Engaging in research, whether in the sciences or in other disciplines, is a wonderful way to enhance your education and to build connections with faculty mentors. Research provides you with an opportunity to delve deeply into a topic, think critically about it, develop your own questions, collect data to address these and so much more. It can also help your application to health professions school as most prefer applicants who have some research experience. Foundational knowledge of research methods is also woven into the MCAT exam. However, you should never undertake research unless you have genuine interest in it. You will be a stronger applicant if you are truly excited about an activity in which you have participated and if you have engaged in it well.
Research Experience
Types of Research Opportunities
There are different approaches you can take to participate in research. You can get involved in research projects here at Brown with faculty members who are doing work that interests you. You can participate in clinical research at local healthcare facilities, enroll in a summer intensive research program, participate in research closer to your home, or work on a research project after graduation. If possible, we recommend that you aim to write a thesis and take a semester or two of independent study for academic credit to show consistent time spent in a research environment.
Research Opportunities
Brown University presents multiple opportunities to engage with research. Exploring the links below will give you a sense of the breadth of these opportunities.
There are also a great number of summer programs at institutions nation-wide that provide foundational or in-depth experience with scholarly research. Most of these programs require an application mid-winter to early spring. They frequently require letters of recommendation and a resume so be sure to plan ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Admissions committees for the health professions schools like to see that students have engaged deeply with material, read the literature in the field, developed hypotheses and tested those hypotheses. The actual content of the research is not important unless you are applying to MD/PhD programs which tend to prefer scientific research. We encourage you to participate in research that appeals to you where you can play an active role in the research process.
There is no set number of hours of research required for admissions to the health professions schools. However, many prefer to see two semesters in the same research lab so that you have time to become an active participant in the lab and perhaps have your own research project. It is not recommended to move from one lab to another over and over. Instead we encourage you to find a lab that you enjoy and stay there long enough to gain a strong understanding of the research process. Note: research expectations for MD/Phd programs are higher than the other health professions schools.
There is no requirement for a publication for acceptance to any of the health professions schools. A publication can be beneficial because it is a clear example of the work that you have done and a product you created. However, not all research lead to a publication and the time to publication varies greatly in different areas of research, so a publication is not a requirement. Note: If you are applying to MD/PhD programs, a publication is strongly recommended as the research expectations for these programs are higher than the other health professions schools.
No, you can choose to conduct research in any field that is interesting to you. Admissions committees for the health professions schools like to see that students have engaged deeply with material, read the literature in the field, developed hypotheses and tested those hypotheses. The actual content of the research is not important unless you are applying to MD/PhD programs which tend to prefer scientific research. We encourage you to participate in research that appeals to you where you can play an active role in the research process.
Once you have identified a faculty member who is working in an area that is interesting to you, the next step is to contact them to see if they are taking on new students. This can be done via email, during office hours, or even chatting with them before or after class. We recommend that you investigate their area of research and read a few of their papers before you contact them to ensure they are doing work that appeals to you.
We have provided a number of links to potential research opportunities here at Brown as well as external to Brown (see above). However, you can also check out the Center for Career Exploration for current positions, and BrownConnect+ to find any alumni who might be doing work in your area of interest. In addition, we post opportunities weekly on our website and in our newsletter.
Most professional schools require 1-2 semesters of biology courses, each with a lab session. While these programs also value research experience, they will not consider an independent research course as fulfilling their requirement for a full course with a lab session.