transitioning from bench research to clinical (patient-focused) research/more clinical experience

[vcentwin]

Hello all,

I've been in a genomics/cell-biology lab for the past summer, and I plan on staying for at least 1 academic year (I am a third year undergrad) and while I have great camaraderie with my fellow grad students, undergrads, our funding is plentiful and we are productive when it comes to pubs, I am not sure if its worth it to stay until I have a publication; I miss working with patients, and if I want to be a clinician I feel as if I need to work with patients on a more regular basis. (I have roughly 600 hrs from the past 2 years.)

I will not be applying to T20s given my stats, and my lack of interest in academic medicine (working in a lab has thought me while I enjoy the thinking process of bench research, there is no way I am doing this as a career) and more likely I will be applying low-tier MD/DO programs such as PCOM, DMU, ATSU,MSUCOM, etc...

There is also the possibility of working with patients as a clinical researcher during my gap year; should I find a suitable program for me, or focus on getting more raw clinical experience such as scribing/EMT work during my gap year?

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[993444]

Hello all,

I've been in a genomics/cell-biology lab for the past summer, and I plan on staying for at least 1 academic year (I am a third year undergrad) and while I have great camaraderie with my fellow grad students, undergrads, our funding is plentiful and we are productive when it comes to pubs, I am not sure if its worth it to stay until I have a publication; I miss working with patients, and if I want to be a clinician I feel as if I need to work with patients on a more regular basis. (I have roughly 600 hrs from the past 2 years.)

I will not be applying to T20s given my stats, and my lack of interest in academic medicine (working in a lab has thought me while I enjoy the thinking process of bench research, there is no way I am doing this as a career) and more likely I will be applying low-tier MD/DO programs such as PCOM, DMU, ATSU,MSUCOM, etc...

There is also the possibility of working with patients as a clinical researcher during my gap year; should I find a suitable program for me, or focus on getting more raw clinical experience such as scribing/EMT work during my gap year?

600 clinical hours is fine

Lower tier MD schools and DO schools don't care much for research. But a publication is certainly a cherry on the top.

 

[vcentwin]

what EXACTLY counts as "lower tier" MD anyway?

 

[paimei42]

what EXACTLY counts as "lower tier" MD anyway?

In broad strokes if the MCAT mean is around 508 its probably "lower tier" MD

 

[vcentwin]

In broad strokes if the MCAT mean is around 508 its probably "lower tier" MD

i haven't taken the MCAT yet so I guess i won't know what programs to apply until i have a score.