YOU SHOULD NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF UNDERGRAD RESEARCH… WHETHER YOU ARE SEEKING
TO GAIN SOME RESEARCH EXPERIENCE TO BOLSTER YOUR APPLICATIONS FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL AND MD-PHD
PROGRAMS OR SEEKING TO GET A COVETED RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITION, IT’S IMPORTANT TO TAKE
THE RIGHT STEPS TOWARDS THESE GOALS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE… IN THIS VIDEO I’LL DISCUSS
THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING ON UNDERGRAD RESEARCH, HOW TO FIND UNDERGRAD RESEARCH POSITIONS,
AND HOW TO APPLY FOR UNDERGRAD RESEARCH...
HI! I’M NATALIE STOBERMAN AND I’M AN ADMISSIONS ASSOCIATE HERE AT BEMO. BEFORE WE GET STARTED,
SUBSCRIBE ON WHATEVER SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL YOU’RE WATCHING THIS ON SO YOU DON’T MISS
ANY OF OUR UPCOMING VIDEOS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO HELP YOU GAIN MORE EXPERIENCE FOR MEDICAL
SCHOOL, VISIT BEMOMEDSCHOOL.COM TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION. F-Y-I... CHECK
OUT THE TIME STAMPS IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS VIDEO TO NAVIGATE TO SPECIFIC SECTIONS
OF THIS VIDEO THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN. HERE’S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO COVER:
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH FOR YOUR UNDERGRAD HOW TO FIND RESEARCH POSITIONS IN YOUR UNDERGRAD
HOW TO STAND OUT IN YOUR UNDERGRAD RESEARCH APPLICATIONS
AND WE'RE GIVING AWAY $50 AMAZON GIFT CARDS EVERY WEEK TO THE BEST COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS,
SO COMMENT BELOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!… AND WE HAVE THE MOST EFFECTIVE TIPS TO FIND UNDERGRAD
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES… I’LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE TOWARDS THE END OF THE VIDEO SO
MAKE SURE TO WATCH UNTIL THE END… LET’S GET STARTED!
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH FOR YOUR UNDERGRAD UNDERGRAD RESEARCH IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE
WAYS TO BUILD UP YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION AND IMPRESS THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEES WITH
YOUR EXTRACURRICULARS FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL... HOWEVER, IT IS ALSO YOUR CHANCE TO BUILD UP
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD OF YOUR INTEREST... ADCOMS APPRECIATE APPLICANTS
WITH A RESEARCH BACKGROUND BECAUSE THESE STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE INTEREST IN ACTIVELY SHAPING MEDICAL
AND SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS.
SINCE THE UNDERGRAD RESEARCH PROCESS IS CHALLENGING AND ENRICHING, THESE STUDENTS DEVELOP CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE TO CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO. RESEARCH FOSTERS PATIENCE
AND STAMINA. IT PROVIDES FREEDOM TO EXPERIMENT AND A SPACE FOR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. IF
YOU ARE LOOKING TO GAIN RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, DO NOT LIMIT YOUR SEARCH TO STRICTLY MEDICAL
POSITIONS... PURSUE DISCIPLINES THAT INTEREST YOU! RESEARCH SKILLS CAN OFTEN BE TRANSFERRED
TO A VARIETY OF FIELDS…
UNIQUE RESEARCH EXPERIENCES WILL ALSO MAKE YOU STAND OUT IN YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS.
AS YOU MIGHT ALREADY KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
YOU’LL BE ASKED IS HOW YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIVERSITY OF THE INCOMING CLASS – RESEARCH
IS YOUR CHANCE TO ADD ANOTHER UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO YOUR APPLICATION.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IS HIGHLY VALUED BY SOME OF THE TOP MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD. FOR
EXAMPLE, OVER 90% OF IVY LEAGUE MEDICAL SCHOOLS’ MATRICULANTS HAVE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE. ACCORDING
TO THE LATEST DATA, 99% OF STANFORD MEDICAL SCHOOL MATRICULANTS HAVE RESEARCH AND LAB
EXPERIENCE. RESEARCH IS ESPECIALLY VALUABLE IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT MD-PHD PROGRAMS.
