What Should I Do With My Summer

[aynrand]

I'm a junior in pre-med and I applied for summer internship positions at several universities.
I've been rejected by pretty much all of the schools I applied to. What should I do with my summer?
Im planning to take the MCAT in August.
Should I just focus on the MCAT the whole summer? should I do some kind of voluntary service? What should I do?

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[TexPre-Med]

research

 

[Anastasis]

Do you have any clinical experience yet?

If not, find a free clinic and as Lizzy would say, "Smell some patients"

 

[aynrand]

I've done plenty of research before. But I don't have any clinical experience.

 

[blargh]

what did you apply to and did you get into any of them?

speaking from personal experience, these programs really prefer juniors. when i applied last year, i got waitlisted and received a letter in june telling me to apply next year because they want to give the research opportunities to students who will not have another chance to do it. i applied to the same program as a junior and got in...

there are TONS of opportunities outside these research programs. go find them =)

 

[aynrand]

i am a junior.

i applied to Rutgers and Colorado Cancer Center. They've sent me rejection letters already. But I haven't heard from Wisconsin-Madison. And I'm not really expecting to get a position there either.

i did research last summer. i thought that having more research experience would give my resume a little boost.

 

[Soccer885]

I've done plenty of research before. But I don't have any clinical experience.

Get some clinical experience since you dont have any and focus on the MCAT. In my opinion, you need to spend a great amount of time studying for the MCAT. It will difficult to get into medical school with a low MCAT score and no clinical experience.

 

[patrickd223]

you will NOT get in without clinical experience. The least you can do is volunteer 4 or 8 hours a week at a hospital or nursing home and still have plenty of time for the MCAT staudying

 

[aynrand]

yeah...volunteering is a really good idea.
i live in Texas. anyone have recommendations?
I'm actually looking at lists of hospitals and such right now.

 

[Agent47]

Dont u get Clinical experience from Research? I mean, I'm currently working at Beaumont Hospital as Research Assistant. I actually go with resident or doctor to see the patient and sometime I go with them in Surgery!! I don't know if that counts as a Clinical Experience.

Well,...Hope u get in!! Good luck

 

[Soccer885]

Dont u get Clinical experience from Research? I mean, I'm currently working at Beaumont Hospital as Research Assistant. I actually go with resident or doctor to see the patient and sometime I go with them in Surgery!! I don't know if that counts as a Clinical Experience.

Well,...Hope u get in!! Good luck

I guess it would depend on your research. I do neuroscience research and have NO patient interaction at all. My research is looking at neurons on slides. That does not count as clinical experience at all.

As for your research, I do not know if it will count as clinical or not. It will probably be up to the schools you apply to as to whether or not they will count it as clinical experience.

 

[PepperMD]

I guess it would depend on your research. I do neuroscience research and have NO patient interaction at all. My research is looking at neurons on slides. That does not count as clinical experience at all.

As for your research, I do not know if it will count as clinical or not. It will probably be up to the schools you apply to as to whether or not they will count it as clinical experience.

Hey, those neurons are tiny little pieces of patients. Sounds clinical to me...

 

[alwaysaangel]

Dont u get Clinical experience from Research? I mean, I'm currently working at Beaumont Hospital as Research Assistant. I actually go with resident or doctor to see the patient and sometime I go with them in Surgery!! I don't know if that counts as a Clinical Experience.

Well,...Hope u get in!! Good luck

This was discussed a while back and some adcom members around said that research is research. Even if its clinical research. So you should probably try to get some additional clinical stuff under your belt.

 

[blargh]

i am a junior.

i applied to Rutgers and Colorado Cancer Center. They've sent me rejection letters already. But I haven't heard from Wisconsin-Madison. And I'm not really expecting to get a position there either.

i did research last summer. i thought that having more research experience would give my resume a little boost.

sorry, the MCAT has already proven that my reading skills suck. from what i understand, houston has TONS of opportunities. try asking around for volunteer research positions or apply for a job at a private biotech. there are lots of hospitals for volunteering, too.

 

[aynrand]

i think clinical research entails more human interaction.
the research i did was molecular biology related, very lab oriented.
i'm going to look at some of the hospitals in my city.

as far TA-ing and laboratory research i think im set. i just need to do some service...and yeah...focus on the MCAT.

 

[Anastasis]

yeah...volunteering is a really good idea.
i live in Texas. anyone have recommendations?
I'm actually looking at lists of hospitals and such right now.

Are you applying TMDSAS? If so - do yourself a favor and take the MCAT earlier than August.

Schools start interviewing in August and most TX acceptances go out in November.

 

[GreenShirt]

Between studying for the MCAT and filling out primaries, you're going to be pretty busy. Clinical experience is a must. If you still have time left after all that, just take it easy.

General question: If you apply through the Texas match, are you still allowed to apply through AMCAS?

 

[aynrand]

Between studying for the MCAT and filling out primaries, you're going to be pretty busy. Clinical experience is a must. If you still have time left after all that, just take it easy.

General question: If you apply through the Texas match, are you still allowed to apply through AMCAS?

that is a good question

 

[paranoid_eyes]

someone mentioned this, but ill say it again. take the MCAT earlier!

then, shadow/volunteer at a hospital.

 

[Green Pirate]

yeah my advisor made it a point to tell me that research is not clinical experience (unless it's clinical research). And even clinical research isn't always the best clinical experience. Definitely get a few shadowing gigs before you apply. While I know research is generally more fun and interesting (since you actually get to be involved in something), it's an unwritten requirement that you must smell some patients before your undergrad time is up!

 

[Green Pirate]

i just need to do some service...and yeah...focus on the MCAT.

Yeah I'm not look forward to building up that aspect of my app. It brings to mind George Costanza's line when he was explaining what might happen to him if he got caught bootlegging -- "I could do hard time for this, and community service!"

 

[Vvandenn]

Between studying for the MCAT and filling out primaries, you're going to be pretty busy. Clinical experience is a must. If you still have time left after all that, just take it easy.

General question: If you apply through the Texas match, are you still allowed to apply through AMCAS?

Yes.

 

[aynrand]

i just found out from a friend that you can apply through both AMCAS and your state application service (if your state has one).

 

[gary5]

Yes, study for the MCAT all summer. It's the most important test of your life.