Medical Research Undergrad?

[Creekland]

Many thanks to all for the suggestions. I've talked with a couple of folks doing research, so I know there are places that are not as cut throat as others - for undergrad anyway. I just need to find them.

Mainly now I need to know some because this son has also been homeschooled since 7th grade - so I need to check with colleges to be sure he has all the proper testing they want (AP, SAT 2) to be competitive for entry. Feel free to diss the homeschooling aspect if you wish, but our local public high school simply doesn't make the grade (I work there). Yesterday they just took the PSAT. One of my son's best buddies and academic peers was in my room. I asked him after the test what he thought of it. He said 'hard.' I asked my son what he thought of it. He said 'easy.' I've seen enough students from our schools go to 'basic' colleges and not be able to hack it. I don't want the same for mine.

And as for the 'not cut throat,' that's a personality issue. This son is my middle son and is very much the peacekeeper by his nature. We joke that if anyone can solve the middle eastern problems, he will be it. While he's competitive in sports and with academics he is not when it comes to other people. College may - or may not - change that as he's been that way since birth (he DID give his toys to his siblings without crying).

John's Hopkins is one we were told not to even consider for undergrad. I'll have to check to see if the Baylor they meant was the undergrad or the med school... Rice had been mentioned too - I forgot that one.

And I'll check into Hope. I had told him he'd be unlikely to get what he wanted AND Christian. It'd be great if I were proven wrong... I'll also check ND as he seems drawn to areas without as much research already done. We are not Catholic, but I'm thinking that isn't as much of an issue with Catholic colleges? However, I went to a secular school and kept my faith - it actually got stronger - so I'm certainly not opposed to that for my offspring if that's where the best education for him is.

[kleibo]

Look into schools that offer the "Medical ScientistTraining Program"

Information on it can be found at Medical Scientists

Programs in MSTP are at Northwestern, Stanford, SUNY (stonybrook), UWASH, etc.

Another possiblity is Drug Research as in "Medicinal Chemistry"

Check out u buffalo, townson, Umiss

[HeartArt]

Loyola, Georgetown, Creighton and Saint Louis University are all Catholic universities with medical schools. They are worth looking into for research opportunities at the undergraduate level.

[Chedva]

University of Rochester has a lot of opportunities for undergraduate research. In fact, a year ago, the President told the parents that they had more research opportunities for undergraduates than they had undergraduates. The medical school and Strong Memorial Hospital are across the street from the main campus. It's not a cut throat environment on the whole. My d is also the "peacekeeper" by nature (not science-oriented), but she has not found it necessary to keep the peace among her pre-med friends (except, of course, in areas that have nothing to do with the fact that they're pre-med). Rochester is friendly to home-schoolers and relatively generous with merit aid.

[Creekland]

University of Rochester has a lot of opportunities for undergraduate research...

Thanks - sounds like a good school worth investigating...

Look into schools that offer the "Medical ScientistTraining Program"...

Thanks for this info too. This is exactly along the lines of what he is looking for.

[IBclass06]

Originally Posted by kleibo

Look into schools that offer the "Medical ScientistTraining Program"

The MSTP programs are federally funded MD/PhD programs. I'm not sure how relevant they would be for undergrads.

[bonanza]

The comment that you were told to not even consider Hopkins made me laugh. Do you have any idea how competitive a field medical research is? The competition for grants is fierce. If you son is not competitive--perhaps he should consider another field.

[starbright]

^There is a giant difference between being academically competitive and working hard and being able to 'compete', and hoping to avoid a 'competitive' cultural environment. One can have the former and miss the latter.

I've taught in various MBA programs for many years. All of them had fantastic and successful students. The cultures of some schools are known as being cut-throat and unpleasant environments where competition goes to a personal level and it's not pleasant- every student for himself; likewise there are extremely cooperative and team oriented cultures of some schools that are well known as such.

[schrizto]

One of my son's best buddies and academic peers was in my room. I asked him after the test what he thought of it. He said 'hard.' I asked my son what he thought of it. He said 'easy.' I've seen enough students from our schools go to 'basic' colleges and not be able to hack it. I don't want the same for mine.

I wouldn't say that is a good measurement for how well someone does on the PSAT. Collegeboard's tests tend to like to trick people into jumping to a quick and easy answer, especially nearing the end of the math sections. I've talked to classmates who walked out of the test center say the SAT was incredibly easy and end up with 1700s and 1800s, while I ended up with over 2200 on the same test and thought that it was moderately difficult.

[Creekland]

I've taught in various MBA programs for many years. All of them had fantastic and successful students. The cultures of some schools are known as being cut-throat and unpleasant environments where competition goes to a personal level and it's not pleasant- every student for himself; likewise there are extremely cooperative and team oriented cultures of some schools that are well known as such.

Yes, this is what I've heard regarding schools too. My son is definitely academically competitive.

I wouldn't say that is a good measurement for how well someone does on the PSAT. Collegeboard's tests tend to like to trick people into jumping to a quick and easy answer, especially nearing the end of the math sections. I've talked to classmates who walked out of the test center say the SAT was incredibly easy and end up with 1700s and 1800s, while I ended up with over 2200 on the same test and thought that it was moderately difficult.

In general I'd agree with you, and maybe his pal did well, but knowing the school system quite well, I doubt it. Our school district considers anything about 1100 (M/CR) to be a great SAT score. Few get higher. Many get lower. They don't offer the ACT or any AP tests (quit offering those when only 1 or 2 kids would get a 2 or 3 on them). Knowing how my son has scored on all sorts of practices tests (PSAT/SAT/ACT) I can believe he found this test easy. He seldom misses a math question and generally no more than 3 on reading sections. We'll find out how he did in Dec. This is just his sophomore year, so it was entirely practice anyway - just to reduce any potential test anxiety. Next year is the real deal.

[Creekland]

The comment that you were told to not even consider Hopkins made me laugh. Do you have any idea how competitive a field medical research is? The competition for grants is fierce. If you son is not competitive--perhaps he should consider another field.

Well... the quote came from a researcher currently working in the field... so I suppose you can laugh if you want, but we'll take it seriously. I think he gave us a pretty good explanation of the difference in cultures that exist at schools. He's the one who told us to look around in order to match the student with the correct school. (Plus, he said not to consider them for undergrad. Grad school is a whole different deal.)

[Creekland]

University of Rochester

Many thanks for this recommendation. My son spent a good bit of time on their website last night and it's certainly a school he wants to consider. Other than the winter weather, he liked everything about it - and the weather is not necessarily a deterrent.