TO GAIN SOME RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, MANY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS START SEEKING RESEARCH ASSISTANT
POSITIONS EARLY ON IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL CAREERS... IT IS MUCH EASIER TO FIND RESEARCH POSITIONS
WHILE YOU’RE A STUDENT. BEING ON CAMPUS, TAKING COURSES, AND BEING PART OF THE STUDENT
BODY EXPOSES YOU TO OPPORTUNITIES GRADUATES MAY NOT HAVE... SO, IT IS WISE TO TRY TO GAIN
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AS EARLY AS YOU CAN... THE EARLIER YOU ARE EXPOSED TO RESEARCH, THE
EARLIER YOU WILL KNOW IF IT’S SOMETHING YOU LIKE.
HOW TO FIND RESEARCH POSITIONS IN YOUR UNDERGRAD IF YOU HAVE LITTLE TO NO RESEARCH EXPERIENCE,
BUT WANT THIS EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION OR TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY
FOR A RESEARCH POSITION YOU REALLY WANT – HERE ARE SOME TIPS:
1. IF YOU’RE OUT OF SCHOOL, FINDING OUT ABOUT RESEARCH POSITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES
IS QUITE DIFFICULT... OFTENTIMES, RESEARCH POSITIONS ARE NOT POSTED EXTERNALLY. EVEN
WITHIN THE INSTITUTION, PROFESSORS TEND TO SELECT STUDENTS THEY HAVE TAUGHT TO HELP THEM
IN THEIR RESEARCH PROJECTS.
WITH THAT SAID, THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SEARCH FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES. ONE OF
THE MOST COMMON WAYS TO FIND AN UNDERGRAD RESEARCH POSITION IS TO EMAIL PROFESSORS IN
THE DEPARTMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN AS A RESEARCHER... WHETHER YOU ARE STILL A STUDENT
OR A GRADUATE, EXPLAIN IN YOUR EMAIL THAT YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER IN THE LAB. DO NOT MENTION
MONEY... STATE CLEARLY THAT YOU WANT TO GAIN RESEARCH EXPERIENCE... WITHOUT EXPERIENCE,
A PAYING RESEARCH POSITION IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET. START AS A VOLUNTEER AND SEE WHERE
IT TAKES YOU.
2. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY UNDERGRAD RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, HONESTY MAY BE YOUR BEST POLICY.
BE HONEST ABOUT BEING A STUDENT INTERESTED IN GAINING RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AND THAT YOU'D
BE WILLING TO LEARN WHATEVER THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR OR PROFESSOR WANTS TO TEACH YOU...
NOT ONLY WILL THIS SHOW ENTHUSIASM, BUT IT WILL ALSO GUARANTEE TO THE PI THAT YOU ARE
MAKING A COMMITMENT AND WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THAT RESEARCH POSITIONV.
3. IF YOU LIVE BY A MEDICAL SCHOOL, CHECK OUT THEIR AFFILIATED MEDICAL CENTERS. EACH
DEPARTMENT AT A TEACHING HOSPITAL MAY HAVE THEIR OWN RESEARCH PERSONNEL AND YOU CAN INQUIRE
ABOUT RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS WITH THEM. IT WILL MOST LIKELY BE AN UNPAID POSITION, BUT IT
WILL ALLOW YOU TO JUMP INTO THE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE RIGHT AWAY. WHILE YOU ARE GAINING EXPERIENCE,
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR MORE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IF MONEY IS AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, TRY TO FOCUS
ON GETTING THE EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN MAKING MONETARY GAINS FROM IT…
4. IF YOU HAVE CLINICAL VOLUNTEERING OR SHADOWING EXPERIENCES, THINK ABOUT REACHING OUT TO THE
PHYSICIANS YOU HAVE WORKED WITH THERE. PHYSICIANS ARE OFTEN INVOLVED IN CLINICAL RESEARCH AND
MAY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO BE A RESEARCH VOLUNTEER WITH THEM. YOU MUST APPROACH THEM
PROFESSIONALLY, AS OUTLINED ABOVE, WITH AN EMAIL OR PHONE CALL STATING YOUR INTEREST
IN RESEARCH AND THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER IN ANY ROLE THAT IS AVAILABLE...
HOW TO STAND OUT IN YOUR UNDERGRAD RESEARCH APPLICATIONS
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHEN YOU FIND AN UNDERGRAD RESEARCH POSITION, YOU MUST KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
THE POSITION ENTAILS, WHAT EXPECTATIONS YOUR POTENTIAL COLLEAGUES HAVE OF THE NEW HIRE
AND HOW THIS RESEARCH POSITION MIGHT DEVELOP IN THE FUTURE...
