Undergraduate Research

[JoshuaGuit]

How much trouble will I have getting medical school admissions?

I am currently a Junior. Last year I tried getting research and I couldn't get any, this year I did and still couldn't get research with a professor. I've been through at least 8 different professors looking for research. I've gotten interviews, but no positive feedback. This last interview was 4 weeks ago (after waiting 2 weeks for him to narrow down the pool from 9 applicants to me and one other kid) and only got an email back from the professor today saying I should apply again in the Spring.

I'm really getting increasingly frustrated with this, it seems like I just can't get into any research projects (even helping out and doing bitch work) and this will prevent me from getting into research oriented med schools. I've done one research project before for a semester class and absolutely loved spending all of the time in my cell bio lab working on my own project.

I know this sounds melodramatic, but is this pretty much going to hinder my application a ton? Even if I got research now, the Spring semester would just be training and any real projects would begin next fall... after when I was planning on submitting my applications.

I feel like getting research at my university is like playing a game of roulette. I have all the stats for it, a pretty decent personality, and good leadership EC's... it just is down to luck and so far I haven't gotten any.

Any advice people? Maybe this thread was just to rant... I'm sorry.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[gmcguitar4]

If you want to goto a top MD program..then yes you will probably need research. Give a list of EC's/sGPA/cGPA/MCAT breakdown/state residence.

If you have a lot of other EC's you don't need the research. Would it look good to have research experience? Of course. If you really want the research, then take time off after school and apply the cycle after you wanted.

So for research, try maybe other local schools, research facilities, hospitals, med schools. The school I went to had a med school and hospital affiliated with it and I had a class in the med school. I look up stuff I was interested in and then just go to the labs after class and ask about specific things regarding the research. I also just searched the internet for interesting research projects and emailed person.

 

[Morzh]

If you want to go to a top MD research program as ranked by US News..then yes you will probably need research. Give a list of EC's/sGPA/cGPA/MCAT breakdown/state residence.

If you have a lot of other EC's you don't need the research. Would it look good to have research experience? Of course. If you really want the research, then take time off after school and apply the cycle after you wanted.

So for research, try maybe other local schools, research facilities, hospitals, med schools. The school I went to had a med school and hospital affiliated with it and I had a class in the med school. I look up stuff I was interested in and then just go to the labs after class and ask about specific things regarding the research. I also just searched the internet for interesting research projects and emailed person.

Fixed . All accredited US schools are "top" schools for becoming an outstanding physician. Everything else GMC said is right.

If you're interested in a research-oriented academic career, then maybe it makes a difference and yes you'll want good research experience as an undergad. But if you just want to be a great clinician then don't waste money on the super expensive programs. Go to your state school or someplace you fall in love with and work hard to rock step 1/2. Then you'll have great residency options and that will influence how good of a doctor you are far more than where you got your degree.

 

[Morsetlis]

I think you should've looked harder last year...

How can you spend an entire year but not find any research to do? I spent two days asking a Psychology professor at a community college and immediately got a project (this was when I got bored after 2 years of bench research).

But don't despair! Plenty of people get into medical school without research. Unless you plan on becoming the a Nobel Laureate, lack of research now shouldn't keep you from doing what you want to... in the future.

 

[JoshuaGuit]

I think you should've looked harder last year...

How can you spend an entire year but not find any research to do? I spent two days asking a Psychology professor at a community college and immediately got a project (this was when I got bored after 2 years of bench research).

But don't despair! Plenty of people get into medical school without research. Unless you plan on becoming the a Nobel Laureate, lack of research now shouldn't keep you from doing what you want to... in the future.

My major is BME and yeah I understand it's very ironic that despite doing to a research oriented school, I couldn't get any research. Most professors here do not take on freshmen or sophomores, but rather only upperclassmen. We have great facilities, however we have a large graduate school so undergrads are not needed as much.

There's nothing that can really excuse why I don't have research now other than just being unlucky or messing up somehow during interviews. A majority of professors that turned me down told me I didn't have enough research experience (how can you get experience when you need it originally?) or that there wasn't any more room in the lab. Maybe they were just being nice.

 

[altamont850]

I think you should've looked harder last year...

How can you spend an entire year but not find any research to do?

This is not as uncommon as you believe. I have a friend who is also a premed (but further along) who has a 3.94 GPA, is quite knowledgeable in many fields, and can retain/synthesize information very easily. He attempted to find a research opportunity for a year and was unsuccessful. Many PI's believe that undergrads are more of a hindernace than an aid. In addition, many people go to schools which do not support extensive research.

It's a real issue because my friend is shooting for an MD/PhD and this is hard when you have no research. I truly belive that many people gain research experience through nepotism.

 

[altamont850]

A majority of professors that turned me down told me I didn't have enough research experience (how can you get experience when you need it originally?)

Exactly. You just have to keep trying until you have an "in" and can demonstrate your competence.

 

[Isoprop]

I have zero research. I hated it. Will try it out now that I'm in med school to see if my feelings towards it have changed, but yeah I had no problems gaining admissions.

As long as you are willing to go to a non-research oriented school, then it should be fine. I mean, if you don't like research, why would you want to go to a school that does a lot of research?

 

[dominicandoctor]

Many PI's believe that undergrads are more of a hindernace than an aid.

Really? My understanding was that undergrads = awesome free labor. I feel like it's actually much harder to get a paid research position for this very same reason.

 

[altamont850]

Really? My understanding was that undergrads = awesome free labor. I feel like it's actually much harder to get a paid research position for this very same reason.

I believe it really depends on many factors (i.e. your reputation, academic aptitude, past lab experience). With this in mind, it is understandable why many freshman and sophomores don't receive positions but I've seen upperclassmen turned away as well. In addition I've also seen freshmen in labs so it is not really cut and dry. If you're qualified then it is true that you could be useful. My point was that it often is not enough to excel academically. Like many situations in life, you have to make meaningful connections while you prove your competence.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Honestly, as medical schools are getting much more competitive nowadays, research is getting to be more important in an application.

 

[Oo Cipher oO]

I had the same problem last year finding a decent research position. My lack of decent research experience was probably one factor that kept me from being accepted at med school last cycle. I then found out my school has a symposium every year devoted to undergraduate research. All the research activities carried the names of faculty sponsors. I spent an hour the next day sending emails to the professors whose research I was interested in and in less then a week I had secured a position in a lab. See if you can find a similar list of professors at your school that have a solid history of supporting undergrad research.

 

[Doctor246853]

My major is BME and yeah I understand it's very ironic that despite doing to a research oriented school, I couldn't get any research. Most professors here do not take on freshmen or sophomores, but rather only upperclassmen. We have great facilities, however we have a large graduate school so undergrads are not needed as much.

There's nothing that can really excuse why I don't have research now other than just being unlucky or messing up somehow during interviews. A majority of professors that turned me down told me I didn't have enough research experience (how can you get experience when you need it originally?) or that there wasn't any more room in the lab. Maybe they were just being nice.

Its harder at research oriented schools because they have a large application pool to choose from. Try other schools that are close... Good luck

 

[doctorshateher]

Check an MSAR. The % of students reporting research experience will likely be directly proportional to how much of a challenge getting in without research experience will be at any given school.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

I'm gonna help you out.
http://people.rit.edu/gtfsbi/Symp/premed.htm
Lists almost every summer research opportunity you can apply for in 2012
Biology/Physics/Biomedical/ etc.
Have fun.