Is research experience mandatory for med schools?

[Guest qwertyy]

So many of my friends are working in a lab over the summer, and I am pretty much doing nothing other than 3 summer courses.

I feel like I'm not using my time efficiently.

 

Do Canadian med schools (preferably in Ontario) require students to get some experience in labs or hospitals before applying?

Can I do something else - like joining a club that I'm really personally interested in rather than working in a lab?

 

Also I see so many people who publish journals and stuff. Are these really necessary..? All I have is good GPA and good MCAT score (hopefully) by the time I apply so I'm not sure if I even have a chance at med schools..

[futurefamilydoc]

Research is absolutely not necessary for Ontario schools (can't speak for the non-Ontario schools but I believe it is the same). Even at schools considered to desire research the most, like UofT, you can still get in with 0 research (which was the case for me).

 

Stick to what you want to do for extracurriculars, if you do something like research/hospital volunteering just because you feel you need to, you will not end up getting much out of the experience, and it will definitely show during interviews. In your case, try to do some sort of extracurricular during the summer if you have the time, but stick to things you are interested in doing.

[LeBronto2019]

So many of my friends are working in a lab over the summer, and I am pretty much doing nothing other than 3 summer courses.

I feel like I'm not using my time efficiently.

 

Do Canadian med schools (preferably in Ontario) require students to get some experience in labs or hospitals before applying?

Can I do something else - like joining a club that I'm really personally interested in rather than working in a lab?

 

Also I see so many people who publish journals and stuff. Are these really necessary..? All I have is good GPA and good MCAT score (hopefully) by the time I apply so I'm not sure if I even have a chance at med schools..

 

NO! You don't NEED any specific extracurricular for med school. It seems like its grown into the premed culture for the need to do research; do it if you're interested in the topic, need a job/money, or if you want a research career in the future. If you're even slightly curious, then give it a shot too. Your intentions to do it shouldn't be based on if others are doing it or you perceive med schools to want it. From what I've heard on this forum, you don't need research to get in.

 

I'd much rather have you do something you're personally interested in than worry about working in a lab. And there are other research opportunities than working in a lab. I did qualitative research in an office (sounds boring but loved my topics) and clinical research at an ophthalmology clinic. Find what you're interesting, whether its through research or not, and do it!

 

Also, I know tons of people without publications that get accepted. Some premeds only do research for the sake of getting publications and others just have it as a by-product of their work without actually planning it. You have good marks and will have a good MCAT score, and you have the common sense to say "I'd rather do something of personal interest" so I'd say you're on a great track. Best of luck and don't be drawn into anything if you don't want to.

[amichel]

So many of my friends are working in a lab over the summer, and I am pretty much doing nothing other than 3 summer courses.

I feel like I'm not using my time efficiently.

 

Do Canadian med schools (preferably in Ontario) require students to get some experience in labs or hospitals before applying?

Can I do something else - like joining a club that I'm really personally interested in rather than working in a lab?

 

Also I see so many people who publish journals and stuff. Are these really necessary..? All I have is good GPA and good MCAT score (hopefully) by the time I apply so I'm not sure if I even have a chance at med schools..

 

I got accepted to three schools with absolutely 0 research.

[shearkha]

I agree with the above posters that research or other extracurricular activities are not mandatory (McMaster and Western don't even look at your resume), BUT such experiences CAN make you a more competitive applicant at many medical schools. Of course what you do, the result of your activities (e.g. publications, awards, etc), what skills/characteristics you demonstrate, and what you gain from those experiences are the most important part of it. Just doing research for the sake of doing research can not help you much. In the same vein joining a club for the sake of joining a club can not help you much. Again, I think the outcome of your activities, what you demonstrate, and what you gain are the most important part, not necessarily the nature of the activity. I am not in the admission committe, so definitely take my advice with a grain of salt.

[Guest qwertyy]

Thanks everyone!!

[simons]

Everyone has given helpful info, and you certainly don't need to get involved in research if you have no interest in it. That being said, in addition to being useful on an application as was mentioned, I think there's a lot to be learned from doing research that will be useful to you as a physician. Lots of hospital positions for doctors require some amount of research work. And even if you have no intention of being a clinician-scientist, the medical field is constantly evolving, and being able to read, understand, and interpret the research being done in your field will be necessary for keeping your medical knowledge current. Understanding how the research is done and what conclusions can be drawn from it is a lot easier if you have some experience with it yourself. Just another thing to think about.

[Hockeynut]

I got accepted to a few schools (five to be exact) and had no research on my application. That being said it is an asset if you enjoy it.

[rmorelan]

I got accepted to a few schools (five to be exact) and had no research on my application. That being said it is an asset if you enjoy it.

 

it just serves as a good EC, it can help you with a potential back up plan (you often have to apply more than once, and a masters is a fairly standard approach to dealing with that. Having prior research helps you get a good masters program under your belt). Some specialties it also helps down the line as well.

