Medical Rising Junior advice on what steps to take?

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tantacles

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Hello!

I just recently joined this site, but have been a "lurker" for a long time now. I apologize if this isn't the right place to ask these questions (if it isn't could someone please direct me to the right place?)

A little about me: I am a rising junior and have always dreamed to be a physician in order to be a leader in the community and have that one-on-one interaction. I don't have any physicians in the family and am a first gen college student, so I am not sure who to reach out to or ask for advice. I attend a small but selective school in Texas (I don't know if it is against the rules to say the school or if it's a privacy thing lol). I really appreciate anyone willing to help me out on this journey!

Question about research:
I was in a lab for sophomore year, but I was absolutely miserable. I enjoyed doing my project, but I did not make much headway into it. I was constantly bogged down by my PI/professor for the minute details in the protocols. Instead of having autonomy, I constantly felt like instead of working on my project I was editing my writing. I am ok with bench work, but last summer, I got into doing a small clinical project. I didn't get published or anything, but I obtained some preliminary data on a subsection of a clinical research project this physician was doing. I also worked with another physician and had an abstract published in a journal for a conference and ended up giving a presentation. I have no idea if that matters at all to adcoms, but I genuinely enjoyed being in the hospital setting and doing "research" if you would call it that. I shadowed pretty much all of summer in the ICU and worked on those projects.

1. Does my experience at the hospital count as research? Is it looked down upon just because it isn't lab work?
2. I have had mixed messages about needing research to be competitive for med schools, and I don't know if that is just neurotic premeds saying publications are important for the top 20. I am assuming it is true, but what if I want to do clinical research in the future?
3. The PI and I aren't on the best of terms because he is very picky and absolutely hates my writing, but I have shown it to other people including the people that help with writing at our university. He has this thing where he only likes it if your writing mirrors his writing. Anyway, I am not so sure a rec letter from him would be "strong," so would it be worth it to ask him for one? If I don't get a rec letter from a PI I worked with for 1 year, wouldn't that be fishy?
4. Should I attempt to find research in the Texas medical center this upcoming year? I am not sure if things will even open due to Covid.

Rec Letter questions:
So my school is known for very small class sizes and interactions of students and professors. However, I believe most of the good interactions I had with professors were during freshman year, but I haven't really spoken to them since. I think that's my fault, since I have become really busy with classes, extracurriculars, etc. The physician I shadowed this last summer has moved and hasn't responded for a while, so I am not sure I could ask him for a rec either. Sophomore year has been rough due to COVID closing down school. I have worked as a tutor with the school district since senior year of high school and was going to ask the person in charge of us to write a rec letter demonstrating my passion for teaching and helping others.

1. What are your suggestions on getting rec letters? With classes going online this upcoming semester too, I am not sure how interactions with professors would go.
2. I know my school has this committee letter thing, does that mean I would still need to get separate rec letters to meet requirements for Texas schools? (I tried looking this up but all I could find was that I should use the committee letter option)
3. Are recs from people like my boss at the school matter? Even if I have spent a great deal of time working there?

Some general questions:
1. So many of my friends mention that the school you go to in Texas does matter to Texas med schools and point to the fact that people are accepted from our school. I don't know if it just sampling bias or if school name does matter? I don't let things like that impact me much and try to keep my head down and work. However, it does pop up time from time because I feel like I have slight impostor syndrome and think I don't belong or am lucky for being where I am. So do Texas med schools care where you went?
2. Ok this one is about finances, but I see a lot about either taking out loans or being so good you get some sort of scholarship, but are there such things as need-based aid at med schools? Particularly Texas med schools?

I think I will end here because this is a lot longer than I had hoped, I still have a ton of questions but I didn't want to ask too much at the same time. I really do appreciate anyone who reads this and can tell me anything about this. If there are clarifications needed or if you have questions that could help you give a more direct answer please let me know!

Anyway, thank you all and I hope all of you are staying safe and sane during this pandemic!
1. Does my experience at the hospital count as research? Is it looked down upon just because it isn't lab work?

All research counts. It doesn't matter what the research is about as long as you have it.

2. I have had mixed messages about needing research to be competitive for med schools, and I don't know if that is just neurotic premeds saying publications are important for the top 20. I am assuming it is true, but what if I want to do clinical research in the future?

You can start doing research at any time. The better your application, the more likely you are to get into any given medical school. Some applicants have publications, but most don't.

