Amgen Summer Program vs Graduation

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Hey guys,

TL;DR version. I can do Amgen Summer program and 1 more semester undergrad next fall or no Amgen and graduate this May. Any thoughts?

I'm a 4th year double major looking to pursue MD/PhD or PhD. Because of my majors I had anticipated needing an extra semester next fall to graduate so went ahead and applied to some summer programs. I was fortunate enough to get into an Amgen program, but due to some course requirement modifications and clever use of transfer credits I now have the option to graduate this spring (though my course load is pretty rough). I have spoken with the Amgen people and I would need to continue next year in order to qualify for the program so no work-arounds there. If I do decide to take an extra semester I have the option to lighten my load a bit now but then I'm stuck as an undergrad next year, ie not working/travelling which would be ideal for a gap year.

I'm under the impression that Amgen is fairly competitive so participation in it would be great for applications, and the research and presentation practice would be useful to me in my future. At the same time I could spend next year working in a lab somewhere if I do graduate.

Any thoughts/opinions on the subject would be greatly appreciated!

What would you be doing this summer if you turned down the Amgen program?

Well I would probably try to find a research job or travel