Hi,
I am a former finance consultant having got my MBA and worked for 3+ yrs, quit my job and took up full time classes to be able to apply this cycle. I applied to 9 CA schools, since my husband works here, and received secondaries from all of them. However, post-secondary, I have 4 rejections and 5 still waiting to hear. I have a 3.93 GPA, 513 MCAT, 40 hrs shadowing various specialties, 200 hr clinical volunteering, some 50 hr other volunteering, leading projects and teams at work might count for leadership experiences(?), but absolutely no research experience. I did not have time in that 1.5 yrs between classes, ECs and applications to concentrate on getting research experience. Now that my application cycle hasn’t been going well and I will have time this coming year… how can I build my research experience while not being enrolled at a university? Since I think that is one major weakness in my application as I see it. I’d appreciate if any one knows how to go about that task and also let me know if you feel there are other things that I would have to take care of as well in order to be accepted to a southern californian med school. Thank you very much!
I had the same problem. I mentioned this to a surgeon I was shadowing and they immediately hired me on to their research team. So I would suggest reaching out to the physicians you have shadowed to see if there are any opportunities.
I remember listening to a pre-med podcast in which they mentioned the best way to get the professor’s attention if you are not a student is to read their previous published work and show genuine interest in what they do when you email them. Also it’s better to email the professor directly and not the department secretary.