<p>I've been reading a lot lately and people always say that you should get a high GPA, MCATs, extra currics, and a lot of research. What exactly is "research" and how does one do it? I'm almost positive its not the typical research/studying one does at home to prepare for an exam.</p>
<p>ahh…the elusive RESEARCH! yes brave one, many have attempted it at home and failed miserably. its probably best not to try it at home. I’d go for maybe…a nearby university??
im sure they have places you could do research. but thats just my guess</p>
<p>Yeah, but what do you actually do to make it count as “research”? Is there a program at the university or something? Or do you just read books from the university library during spare time?</p>
<p>There should be a website for your institution’s research programs (if they have one). For example: [U-M</a> Research Administration](<a href=“http://www.research.umich.edu/]U-M”>http://www.research.umich.edu/)</p>
<p>I have also seen links in different departments where a professor is looking for help doing research on a related topic. You may be able to do research yourself but I don’t think just reading a book will count.</p>
<p>So you basically go to a professor and ask if you can do research? I’m guessing it’ll be a project of some sort? I’m still not clear about it…</p>
<p>I haven’t ever done any researh so i don’t really know. I would assume the professor would have to be researching already because I don’t think they’d start up a new project just for that. Yes, they are projects. For example, I know someone who is doing research with his professor trying to learn more about some disease (forgot what it was). Someone else will probably be a lot more help than me because I have never been involved in it.</p>
<p>How about this? [MBB</a> Undergraduate Research](<a href=“http://mbb.rutgers.edu/UGresearch/MBBresopt.html]MBB”>Error Page) Seems to fit the bill.
</p>
<p>Or this. [Aresty</a> Research Center: Your Undergraduate Research Home at Rutgers](<a href=“http://aresty.rutgers.edu/]Aresty”>http://aresty.rutgers.edu/)</p>
<p>I looked up some more info. I’m guessing one should find an internship at a research facility? If so, I assume it’s ideal to do this during summer and not sure if you should do it at your own university or look for some local facility. </p>
<p>Anyway, an outline for what you should do to prepare for med school:
GPA
MCATs
Volunteer
Shadowing
Clubs
Research- which I still do not understand completely yet.</p>
<p>Am I right so far?</p>
<p>Yep that looks good. Although, research isn’t really required for all med schools. (or even clinical experience for that matter, although I don’t know what your chances would be without it)</p>
<p>Research can be different things. There is bench, translational, clinical, and some other types that most don’t do at the ugrad level. I think most end up doing some sort of bench research, which could be developing a protocol to differentiate stems cells to another type of tissue, or studying the the effects of a certain cytokine on tumor development and what not. Generally, you will either be working with a PI or their grad student. They usually develop the experiment and you are the one doing the labor testing it out and reporting the results back to them. Usually you start off learning about the basic lab techniques used in the lab, you start reading papers pertinent to the group and what you are doing, and other stuff that is PI/group dependent. If you are there long enough, you might start developing ideas you want to experiment, with the PIs help.</p>
<p>However, clinical experience through volunteering/shadowing is much more important than research. Research does help when it applies to the top schools.</p>
<p>Where do you go to school that you don’t know what research is? If your institution has an undergraduate research program (most research universities do) you can contact one of their advisers and they may be able to suggest some professors you talk to. Some professors even put out adds requesting undergraduate research assistants. You can also search professors lab websites and see what they research, if you are interested, and whether their lab has positions for undergrads. If you have taken a class with the professor and done well it helps, but if you can get another professor to vouch for you that works too. Many will require you to have completed certain courses before they will see you as useful too.</p>
<p>Many hospitals also have clinical research going on that you may be able to assist with(always good to get clinical experience and research at the same time! =), but this usually requires previous clinical experience, possibly certain course pre-reqs, maybe additional vaccinations, and or training demanding on what exactly you will be working with. Your pre-med adviser should be able to help you out with finding research opportunities as well.</p>
<p>Basically you just need to be proactive in seeking out and pursuing opportunities. And keep in mind that hospital staff are notorious for not returning calls and emails, so you may have to show up in person or get a doctor you know that works there to bring others attention to you. Sometimes you get lucky and they put out interest forms for research that you just fill out and submit and they will actually get back to you then.</p>
<p>What is your major?