3. The PI and I aren't on the best of terms because he is very picky and absolutely hates my writing, but I have shown it to other people including the people that help with writing at our university. He has this thing where he only likes it if your writing mirrors his writing. Anyway, I am not so sure a rec letter from him would be "strong," so would it be worth it to ask him for one? If I don't get a rec letter from a PI I worked with for 1 year, wouldn't that be fishy?

If you suspect that the letter will not be strong, do not ask for it. It does not matter if it is seen as "fishy." No letter is better than bad letter.

4. Should I attempt to find research in the Texas medical center this upcoming year? I am not sure if things will even open due to Covid.

It sounds like you already are doing research, and if you are happy with the research you're doing, no need to look for more.

1. What are your suggestions on getting rec letters? With classes going online this upcoming semester too, I am not sure how interactions with professors would go.

I think everyone will be understanding of the difficulty in asking for letters in this setting. That being said, I would ask people who know you well and can speak positively about your accomplishments. Finally, make sure your letters meet the requirements of your schools.

2. I know my school has this committee letter thing, does that mean I would still need to get separate rec letters to meet requirements for Texas schools? (I tried looking this up but all I could find was that I should use the committee letter option)

Typically, your committee letter lumps all of your recommendation letters together, so you should ask your school if they have any required letters. I am only familiar with AMCAS and can not speak to whether it is the same in TMDSAS.

3. Are recs from people like my boss at the school matter? Even if I have spent a great deal of time working there?

If they know you well and can speak to your strengths, a letter from anyone you worked with is helpful.

Some general questions:
1. So many of my friends mention that the school you go to in Texas does matter to Texas med schools and point to the fact that people are accepted from our school. I don't know if it just sampling bias or if school name does matter? I don't let things like that impact me much and try to keep my head down and work. However, it does pop up time from time because I feel like I have slight impostor syndrome and think I don't belong or am lucky for being where I am. So do Texas med schools care where you went?

I'm not sure about this as I am not familiar with Texas schools. In any case, I would make a point of nodding and acknowledging what your friends say and ignoring it. Your job is to create the best medical school application you can, and you can do that without taking this particular opinion into account. Focus on the opinions of people who have actually gotten into medical school.

2. Ok this one is about finances, but I see a lot about either taking out loans or being so good you get some sort of scholarship, but are there such things as need-based aid at med schools? Particularly Texas med schools?

Many schools have need based aid, and many still end up taking out loans to cover cost of living. There are also merit based scholarships. It is entirely school dependent and applicant dependent. Again, just try to make the best application you can. That means doing as well as you can in your courses.

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Thanks so much for giving me advice! So, if I were to not get a rec letter from my PI due to the stated reasons above, would medical schools inquire about it? My friend who got into medical school said a letter from PI is basically expected. I understand no letter is better than a bad letter, but does that mean I should look for a different research opportunity with a PI who might give me a better rec? Can the physician I helped do research with at the hospital maybe substitute for that (if I can get in touch with him, but he did seem very happy working with me)? I know it's not great to be chasing research for a rec letter, but I think I would enjoy research more if the culture of the lab was better.

They might ask. But if you're applying to medical school, you're smart, and you can of some way to say, "I had amazing people who knew me better and wanted to write me letters, so I didn't ask for this one". You don't need to chase more research.

Do you also have any suggestions for clinical experience? I am a Basic EMT on campus and do shifts. Alongside my shifts on campus, I have ridden out with different ambulance companies (if that's what are called). I wouldn't say I have had any other experience besides shadowing. A friend mentioned to volunteer at a hospital, but I really enjoy patient interaction and don't know if volunteering would classify as clinical experience.

Volunteering counts. Anything where you're interacting with patients who are actively being patients at that moment counts.

If anyone else can answer to the Texas stuff that would be great too! I appreciate your response for the AMCAS as I will probably try to apply out of state (on a side note, do you think Texas students should try and apply out of state? I heard there is bias against Texas students but I am not sure if that's the truth or just misinformation)

As far as I can tell, people from Texas are on equal footing with people from outside of Texas. You should be applying to all of your state schools and some schools outside of your state. The reason people often don't go to medical school outside of Texas is not that they can't; it's that they don't want to. You can reassure admissions staff from schools outside of texas by letting them know that you are interested in their schools when you get an interview.
 
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