<p>I'm the parent of a sophomore son who would like to go into medical research of some sort - exactly what he's not sure yet though he's thinking of anything from molecular to biomedical engineering. He has the grades to do well in the field, but would not likely do well in a cut throat environment (for undergrad anyway).</p>
<p>I'm quite familiar with Engineering schools... but not so familiar with medical research. He is likely to be competitive for National Merit finalist (next year, of course). Ideally, HE wants smaller and Christian...though also would like undergrad research opportunities and I'm not sure those three all go together. I'm opening him up to larger and secular (to have more options). Can I get a list of schools people would think would be good for us to look at more closely? Baylor has been suggested by a couple of folks... At this point, a huge list would be a plus. We can work down from there. </p>
<p>I should add that I don't really want a huge list of every college with a Bio major... I can get that easily. I'm looking for a list of schools that are considered good undergrad programs for medical research without a cut throat environment. Eastern US would be a plus as would merit aid.</p>
<p>Top tier schools will always have some degrees of cut-throat environment, so I’m not sure what to offer along with the religious request, and good research schools are usually bigger to medium size. Anyway, here’s what I can think of;</p>
<p>I believe curmudgeon’s D went to Rhodes - I believe they have some great research opportunities as well as merit aid opportunities. If memory serves me correctly she has had some great opportunities for medical research while there and is currently interviewing at med schools.</p>
<p>More Hope students get published in major journals than students at several top universities put together. Per capita, it’s been claimed they have by far the highest rate of students being published in peer-reviewed biology journals of any college in the country (including Hopkins, the Ivies, etc.).</p>
<p>^I was just going to mention Hope College as well! Small, christian, and sounds like great opps for research (a significant portion go onto graduate school in the sciences).</p>
<p>Notre Dame is doing amazing medical research for “orphan diseases” (rare diseases that often lack research attention). I believe that ND is working with Lily pharm to develop meds for rare diseases.</p>
<p>I recommend that you also post this thread on the Pre-Med Topics subforum. There are several current Med School students there who are very knowledgeable and helpful.</p>
<p>Note: while Baylor U may be great in it’s own right, some people may get it confused or connected with the excellent Baylor Med School with which it has no association.</p>
<p>Make sure that the research opportunities are truly available to undergrads and aren’t scooped up by grad students. When my son was in HS, visiting colleges, he would often venture off on his own, stopping in labs and talking with the grad students there. Many times they were happy to show him around and talk about their projects. He had a better feel for WHO did what. He’s doing Neuroscience at Brown and there is plenty of research available for undergrads, but then again, Brown doesn’t have a large grad program.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, pursuing the medical research opportunities will probably thrust him into the world of the pre-meds. Pre-med = cut-throat at pretty much every school.</p>
<p>I second the breadth of research opportunities for pre-meds at Rice due to its collaboration with and proximity (across the street) to the Texas Medical Center – the largest medical center in the country (with 14 hospitals and 2 med schools).</p>
<p>Many thanks to all for the suggestions. I’ve talked with a couple of folks doing research, so I know there are places that are not as cut throat as others - for undergrad anyway. I just need to find them.</p>
<p>Mainly now I need to know some because this son has also been homeschooled since 7th grade - so I need to check with colleges to be sure he has all the proper testing they want (AP, SAT 2) to be competitive for entry. Feel free to diss the homeschooling aspect if you wish, but our local public high school simply doesn’t make the grade (I work there). Yesterday they just took the PSAT. One of my son’s best buddies and academic peers was in my room. I asked him after the test what he thought of it. He said ‘hard.’ I asked my son what he thought of it. He said ‘easy.’ I’ve seen enough students from our schools go to ‘basic’ colleges and not be able to hack it. I don’t want the same for mine.</p>
<p>And as for the ‘not cut throat,’ that’s a personality issue. This son is my middle son and is very much the peacekeeper by his nature. We joke that if anyone can solve the middle eastern problems, he will be it. While he’s competitive in sports and with academics he is not when it comes to other people. College may - or may not - change that as he’s been that way since birth (he DID give his toys to his siblings without crying).</p>
<p>John’s Hopkins is one we were told not to even consider for undergrad. I’ll have to check to see if the Baylor they meant was the undergrad or the med school… Rice had been mentioned too - I forgot that one.</p>
<p>And I’ll check into Hope. I had told him he’d be unlikely to get what he wanted AND Christian. It’d be great if I were proven wrong… I’ll also check ND as he seems drawn to areas without as much research already done. We are not Catholic, but I’m thinking that isn’t as much of an issue with Catholic colleges? However, I went to a secular school and kept my faith - it actually got stronger - so I’m certainly not opposed to that for my offspring if that’s where the best education for him is.</p>
<p>Loyola, Georgetown, Creighton and Saint Louis University are all Catholic universities with medical schools. They are worth looking into for research opportunities at the undergraduate level.</p>
<p>University of Rochester has a lot of opportunities for undergraduate research. In fact, a year ago, the President told the parents that they had more research opportunities for undergraduates than they had undergraduates. The medical school and Strong Memorial Hospital are across the street from the main campus. It’s not a cut throat environment on the whole. My d is also the “peacekeeper” by nature (not science-oriented), but she has not found it necessary to keep the peace among her pre-med friends (except, of course, in areas that have nothing to do with the fact that they’re pre-med). Rochester is friendly to home-schoolers and relatively generous with merit aid.</p>
I’ll also check ND as he seems drawn to areas without as much research already done. We are not Catholic, but I’m thinking that isn’t as much of an issue with Catholic colleges? However, I went to a secular school and kept my faith - it actually got stronger - so I’m certainly not opposed to that for my offspring if that’s where the best education for him is.</p>