Do I need Research Experience to get into Medical School

Hello,

I am pre-med and am a Sophomore. I found a summer research opportunity to do research cardiology with a physician at New York Methodist Hospital (12-20 hours per week). I should also note that I do not have any experience in research So, is it true that I need to have research experience to get into medical school, or can I get in with just having clinical experience?

Side note: I plan on applying to Osteopathic Medical Schools.

Definitely not a necessity especially if you’re not pursuing research oriented schools

@iwannabe_brown So I should just focus on doing more clinical experience then?

Approx. 20% of matriculants (according to MSAR) report they have had little or no research experience. If you are not interested in research-oriented schools, then you don’t need to have research experience.

What is your ultimate career goal? Primary care? Rural medicine? Women’s health? Children’s health?

If you already know you what you’re interested in, try to gain additional clinical and non-clinical volunteer activities in support of your area(s) of interest.

@wayoutwestmom thank you for your response. I am interested in women’s health and children’s health; however, I have not decided which one yet?

Then do some volunteer work in both areas and get a taste of both. You don’t need to pick a medical specialty yet. (It’s much, much. much too soon. You need to work on getting into med school first.)

BTW, there’s an acute need for volunteers to work with adolescents. (Adolescents are not as cute and easy-to-deal-with as younger children, but often have greater needs than younger children.)