Where do you go to school?
What year are you?
Do you have any research interests?</p>
<p>If you answer the above, I can try to help you out a little more.</p>
<p>Hope that helps a little.</p>
<p>I’m majoring in Chemistry, going to a State University, have just graduated high school and starting freshman college this fall. Research interests? Not sure, but I want to partake in research because I’ve noticed in the forums that it is a big thing for med school.</p>
<p>you should do research because it’s interesting to you, not because you want to “fit” into the premed cookiecutter. </p>
<p>Give it a semester or two. After you find topics in in your Gen Chem and O-Chem classes that real interest you, look on your depts website and find faculty doing research in that area. Approach them during office hours etc and tell them why your interested and show them you have a passion for the subject (good backround reading on the topic works wonders here). You may start out washing dishes for a semester but if you stick on you may be churning out publications by your senior year.</p>
<p>Like cwryan1 said, do not do anything because it’s a big thing for medical school. You shouldn’t enter college with this mindset that “I’ll do whatever it takes to get into medical school.” You need to do things you truly enjoy, or you might end up part of that groups of doctors who absolutely hate their jobs, provided you’re able to even find the motivation to do well in undergrad when you start forcing yourself to do things just to fill some “requirement.” </p>
<p>The reason I asked for your school was so I could look some stuff up for you. “State university” is not sufficient information to do that. I understand if you would prefer your school to remain confidential, but I can’t help you if it does.</p>
<p>As a freshman take time to explore all your possible interests, especially outside of medicine. Keep on track as a pre-med and do well/start getting involved and looking for potential research, internships, shadowing experiences, etc… but do NOT lock yourself into a one-career track mindset. If you haven’t already had some sort of experience with medicine through shadowing etc you might want to do something early on too to help you see if medicine is really what you want to do. You would be surprised how many decide it is not even though the have what it takes to make it.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, make sure it is for you, not money, prestige, parental pressure, peer pressure, or anything else. Becoming a doctor is a lifestyle as much as a career and you need to not only make sure that you will love what you do enough to stick it out and still be happy, but that their are not other fields that you find more appealing. Don’t fall into the illusion that medicine is some nice cushy life with big pay, respect, and prestige and enter it for those reasons; you will regret it. And just wanting to help people isn’t a very good reason other. Many professions help people. You need to make sure medicine is your passion.</p>
<p>Note: I am not insinuating that you are going along your path for the wrong reasons as I do not really know you. I am simply letting you know that many people decide to be pre-med for less than “good” reasons and when those people get accepted into med school they become miserable doctors. Don’t become a miserable doctor.</p>
<p>Research is an especially terrible thing to do if you have no interest in it. Research can miserable even when you enjoy it, I can’t imagine doing it just so that you can check something off your pre-med checklist.</p>
<p>If you develop genuine scientific interests, look at the research being done by professors at your school and try to get involved in their labs. Otherwise, leave it be and do something else with your time.</p>
<p>I’m currently doing research. Did it for 5 months as a volunteer, and now I’m getting paid for the summer. I really do enjoy it (especially now that I’m getting paid for it because I can actually devote a good amount of time to it), but I never figured out why medical schools like it. Granted, I wouldn’t be doing it as a job if it wasn’t good for medical school (doesn’t pay very well) but it’s an enjoyable job and I’m learning some great things from it.</p>
<p>Anyone here care to enlighten me?</p>
<p>The people who really like research and are good at it (ie PIs) do it b/c they are naturally curious.</p>
<p>i copied dna in my research. i felt good about it. what you do?</p>
<p>I cut mice brains. Lots of them. Mount them, stain them, and (eventually will learn to) count cells (of different types).</p>
<p>Basically studying hippocampal neurogenesis- how it’s affected by drugs and radiation and other misc things.</p>
<p>It’s pretty exciting, but a lot of stuff goes over my head…</p>