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[jordij94]

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[deleted1009115]

It probably doesn’t matter unless you would be banging out Nature level papers at one or the other. I would personally choose the one where you can live at home and save your money.

 

[907914]

I am currently reapplying this cycle and was wondering if it matters to admissions committees where I work as a Clinical Research Coordinator, between a large university institution and a small private practice. I recently started a position as a CRC at a private practice that conducts sponsored clinical trials and allows me to live rent-free at home. However, I was offered a position in a clinical and preclinical lab at a large university hospital that looks more promising BUT would require me to give 50% of my paycheck to rent. Anyway, I am unsure if medical schools would view research at a large, well-regarded institution as significantly better than sponsored clinical trial research in a private practice. Any thoughts?

The only time it matters is if it is at the particular school you are applying to and they explicitly ask if you have any affiliations with the school. This MAY get you placed in a different pile, so to speak. Beyond that, the location of the lab only matters for your personal vibe with the area and the output/quality of research being conducted.

 

[strappysandals]

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[TheBoranIdentity]

Since they are pretty comparable experiences, I think what matters most is where you can build stronger connections for LORs!

 

[ChymeofPassion]

I got an interview from a top 10 that I did research at for 2.5 years and have an incredible (more than empty praise) LoR from a faculty member there. My stats due roughly align though (3 less than the median mcat, .09 higher than the median gpa).

 

[jordij94]

Thanks for the replies everyone! It sounds like the size of the institution isn’t as important so I'm sticking to staying with the CRC position and enjoying the year with my family rent-free.. but what about roles? The CRC position doesn't involve using the scientific method to develop/test hypotheses. It is following the procedure for sponsored pharma trials, obtaining ICF, conducting screening/follow up visits, taking histories, and documenting everything. The LA position is testing hypotheses in a preclinical and clinical setting with a PI at a T10 university (one of my IIs) who actually publishes. Thoughts?

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks for the replies everyone! It sounds like the size of the institution isn’t as important so I'm sticking to staying with the CRC position and enjoying the year with my family rent-free.. but what about roles? The CRC position doesn't involve using the scientific method to develop/test hypotheses. It is following the procedure for sponsored pharma trials, obtaining ICF, conducting screening/follow up visits, taking histories, and documenting everything. The LA position is testing hypotheses in a preclinical and clinical setting with a PI at a T10 university (one of my IIs) who actually publishes. Thoughts?

What you have now is paid employment but not research. And I say this as someone who had a very similar position many years ago.

 

[bluepeony]

What you have now is paid employment but not research. And I say this as someone who had a very similar position many years ago.

Does it count as paid clinical employment?

 

[LizzyM]

You are working face-to-face with PATIENTS then I would say yes, it is clinical employment. If you were mostly working with Phase I studies in healthy adults, I would say non-clinical although those folks can have some pretty bad side effects and end up being very sick but they aren't patients and they are research subjects and the work is clinical research. (but not hypothesis testing at the level where you are working).

 

[jordij94]

What you have now is paid employment but not research. And I say this as someone who had a very similar position many years ago.

Wow that is good to know. Just to play devils advocate, wouldn't most other "research" positions also not be considered research if students are not involved in forming hypotheses and are just gathering and reporting data to their PI in a lab?

 

[LizzyM]

There are grades of research involvement from the very basic tech work (the proverbial "washing dishes"), animal care, pouring gels, etc up through executing a project from start (hypothesis generation) to finish (paper published). Most clinical research that students are involved with is at the level of tech work... sometimes it might be at a higher level than that but not often.