Value of research??

[Maaricka]

What is the value of research to a non-trad applicant? Is gpa/MCAT/volunteer hours enough?

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[AnotherLawyer]

If you can get research experience I would. Strengthen your app in every way you can to compensate for the areas in which you will invariably fall short. We should all strive to give the adcoms as few reasons as possible to say no to our apps. With that said, if you can't get research experience then you can't do it. It's probably the most acceptable "standard" EC to be lacking for a non-trad.

 

[esob]

TBH I'm not even sure how undergrads get research. I have actual research experience in a military lab and every prof I've asked about research opportunities has said, "we don't take undergrads in our labs and on the rare occasions that we make exceptions, it is only for those who intend on pursuing entry into a Ph.D or master programs." I've only met three undergrads at my school who got research and two were seniors who essentially lied and said they were interested in Ph.D programs, lol. My TA told me they hate undergrads in the labs because the training we do in undergrad laboratories in no way shape or form prepares us to actually work in a research lab, which is something I've been saying all along

I do know of some people that do research outside of the university, but in-house research for undergrads seems pretty much non-existent at my school.

 

[wholeheartedly]

TBH I'm not even sure how undergrads get research. I have actual research experience in a military lab and every prof I've asked about research opportunities has said, "we don't take undergrads in our labs and on the rare occasions that we make exceptions, it is only for those who intend on pursuing entry into a Ph.D or master programs." I've only met three undergrads at my school who got research and two were seniors who essentially lied and said they were interested in Ph.D programs, lol. My TA told me they hate undergrads in the labs because the training we do in undergrad laboratories in no way shape or form prepares us to actually work in a research lab, which is something I've been saying all along

I do know of some people that do research outside of the university, but in-house research for undergrads seems pretty much non-existent at my school.

really? huh, all three of the schools I've been at had many undergrads doing research.

 

[Gurby]

It's got what AdComs crave!

 

[esob]

really? huh, all three of the schools I've been at had many undergrads doing research.

I was surprised too but I'm slowly but surely realizing that premeds at my school are pretty much looked upon as pariahs. We pretty consistently place < 10% of premeds into actual medical school so that says something about our premed population, lol.

 

[Goro]

What is the value of research to a non-trad applicant? Is gpa/MCAT/volunteer hours enough?

Research is actually a low priority for Adcoms (based upon surveys...the wise @gonnif have posted extensively about this), especially those at state schools. The powerhouses like it. But non-trads do get cut some slack because we know you have real lives.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I was surprised too but I'm slowly but surely realizing that premeds at my school are pretty much looked upon as pariahs. We pretty consistently place < 10% of premeds into actual medical school so that says something about our premed population, lol.

Oh yeah, definitely encountered some disdain for premeds, esp. by research folks. Fortunately I wasn't one at the time. Some of it was deserved though. Had a prof who had a premed student doing research with him and she left in the middle of the project as soon as she got an acceptance, not a word just disappeared.

It does suck a bit for people for me who have a genuine interest in both.