No fear, underclassmen! There are still plenty of great summer opportunities for pre-med students to gain valuable experience. Although it can seem like a daunting task to find medical-related experience as a freshman or a sophomore, check out these tips and you may just find the perfect opportunity right around the corner:
Clinical experience:
–Ask local doctors or even your own doctors if they mind a shadower. This can be a few times over the summer or a structured schedule a few days a week. The doctor you grew up with will probably be thrilled to see an inspired patient.
–Ask your friends’ parents who are doctors. They have been in your shoes and might be willing to share some of their experience with you.
–Volunteer at a hospital. Experience as a scribe, advocate, and the like expose you to hospital settings and patient-doctor interactions, which are great learning opportunities.
–Think outside the box: any experience near patients, elderly, etc. is useful! Try nursing homes or specialty camps, for example.
Research experience:
–Ask professors that are investigating something of interest to you. Do not pick a lab that you think will look good on your resume; all research experience is valuable. Research can be done at Cornell during the school year, summer, or at universities near your hometown.
-Look into research internships at other universities or hospitals. Many research positions may be right in your hometown!
Volunteer experience:
–Consistency is key. Having a few causes that you dedicate time regularly to is much more favorable than volunteering sporadically with several organizations. Get started volunteering early and often to really make an impact as an undergrad.
–Experiences don’t have to be directly in the medical field. Volunteer work involving connecting with people, advising people, or teaching people are all valuable experiences that contribute towards a well-rounded applicant.
Whatever you do this summer, do it because you want to! Medical schools read thousands of applications a year, making them experts on seeing through which activities you were passionate about and which you did for the resume credit. Genuine enthusiasm for an organization or interest will come across in your writing and interviews regardless of what it is for.