<p>hey. i havent posted in a while but im faced with a situation and im not sure what to do. i would love to attend a top med school although its not necessary but i heard that many of the top schools require extensive research experience. (research universities not primary care) I am also interested in studying abroad for a full year as a jr. where i would become involved in some interests and hobbies of mine but would forgo any research until my senior year. i do currently work in a research lab but i was wondering whether you think that going abroad or research experience is more important. just so you know, it is impossible for me to begin research abroad, i have already looked into that.</p>
<p>Duke advising:
1.) Interferes with MCAT taking, usually done during junior year.</p>
<p>2.) Many schools are unable to adequately assess schoolwork done at a foreign institution and so will rely very heavily on the two years of your transcript. Just like those who apply after graduating in three years, this becomes a liability since they have 50% more information on everybody else than they have on you.</p>
<p>You could also have a gap year or two between your undergrad and applying for med school. During your senior year, instead of applying to med schools, apply to post bac programs (NIH has one and I'm sure lots of other places do too) so you can have 1-2 years of extensive research, 3 years of grades, and time to study for your MCAT. Also, if you leave your lab for a year, there may not be a guarantee that they will keep your position.</p>
<p>1.) I will choose to go ahead and stand by my advice. Other courses are fine, and they'll make you seem well-rounded. But take your premed courses at your home school, because the evaluation of those is very important.</p>
<p>2.) Yes. Oxford or Cambridge is obviously better than ones we've never heard of. (i.e. everybody else.)</p>
<p>2.) Supplement: I have met 500 medical students in my school. I interviewed at 11 medical schools and met hundreds of other premeds. I was admitted to six medical schools and given rosters for all of them. All in all, omitting those I went to undergrad with, I've probably seen the undergraduate institutions of upwards of a thousand medical students in total. Not a single one of them did their undergrad work overseas.</p>
<p>That's not to say it can't be done. Just that I don't know any of them. (There are 18K medical students per class in the US. I'm sure some of them came from overseas.)</p>
<p>take the MCAT summer before jr yr if you do....or take a year off between college and med school</p>
<p>time spent in a lab is much less significant than getting some kind of publication done. depending on the kind of research, it does not necessarily take time to get an abstract/conference presentation done</p>
<p>I am currently a sophomore. I am planning to take MCAT in August. I will be exclussively studying for it during June & July. I will be doing public health related work abroad during the fall (leave of absense) of my junior year. I will not be taking any classes abroad. I have a prominent public health person mentoring me and would be able to get good recommendation. I have not done any research in college since it does not interest me. My research work in high school has resulted in 2 papers - one was published last year and the other will be published this year. I am the third author in both of them. My GPA is average. I am taking a semester off to pursue my passion and hopefully it will show. Any suggestion and recommendation would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Sorry I am new to the forum and have not gone through all the discussions. Advising at my school is poor so I am pretty much on my own. I am glad that I found this forum. My question is - am I missing out on anything by going abroad and not taking any classes during the fall of my junior year ? I am able to fulfil my credits in 7 semesters since I took organic chemistry over the summer.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice. i guess a few more details couldnt hurt my situation. i have already completed my pre-med requirements at my home institution. i am also a science major so they should have plenty of science courses to get a good judement of where i stand. while abroad i will be taking some university core classes as well as some upper level science classes. i have been thinking about taking the year off but i do not know if i want to use that year just to improve my chances of getting into a school that is nearly impossible to get into anyway, whereas i could try and gain acceptance to a local state school for less money and save the year. i think maybe i will apply senior year and see if i am accepted anywhere and determine what i do from there.</p>