[freewheeler]

Just over a year later, I wonder if the opinions on this topic have changed at all, especially now that the admissions cycle just ended and offers have gone out.

 

For those applicants who were successful or unsuccessful, would you say that research experience is to some degree necessary for medical school admission?

[Birdy]

Didn't have any research experience and I got two interviews and was accepted to one school.

[ralk]

Just over a year later, I wonder if the opinions on this topic have changed at all, especially now that the admissions cycle just ended and offers have gone out.

 

For those applicants who were successful or unsuccessful, would you say that research experience is to some degree necessary for medical school admission?

 

Still not necessary (especially for schools that put little or no emphasis on ECs), but still helpful (especially for schools that put an emphasis on ECs and research in particular).

 

The guidelines for research as a pre-med are basically unchanged: don't do it if you have zero interest in research, do it if you have an interest (or believe you could have an interest) in research.

[Edict]

Mac doesn't even look at ECs, so I'm sure plenty of people at Mac won't have research. 

[xcon2run]

I don't think research is NECESSARY to get in, but it can certainly help an application in terms of job experience, awards and publications/conferences. 

 

Personally I had a tonne of research experience (honours thesis, masters, GA's, pubs, conferences etc.) and I have no doubt it helped me get into Dal. That being said, I don't feel that having a lot of research can make up for other weak sections on your application. It can be a great bonus but I don't think you should be thinking "hey, my GPA or MCAT are low so I'll try and do research to make this weakness less significant."

 

Just my two cents. 

[medhope15]

0

[MD2015]

It is not mandatory.

[SpasticMegacolon]

While not mandatory, it can even be not helpful. I applied to U of T with a PhD in physiology, they gave me the old 

"don't call us we won't call you".

 

What I'm trying to say is that people should completely not feel pressure to work in a lab unless they want to. The classic advice of just do stuff you like doing, but obviously with the caveat that it should be stuff you can get a verifier for 

[thatonekid]

Everyone has given helpful info, and you certainly don't need to get involved in research if you have no interest in it. That being said, in addition to being useful on an application as was mentioned, I think there's a lot to be learned from doing research that will be useful to you as a physician. Lots of hospital positions for doctors require some amount of research work. And even if you have no intention of being a clinician-scientist, the medical field is constantly evolving, and being able to read, understand, and interpret the research being done in your field will be necessary for keeping your medical knowledge current. Understanding how the research is done and what conclusions can be drawn from it is a lot easier if you have some experience with it yourself. Just another thing to think about.

 

This is a good point. I'd just like to mention that most medical curriculum have a research/scholar component in the preclerkship years to address this issue. Which is just another way of saying pre-medical research is not necessary.

[medhope15]

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[thuls.m]

Does it make your sketch look bad though, if there's a research section that's completely empty? 

[sdj78we9jtf2o3mgfvj298j]

Does it make your sketch look bad though, if there's a research section that's completely empty? 

No, unless you're a Master's/PhD. In undergrad a research entry is more considered a bonus than anything. 

[medhope15]

Medicine advances thanks to research. You will not succeed in med school or as a doc if you despise research. Almost all applicants will have some for of research on their application.

So basically, yes you should appreciate why research is important and try to contribute to it. Find a prof/course you like and try to get into the labs. It doesn't have to be "sciency" biochem assays. If you like psych or anthropology or public health you can do all sorts of research things that don't involve a microscope. It's about learning the process more than anything. Plus, it can lead to a great LOR.

[sdj78we9jtf2o3mgfvj298j]

Medicine advances thanks to research. You will not succeed in med school or as a doc if you despise research. Almost all applicants will have some for of research on their application.

So basically, yes you should appreciate why research is important and try to contribute to it. Find a prof/course you like and try to get into the labs. It doesn't have to be "sciency" biochem assays. If you like psych or anthropology or public health you can do all sorts of research things that don't involve a microscope. It's about learning the process more than anything. Plus, it can lead to a great LOR.

Yes, in case I wasn't clear - definitely have research experience. But a research "entry" (i.e. a poster, conference abstract, or paper) isn't necessary by any means. Getting those things is highly dependent on the success of your research, the professor you have, and a bit of luck.

[amichel]

Medicine advances thanks to research. You will not succeed in med school or as a doc if you despise research. Almost all applicants will have some for of research on their application.

So basically, yes you should appreciate why research is important and try to contribute to it. Find a prof/course you like and try to get into the labs. It doesn't have to be "sciency" biochem assays. If you like psych or anthropology or public health you can do all sorts of research things that don't involve a microscope. It's about learning the process more than anything. Plus, it can lead to a great LOR.

 

While it's never a bad idea to have research, far from almost all people have it. Also, plenty of people in med school and plenty of practicing physicians don't do research (aside from the now required research in residency).

[Organomegaly]

 You will not succeed in med school or as a doc if you despise research. 

 

I can see where you're coming from, but I have to disagree.

 

The first function of a doctor is patient care. Being a clinician scientist is second.

 

Research is not mandatory at any medical school. Nor do you need it to be a doctor.