Many students ask whether they should be involved in research. Research is just one of the many ways that you can enrich your educational experience, and contribute towards making you a well-rounded person. It is an opportunity to get close to a faculty member, who can potentially write you a strong letter of recommendation.
Most students choose to do research in the sciences. However, you could choose instead to do research in the humanities or social sciences. Health professions schools do not expect that you will necessarily have done research in a lab; many successful candidates have not. If you choose to do research, do it because you care about the research question. Be sure that you are prepared to discuss the research knowledgeably in an interview.
Summer Programs for Research & Healthcare Experiences
The WF URECA Center – The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Center (http://college.wfu.edu/ureca/) is a center that promotes undergraduate research and creative activities between Wake Forest faculty and students. Students can apply for research fellowships or Richter Fellowships to help fund their projects. There are also links to external opportunities for research on the URECA Center home page.
NSF REU summer research programs – Often researchers that get grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) have funds to support student involvement in summer research programs. The program is called REU – Research Experience for Undergraduates. Programs can be found located in any part of the country. You can find information on REU programs at http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/. Similar programs are sponsored by many universities.
Summer Undergraduate Research Programs at Wake Forest School of Medicine
There are a number of summer research programs available through the School of Medicine. You can find information on these programs at https://school.wakehealth.edu/Education-and-Training/Graduate-Programs/Summer-Undergraduate-Research-Programs.