]

I would do some scholarly or major volunteer activity outside of classwork. It shows you have curiosity for something beyond what is needed. But listen, if the lab is not your passion, DON'T DO IT! Figure out what is, and stick to it. I'm not intricate and methodical, and thus don't do well in time restricted research (like experiments), but I do do well when something needs creativity, insight, or when there is a story behind the numbers (like clinical research). Find something that fits your personality.

It's not needed as much for clinical schools, like state schools, and some private schools.

 

[Gleevec]

If you don't want to do research, why shoot for a top school that emphasizes research? Prestige? Med schools and residency programs are prestigious because of the quality of their research. Subspecialties are looking for those who will continue to advance their specialty through research.

Don't like research? Go to your state medical school or somewhere else that has a primary care focus. Research IS NOT necessary to get into medical school at all. It just has to do with your interests matching the interests of the medical school. That being said, be sure to set yourself apart somehow by getting involved in other ECs.

Good luck!

I was about to say this, but you said it faster and better than I could.

 

[musiclink213]

In reality, you don't know why he doesn't have acceptences. You're not on the admin committees. A friend of mine on here had absurdly high MCAT scores and a high GPA with some clinical experience but no research and he too has no acceptences unfortunately.

I think research is somewhat key to getting acceptences, but that's my personal opinion. Most people who apply to medical school have done clincial work. That doesn't set you apart.

it is true i don't know in reality, but he has asked the schools that rejected him what was wrong with his app., and the most of the schools that told him said he didn't have enough clinical experience to back up that he has an interest in the field. but he could have just been making all that up, for all i know.

 

[ImmunoANT]

In reality, you don't know why he doesn't have acceptences. You're not on the admin committees. A friend of mine on here had absurdly high MCAT scores and a high GPA with some clinical experience but no research and he too has no acceptences unfortunately.

Is that the same person I know of (my friend's Princeton review teacher)? 3.8 GPA, 35Q MCAT, lots of volunteering, but no research, and unfortunately zeron acceptance. always thought things like this are a urban legend, but I guess it can really happen. damn...