Advice for Summer of M0: HELP

[MicrogliaMan]

Hi all,

I am an accepted med student who is matriculating in the fall at my state school. I have a question regarding what I should do this summer.

I am extremely interested in doing pediatric hematology/oncology. I am a teenage survivor of cancer and although I am keeping a very open mind, I don't anticipate my interests changing any time soon. They very well may, but theres nothing wrong in my opinion for both exploring/preparing for what I think I may want to do.

I have spoken to several medical students who have told me that regardless of what I'm doing, to enjoy my summer before matriculation. I can assure you that I will be enjoying it and taking weekends to go to the lake and several weeks off--one of which to volunteer for my fourth consecutive summer at a weeklong summer camp for pediatric cancer patients (the best week of my life).

Please don't comment and tell me that I need to keep an open mind or that I need to enjoy myself before M1, because I will be doing both.

That being said, I need something to do this summer so I don't go insane and I want to do research. By the end of this spring I will be published 2 times, 1 time as a first author and another time as a contributing author (lowish on the totem pole). Currently I do multidiscipline research in neuroscience and microbiology working with Lyme disease (hint: THE CDC STARTED IT AND WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!).

Because I will be applying to either internal med or pediatric residency (if my mind does not change), I want to prepare myself as best as I can for either internal med or peds residency, as well as a potential fellowship for oncology.

My main question I have is: should I do chart review related research in endocrinology or oncology? My dilemma is that the physician I would work with for endocrinology has a great reputation for helping out students, teaching them a lot, is a wiz at crunching numbers, and for setting them up for success (i.e. getting published in a summer). Oncology would allow me to draw closer to my end goal of cancer related stuff, but I would be more on my own. Would doing oncology research this early help me in my future goal to get a spot in a heme-onc fellowship? Or am I better off learning from a better physician in endocrinology, building a wider base of research now (coupled with my background in neuro and microbio) and focusing on cancer related research in other summers or during my peds/internal med residency?

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[doc05]

I would advise doing nothing medical during the summer. volunteer if you like, but you're better off spending time with friends and family, because you will see them far less than you'd like once you start med school.

neither peds nor IM is competitive, so you don't need to worry too much about research this early on.

 

[Whats up Doc!]

Im in the same boat as you OP, not with research or anything but im beginning med school in the fall as well and I plan on taking a nice vaca (Vegas or a cruise cant decide yet) and doin a whole lotta nothing, I insist you do the same.

 

[eteshoe]

Dude I'm saying this as someone on a long a** training path to heme/onc - take a break. Cancer is literally going nowhere. You can do some cancer research the summer after M1 but for the love of God, just enjoy your break. By enjoy I mean do nothing that's as brain intensive as research. Pickup a cool hobby or travel or whatever.

 

[caramelbear]

None of the above!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Psai]

Chart review is possibly the worst way to spend any of your time ever. Read a book and get laid

 

[mvenus929]

Is there a way to work with the endocrinologist on a study about cancer survivors? That's actually a pretty big field of at least peds endo (2/6 of our attendings see patients in oncology clinic once a week), so I can see you being able to combine the two fairly easily.

 

[Warderino92]

We all know that you don't want to hear "take the summer off!" but its true. You only have two summers of freedom left until retirement and possibly one if you do research next summer. Once school starts if you don't take that time off you're going to regret not doing whatever you wanted for 3 months without a care in the world when you're knee deep in powerpoints.

 

[MicrogliaMan]

Is there a way to work with the endocrinologist on a study about cancer survivors? That's actually a pretty big field of at least peds endo (2/6 of our attendings see patients in oncology clinic once a week), so I can see you being able to combine the two fairly easily.

Good question, I'll look into this!

 

[WedgeDawg]

You will have plenty of time to do research in medical school if that is something you want to do.

You should do things that you are going to miss doing in med school during the summer before medical school.

Seriously. If you want to do something productive, here's a list:

• Get a workout routine started
• Learn to consistently wake up early
• Learn how to cook
• Learn how to manage finances
• Read books (for pleasure)
• Learn to play an instrument
• Learn a foreign language (spanish, unless you want to do MSF, then french)

 

[MicrogliaMan]

I could always travel to Europe...
or just vote for Hillary.

Or travel to Russia.
Or just vote for Bernie.

 

[MicrogliaMan]

Is there a way to work with the endocrinologist on a study about cancer survivors? That's actually a pretty big field of at least peds endo (2/6 of our attendings see patients in oncology clinic once a week), so I can see you being able to combine the two fairly easily.

Thank you for your help!

 

[psychMDhopefully]

Thank goodness I'm not matching 4-5 years from now, these little f'ers are publishing 4 first author papers in premed! I wouldn't be able to compete.

 

[PhillyMed777]

If you like math M0 person:

M0 = M*0 = 0, which also coincides with what you should be doing...nothing.

You WILL regret not taking the time off when you can.

 

[Optimus-Prime]

OP I too am doing research all the way up until matriculation.

Getting pubs is great, but I would also look into who would be better for networking.

In your shoes I would look into the higher probability for success. It looks like the endocrinology doc will get to know you better/maybe more willing to vouch for you in the future. The added publications will also help down the road