Summer Pre-Med Activities

[deleted908035]

Hey all,

I'm about to finish my freshman year of undergrad, and was hoping to get some advice if my summer activities will put me on track to have strong ECs for my eventual med school app.

I applied to a couple smaller/less competitive research positions, some of them unpaid and not SURF programs, but was rejected from all. (not surprising... it was a long shot... I have no prior research experience and go to a small midwest LAC, but you gotta start somewhere)

(also- do you need research/lab experience outside of lab classes to get into medical school? Ive heard mixed things...)

So instead, I'll be returning home to volunteer at my local Ronald McDonald House, will work for the third summer in a row (paid) as a care aide for children with complex medical conditions (CP, cancer patients, etc), and will hopefully shadow a primary care doc a couple hours a week.

Is this a good summer plan? Do I need to be doing something different/more competitive? Anyone else in the same boat of not landing any research positions have advice on what to do over the summer as an alternative?

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[Terror Billy]

Don't worry too much about not having any research experience yet. Unless you're gunning for T20s +/ a future career in academic medicine I wouldn't sweat not having any significant exposure. At a LAC maybe you can find some type of psychology or sociology research that might interest you? Most medical schools just want to see that you have been exposed and applied the scientific method to some project/research area. Your current experience is good, but perhaps if you can find it, get some more non-clinical volunteering experience as well. Most importantly, preserve your GPA and when you're ready, kill the MCAT.