Lizzi

Great, thank you very much. I have also looked into observerships in hospitals (in particular Massachussets General). Would you say they are worth doing? Or would it just be better to get a job in the actual hospital (eg a medical assistant) for the summer? Thanks again, Lizzie

Several medical centres offer a summer "undergraduate research internship". The University of Rochester is one that I know of. The good point is that they are highly structured and usually culminate in a summer of research being presented as a poster or abstract. The tricky part for you is they are usually intended for people in the U.S. who will be pursuing a Ph.D. after university.

Also keep in mind that medicine is a postgraduate degree in the U.S. so it might look a little odd if you apply to those programs; they are created to encourage more U.S. undergraduates to pursue a Ph.D.

Another alternative is to just contact a faculty member at any medical school and see if they will take you on for a summer. You won't have the structure of the program I mentioned above, but you should find a mentor who will engage a bright mind like yours.

More than anything, doing well on the USMLE exams and completing a clinical attachment at a U.S. medical school will serve you much better if you are considering a U.S. residency down the line.

Good luck!