<p>Hi CC! I'm a bit of a latecomer to the pre-med game, having had an epiphany that I wanted to become a doctor just a few weeks ago, and I pretty much spent the last few days reading old threads on this board and soaking up the massive wealth of information. I do have a question though, and I'm hoping you guys will allow me to tap your brains: regarding research as an extracurricular, I know that it's tremendously useful when applying to name brand schools known for their research, but how does it come into play if you're not all that interested in research and want to go to a clinically focused school? Is it advantageous to have it on the application anyway? I kinda figured it's no big deal to spend a summer doing research even if I don't particularly enjoy it if it'll beef up my application significantly, but if not, then I'd rather do EMT work or do something non-medically related that I would enjoy more.</p>
<p>Incidentally, what are the good clinical schools?</p>
<p>The distinction between "research" schools and "clinical" schools is really splitting hairs. Going to one or the other is NEVER going to prevent you from going in the opposite direction if that's what you want to do. I really don't like the distinction in general, other than its usefulness in knowing which schools really, really, really want research and which ones like it but don't necessarily "require" it. </p>
<p>That said, research is always advantageous. But that doesn't mean there aren't things that are equally as worthwhile. I always think it's a good idea to do things you are interested in, and I really discourage pre-meds from doing anything simply because they think it's what med schools want. It doesn't hurt to look for research positions, you never know if you'll find some really interesting projects (it doesn't have to be bench research). If you can't find anything that inspires you, then look for something else. The big thing is that you can't do nothing with you summers. </p>
<p>Lastly, as someone who just decided on medicine, I think it would be wise to really focus on getting clinical experience first...just to make sure it's the right decision.</p>