START BY RESEARCHING THE INSTITUTION OR DEPARTMENT YOU’RE APPLYING TO ONLINE. RESEARCH THEIR
PROGRAMS, THEIR RESEARCH PROFILE, AND THE RESEARCH INTERESTS OF THEIR STAFF. OFTEN YOU
CAN FIND IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSTITUTION’S LATEST RESEARCH RANKING AND THEIR RESEARCH
PROJECTS ON THEIR WEBSITE... IT COULD ALSO BE INTERESTING TO READ REVIEWS WRITTEN BY
PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED IN THE INSTITUTION TO WHICH YOU’RE APPLYING. DO TAKE THESE
WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, BUT SOME OF THESE REVIEWS CAN GIVE YOU INSIGHTS INTO THE PROGRAM’S
EXPECTATIONS...
ANOTHER WAY TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION IS TO CONTACT THE INSTITUTION
OR THE DEPARTMENT. THERE IS USUALLY SOMEONE WHO CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, SUCH AS AN
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT OR RECRUITER...THEY WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE JOB, THE DEPARTMENT, OR THE INSTITUTION...
AVOID ASKING SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE COVERED IN AN INTERVIEW SUCH AS “HOW
MUCH DOES THE JOB PAY” AS THIS WILL SEND THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU'RE ONLY INTERESTED
IN THE POSITION FOR THE MONEY… BUT CALLING TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE JOB WITH ENTHUSIASM MAY
ALSO MAKE YOUR NAME STAND OUT AMONG DOZENS OF APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION.
WHEN IT’S TIME TO OFFICIALLY APPLY FOR THE UNDERGRAD RESEARCH POSITION, YOU WILL LIKELY
NEED TO PREPARE A COVER LETTER... YOU’LL NEED TO REFLECT ON WHAT MAKES YOU A UNIQUE
CANDIDATE FOR THE RESEARCH POSITION.... SO THINK ABOUT WHAT MAY DIFFERENTIATE YOU FROM
THE COMPETITION AND TRY TO ANTICIPATE WHAT OTHER CANDIDATES MAY OFFER.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO GAIN RESEARCH EXPERIENCE? MAYBE YOU HAVE HAD A
LIMITED AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH? YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THIS IN YOUR COVER LETTER
BY EXPRESSING ENTHUSIASM TO BE EXPOSED TO RESEARCH. IN THIS CASE, TRY TO FOCUS ON YOUR
BIGGEST SUCCESSES AND MOST RELEVANT QUALITIES.
YOU MIGHT POSSESS A QUALIFICATION THAT WOULD BE HIGHLY RELEVANT TO THIS RESEARCH POSITION
EVEN IF YOU’VE NEVER HAD A SERIOUS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE. HAVE YOUR ABILITIES TO MULTITASK
BEEN PRAISED BY PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS? HAVE YOU RECEIVED AWARDS FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE? ARE
YOU PARTICULARLY SKILLED WITH TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE? ALL OF THESE QUALITIES
AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS MAY HELP YOU IMPRESS THE READER. TRY TO MARKET YOURSELF, YOUR SKILLS,
AND QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE POSITION – YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING OTHER APPLICANTS
DON’T...
THOSE ARE OUR TIPS TO MAXIMIZING YOUR UNDERGRAD RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES... CHECK OUT OUR BLOG
TO READ MORE ABOUT HOW TO GAIN EXPERIENCE WITH UNDERGRAD RESEARCH... I HAVE INCLUDED
THE LINK IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS VIDEO FOR EASY ACCESS... IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO
HELP YOU GAIN MORE EXPERIENCE FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL, VISIT BEMOMEDSCHOOL.COM TO SCHEDULE
YOUR FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION... HOPEFULLY YOU ENJOYED THIS VIDEO SO PLEASE SUBSCRIBE,
LIKE AND LEAVE A COMMENT. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS VIDEO THAT I DIDN’T
COVER, LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION AND I WILL GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE...
DON’T FORGET THAT WE'RE GIVING AWAY $50 AMAZON GIFT CARDS EVERY WEEK TO THE BEST COMMENTS
AND QUESTIONS… SO COMMENT BELOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN. THANKS FOR WATCHING AND SEE YOU NEXT
TIME.