Undergraduate pre-meds often search for research opportunities to strengthen their medical school applications. While clinical experience is generally more important than research experience for medical school applicants, research is a great learning opportunity as well as an opportunity to network with professors and get some letters of recommendation.
But for students interested in applying for MD/PhD programs, research experience is critical. Below is a breakdown of some options to get research experience for medical school.
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Getting Pre-Med Research Experience
Some general advice for pre-meds looking to get research experience for medical school is to broaden the search. Students shouldn’t limit themselves to one area. For example, biology majors do not need to limit themselves to research in the biology department. Students can consider research opportunities in any university school or department. Some of the best research opportunities for pre-meds may be in the school of public health, the school of medicine, the psychology department, etc.
Not every university will have the same schools, colleges, or departments. But students interested in research can benefit from searching a range of disciplines.
1. Undergraduate Research
Many students participate in research as undergrads. Professors prefer students who can commit somewhat long term, usually at least a year. The longer the commitment the better the experience and the higher the chance to be included as a co-author on publications. So pre-meds often begin getting involved in research their freshman or sophomore year.
Sophomore year can be preferable for beginning lab research, as pre-meds have often completed their introductory biology and chemistry labs at this point, which typically cover basic lab techniques. Read more about the pre-med timeline here.
It’s best to start by learning faculty research interests. Students can set up a time to meet with professors they already know. Or students can search through the various academic departments and the faculty in each of these departments online. Most faculty have information on past and current research projects on the university’s website. For example, from the university home page, a student can click on Academics > Schools and Colleges > College of Health Sciences. Once there, students can again click on Academics > Departments to see the various departments and faculty within the College of Health Sciences.
The specific “schools and colleges” and their “departments” will vary at each university, but can narrow down areas of interest and the faculty associated with each area.
Once a student has identified a short list of professors involved in research they may be interested in, they can simply send an email introducing themselves and explaining their interest in the research. Professors will often set a meeting to discuss whether they have any openings for lab assistants and what this work would entail.
2. Summer Research Programs
Alternatively, there are hundreds of summer research programs designed for undergraduate students to gain research experience. If a student is interested in summer research, pre-med advisors usually have lots of information on local opportunities. But students do not have to limit themselves to programs at their own university.
Read our list of 50 undergraduate summer research programs for pre-meds.
Many of these programs are associated with schools of medicine, which is an excellent opportunity to learn more about these medical schools and spend some time on campus networking with faculty. Students should be aware that, because these programs are more short-term, it may be less likely to obtain a publication or letter of recommendation. But many of these programs do provide housing and a small stipend for participating students.
3. Research Master’s Program
For students interested in pursuing MD/PhD programs, completing a research-oriented masters degree can strengthen a medical school application. This can also be a great opportunity for students with an unexpected gap year. Research-oriented masters degrees are generally Masters of Science programs (M.Sc or M.S.) which require students to complete a thesis (ex. an original research project).
These programs take approximately 2-3 years to complete and are well worth it for students who were not able to obtain adequate research experience in undergrad.
Read our ultimate guide to post-bacc programs here.
Thesis-track masters programs are often available in a variety of departments. And again, students should not limit themselves to one department. Just because a student received an undergraduate degree in biology does not mean they cannot pursue a masters degree in another field. Graduate school is an excellent opportunity for students to broaden their interests.
For example, a student with an undergraduate degree in microbiology may be interested in pursuing research in epidemiology, to study how infectious microorganisms transmit through a population. Students should take the time to research different departments, and how their undergraduate knowledge relates to or benefits other fields of interest.
Once a student completes their research masters program, they are often encouraged (though not required) to submit the paper for peer-review in a scientific journal. This is a valuable opportunity for pre-med students to be first-author (primary author) of published scientific research.
Final Thoughts
Research is not for every pre-med student and is not required for a medical school application. Generally, clinical experience is far more important to medical school admissions boards. But for pre-meds interested in MD/PhD programs, research experience is essential.
Whether students need the research experience or not, research is a valuable opportunity to gain new skills, obtain authorship on scientific publications, and network with professors (who are often more than willing to provide letters of recommendation).
Students should research a variety of departments and faculty to find research areas that fit their personal interests. Schools of medicine, public health, biomedical sciences, and even engineering can be great places to start.
And if a student finds they were not able to get the clinical experience they wanted in undergrad, there are hundreds of research-oriented masters programs that can offer education and experience in scientific research. Taking 2-3 years between college graduation and medical school to pursue a masters degree is not uncommon for medical school applicants and can greatly improve a student’s chances of acceptance into a program. Pre-med students should be open to considering all their options and opportunities.
