Which top schools favor research heavy apps?

[Frank Hardy]

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Hi

Looking to add some reach schools.
I was wondering if anyone knew which of the following schools favor research heavy applicants (1 pub, 2 more submitted decent journals). You can only get so much info. from them over the phone (afterall they want you to apply for the secondary money). I have an average mcat- less than 33. and my funds are limited so I don't want to spend time on schools that will not even consider me for an interview. Some more info. (not to troll just to help decide)- I went to a public school. IL resident. Very high GPA. not URM.

Harvard
Baylor
UPenn
JHU
Northwestern
Duke
Vandy
UVa
UCSF
Uof Chicago
Stanford
Mayo
Dartmouth
Columbia
Cornell
Emory
Georgetown
U of Rochester


Help with columbia and cornell is especially useful. I think I should not bother with Columbia (although I love their curriculum), Northwestern, stanford, GTown, Emory, Duke. I appreciate the input.

 

[Yehosh]

Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Mayo and UCSF are good examples

Stanford even has a question on the secondary app regarding publications, so obviously it is important to them

I got interviews to Harvard and Yale with a 31R on the MCAT, so don't despair

 

[FemalesCANTDriv]

Duke is very friendly to students from public schools with lots of research. I didn't get an interview at Cornell, Columbia, UChicago, UPenn, or Hopkins. High GPA and decent MCAT (33+). PM me if you have any questions.

 

[MrBurns10]

I agree with FCD. Give Duke a shot...they're the most research-intensive med school out there, and though the average MCAT is high there are obviously several of us that didn't score that high 🙂

 

[premeddick]

Stanford even has a question on the secondary app regarding publications, so obviously it is important to them

Really? What do they ask?

 

[corbis11]

CCLCM requires it and ~85% of case students have some type of research

 

[Yehosh]

Really? What do they ask?

I can't remember the exact question, but it was asking if the applicant has had research published and to go into a little detail about the publications

 

[wont]

Based on my experience...


Northwestern a very heavy emphasis on research...

Vandy Will consider you for your research even if you lack community involvement


Dartmouth May like research, but they also want to see community involvement


U of Rochester They like research... but not at expense of community involvement. definitely a good one to consider


Many of the others I don't know about (obviously the ivies like research... but they are extremely competitive, and unless you've done something amazing - they won't look at you twice; I had 1 first author pub (high GPA, high MCAT) and what my interviewers told me were excellent LORs regarding research, but out of Harvard, Stanford, Penn, and Yale - I was only interviewed at Yale). You should consider adding University of Pittsburgh (has a special research program; full scholarship), University of Iowa (a majority of students leave w/ pubs - they want people who can do research), Ohio State University (has independent study track in which research is emphasized), University of Colorado (has research emphasis but will also want to see community involvement), and also Cleveland clinic / Case western (the clinic is VERY interested in research activities, just short of an MSTP... and Case is similar, but maybe a little less emphasis). Hope this is of some use...

 

[mlle3000]

Baylor. and if you don't have much money to spend on the application process, sounds like you want a school with a moderate pricetag....and baylor is one of the cheapest private schools.

my experience is almost ALL research (while i do have experience in other areas, it is much more limited.) baylor is a big research school. check them out.


Females - I like this is turning into "check out my dream school....i just got in...you'll love it as much as i do!!!"

 

[CCLCMer]

CCLCM requires it and ~85% of case students have some type of research

Yeah, CCLCM does require research. But you really need to be well-rounded if you're going to be a successful applicant here.

Frank Hardy, if you're interested in doing research, you might want to look into both Case programs (UP and CCLCM). I'm not sure about the UP, but the CCLCM admissions dean has said that we do not have any kind of MCAT cutoff. I know at least one person interviewed here who had a 24 MCAT-not sure if they got in though. Plus, you can apply to both programs for the price of one and they'll coordinate your interviews so you only have to come out to Cleveland once. Feel free to PM me if you have questions.

 

[bacalaca]

I think there was a thread on this already... but I was wondering for those of you out there on this thread, if you are research heavy, did you mention it strongly in your personal statement, or did you let your activities explain it via. research description, grants, publications etc.

I only ask because I am torn, I just wrote my personal statement and it is basically just mainly about my clinical experience and why I want to be a doctor. I didnt really talk about research in it because I thought that my activities section on AMCAS was sufficient for that, and plus it honestly would sound pretty boring if I talked about research. I dont want to be like ya research was great... but I want to interact with patients instead blah blah.

Anyways, being a research heavy guy(basically consumes alot of my time, big grant and stuff) do you think it would hurt my chances at these research schools if I do not explicitly talk about research in my personal statement? or are the descriptions in the AMCAS activities section sufficient enough?

THANKS!!!!

 

[Meeher]

I think there was a thread on this already... but I was wondering for those of you out there on this thread, if you are research heavy, did you mention it strongly in your personal statement, or did you let your activities explain it via. research description, grants, publications etc.

I only ask because I am torn, I just wrote my personal statement and it is basically just mainly about my clinical experience and why I want to be a doctor. I didnt really talk about research in it because I thought that my activities section on AMCAS was sufficient for that, and plus it honestly would sound pretty boring if I talked about research. I dont want to be like ya research was great... but I want to interact with patients instead blah blah.

Anyways, being a research heavy guy(basically consumes alot of my time, big grant and stuff) do you think it would hurt my chances at these research schools if I do not explicitly talk about research in my personal statement? or are the descriptions in the AMCAS activities section sufficient enough?

THANKS!!!!

If it made a difference in your decision to attend medical school, mention it in your personal statement. Most of my interviews centered around my research, but that was because I put it in my PS and activities sections and it truly influenced my decision to go into medicine. Many of the research-heavy schools encourage research and some even require it during med school (Pitt, Vandy, CCLCM) and some of their secondary questions ask specifically about research, like Vandy's and CCLCM's, so it would be wise to include those experiences SOMEWHERE...just not necessarily in the PS if it was not a major influence in your decision. Alternatively, you can put it in there but save its discussion for the interviews or secondaries.

It looks like you've done a lot of research and so I would probably put it in your PS. Putting research in there won't make the PS boring if you yourself make it interesting (i.e. your reasons/outcomes are unique) and not make it a typical "research is great" response. It does take a somewhat good/memorable PS to get an interview or acceptance at these schools. That is why people should take their times with the PS to make it the best possible. Good luck!

 

[FemalesCANTDriv]

Females - I like this is turning into "check out my dream school....i just got in...you'll love it as much as i do!!!"

Haha... doesn't just feel great!

 

[CCLCMer]

I think there was a thread on this already... but I was wondering for those of you out there on this thread, if you are research heavy, did you mention it strongly in your personal statement, or did you let your activities explain it via. research description, grants, publications etc.

I only ask because I am torn, I just wrote my personal statement and it is basically just mainly about my clinical experience and why I want to be a doctor. I didnt really talk about research in it because I thought that my activities section on AMCAS was sufficient for that, and plus it honestly would sound pretty boring if I talked about research. I dont want to be like ya research was great... but I want to interact with patients instead blah blah.

Anyways, being a research heavy guy(basically consumes alot of my time, big grant and stuff) do you think it would hurt my chances at these research schools if I do not explicitly talk about research in my personal statement? or are the descriptions in the AMCAS activities section sufficient enough?

THANKS!!!!

Yeah, I agree with Meeher. I would talk about your research in your personal statement at least some if you want to have a research career. Probably you should talk a little about both the research and the clinical side and not make it all research either though.