<p>I was wondering which is more preferable, student research or actual hospital experience i.e. shadowing and whatnot. I mean unless you want to attend a more research oriented school (Harvard, Hopkins, Duke) I would surmise that admissions would much rather see hospital experience. I would even venture to guess that admissions at the aforementioned schools would prefer it too. I've shadowed surgeons at Wake Forest Baptist Medical School every break since fall of my Senior year in HS (very much like the surgical rotations for med students). Also, what about pre-med students that are non-science majors. As the case is with me, I'm an Econ major and Science majors are given preference in regards to relevant research. Seeing as I am considering a few more research oriented schools, will my lack of research but abundance of hospital activity hurt or help.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Most people have both. Preferably, you would have both kinds of experiences.</p>
<p>If you could only choose one, I'd have to say with 100% certainty that hospital experience is FAR, FAR more important.</p>
<p>Some sort of clinic/patient experience is a requirement. You don't have it, and many more medical schools will reject you than would reject you with zero research (says the guy who had zero research). </p>
<p>Think about what will go through an admissions committee's collective minds when they see one candidate with zero patient experience but phenomenal research - "why isn't this kid just going on to get his/her PhD?" That's not a question you want people asking. </p>
<p>Finally, one note, I highly doubt your shadowing experience is anything close to what M3/M4's go through on surgery clerkships. You're not writing notes, you're not responsible for patient care, you're not getting graded, etc, etc. If I were you, I wouldn't go around telling people - especially med school admissions committees - that. I've had a lot of friends do a lot of different surgery experiences - even as first and second year students - and promise you that there's a large difference in the weight that putting M3 behind your name carries.</p>
<p>Given the fact that I'm not a science major, what is a reasonable amount of research that I should be doing. Also, would research with the economics department have merit given that it would show that I have some sort of acquaintance with the process of conducting research, although it is not necessarily scientific research?</p>
<p>and thanks BRM about the surgery thing, I don't want to do anything that turns a admissions committee off.</p>
<p>You won't get a break for being a non-science major because you can do research in whatever field you are majoring in. Medical schools want to see research because it helps develop creativity and critical thinking skills, things you'll need even as a clinician. Thus, research isn't just for MD/PhD candidates. With that same idea in mind, econ research is fine.</p>