A common question premed postbac applicants have is about research experiences.You may likewise be eager to learn:
- What research experiences do you need to be competitive at the best premed postbac programs?
- How many hours do you need?
- What are the advantages of bench research vs. clinical research?
- Should you wait for a publication to be accepted before applying to a post-bac program?
Research is Overrated
TL;DR: In our experience helping hundreds of applicants get into premed postbac programs, applicants vastly overrate the value of research experiences. You likely will not need any additional research experiences to be a competitive applicant for a top postbac program. To get in, you should focus your energy on the much needed essential clinical experiences, your personal statement, and interview prep. Save worrying about clinical and non-clinical research experiences for medical school. (And no, do not wait for a publication prior to applying to a post-bac program!)
The Exception to the Rule
While most applicants do not need research experience for the career changer postbac program, exceptions do exist. All this depends on your unique narrative of why you ought to be a physician.
For example, if you have a substantial research background (perhaps you completed a Master’s/ PhD in astrophysics/psychology/computer science) and have numerous publications, well then research would be an integral part of your narrative. As such, you will want to explain in your personal statement why you were previously interested in research and why you now wish to pursue direct, hands-on patient care. But this is not something that will typically require additional research experiences prior to submitting your application!
(For more info on how to write a great personal statement, check out our 7 top tips for personal statements.)
Myth: Research is Required for Med School
Medical school is supposed to be about scientific exploration and research, isn’t it? This may be true for medical students, but for the purposes of admission to med school this is a common misconception. The value in obtaining research experience depends in large part on what type of applicant you are: a traditional applicant versus a career changer applicant.
Traditional premed applicants
Traditional premed students use research during undergrad/post-college as a demonstration of commitment to science and medicine. For these applicants, research is often a must-have.
Career changer applicants
For a non-traditional/ career changer premed postbac applicant, research is unlikely to provide a considerable advantage. While this may seem counterintuitive, there’s good reason for this: medical schools (and postbac programs) seek career changers precisely because you are NOT the “traditional” premed applicant. Post-bac programs want candidates who can fill a unique niche in the future medical school community. This includes applicants who:
- Took alternative routes to medicine (eg – computer science, business/start ups, non-profit work)
- Majored in non-science fields (eg – History, Psychology, English)
- Have unique life experiences (eg – Fulbright, Teach for America, Peace Corps)
Should you get research?
The answer to the question of whether or not you should get research prior to applying to a post-bac program is highly individualized. The first step is to assess your narrative. The pitch for premed postbac admissions is entirely constructed as to why you should do medicine. If research is not an integral part to that pitch, we typically advise you to forgo research in favor of the essential experiences for every applicant:
- Clinical experiences
- Shadowing
- Volunteering
See our post on the 3 essential experiences for more details on what these entail and why you need all 3 to get into a top program.
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