After 3 semesters of research, I am sick and tired...

[revoapparel]

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tired of having to wake up 8 in the morning three days a week. That has pretty much been my routine for the past three semesters of college. I am currently entering my second semester of my third year in college and am realizing that research just isn't for me. And when I talk about research, it wasn't me just making solutions and auto-claving things. I actually had great mentors that allowed me to contribute to their projects, though I necessarily didn't have my own. I definitely would like a good chance and apply to a few top 30 med schools and hopefully getting into one, but will the ending of research at this stage jeopardize my chances? I know it seems that the only reason why I am doing research is to impress the adcoms, and there is some truth in that, but definitely wanted to give it a try. Please give me some insight, as it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Pretty POHA]

8 in the morning? Poor thing... try working full time & school full time. 8 in the morning is a late start.

Edit: Oh yeah, Ash, try not to be a bizitch was one of your new years resolutions!!!
Sorry.
You're only given this life once. Do what makes you happy-- seek out the things that you will look back on and know you did your best!

 

[jebus]

I don't know how it will affect your med school apps but if you don't like it get out.
I spent over 4 years doing research and being a tech (got published, was able to do cutting edge stuff in RNAi, taught grad students, post-docs, and professors techniques, presented at journal clubs, ruined thousands of dollars of clothes by spilling reagents and other biological goodness on them, etc.) and it is definitely not for me. Trust me, you'll end up resenting it more and more. It's good that you tried it and were able to sincerely pursue it. There's no shame in walking away now. And you'll probably be happier if you do. When I quit working in a lab my blood pressure and pulse shot down by 25% and I just feel like a tremendous burden has been lifted off my chest (yes, both literally and figuratively).
Do something that you'll truly enjoy and you have a passion for. If it's volunteering as an elementary school tutor or at the red cross or doing economics research, starting a company (there's money to be made if you are smart about it), day-trading, or whatever. Just have a passion for it. Be able to talk about it thoroughly and with excitement, but don't just do it to impress people. Life's too short for that.

 

[Thundrstorm]

gee, that was a productive reply. 🙄


Why bother doing research if you don't like it? You have substantial experience, adn there's certainly no reason to continue every EC you've ever done until you apply. It's not like you gave up after 3 weeks. Lots of people only have a summer of research, or none at all.

I am curious though: is your problem with your schedule, the specific research you're doing, or research in general? If you just don't like research, you should use your time doing something you actually enjoy.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Ha! Wait until you have to get to the hospital by 5 to pre-round on your patients and be ready to present to the attending by 7.

If you did a good job for the PI you should still be able to get a good LOR. Still, I imagine adcoms will want to know why you don't like research and what you did with your time instead. Perhaps you could find a different type of research project to work on -- something clinical and dealing with patients instead of C. elegans or whatever.

 

[Shredder]

dude 8 is early for college, you guys can say whatever you want about the future but thats why waking up early is for old people

 

[stiffany]

dude 8 is early for college, you guys can say whatever you want about the future but thats why waking up early is for old people

Glad to know that 23 is old! 🙄

I agree though. If it doesn't make you happy and you don't need it to pay your bills, find something else significant to you to be involved in. Life really is too short!

 

[45408]

what's with the grief about the OP not wanting to do research at 8am? I bet at least 3/4 of this forum has made substantial schedule decisions based on how early a class is. I know that's what I do. Sometimes a class is just at a bad time, but only twice in college have I had a class before 9am, and it was terrible both times. This is college - you have the rest of your life (and you already did it in grade school) to get up early.

 

[WhatUpDoc!]

OP, I kinda feel ya. I get up at 6am Mon-Fri to get to the lab by 8am at the latest. I'm just a lowly lab tech though so it's not like I'm doing any REAL research. I do the same routine (digest DNA, extract DNA, run gel electrophoresis on DNA, take picture of DNA bands... rinse and repeat 😴 ) I'm planning to give it (the research gig) a good effort 1st summer off after MS1 year though. I can't see myself throwing research out the window just yet, but I understand your early morning woes 😉

 

[Hoo\/er]

LOL I would've thought I was on vacation if I had to wake up at 8 am for three days per week as a junior medical student.

 

[p00psicleSTICK]

Did you try talking to your research head about the issue? Every semester my schedule in lab would change depending on what days/times I have classes... Your boss should understand the issue and should be more flexible if you ask nicely. 😉

 

[revoapparel]

Did you try talking to your research head about the issue? Every semester my schedule in lab would change depending on what days/times I have classes... Your boss should understand the issue and should be more flexible if you ask nicely. 😉

Thank you guys for the input, as it was much appreciated. I mean, the only reason I started doing research was, in all honestly, just to say that I did it and perhaps impress the adcoms a bit. However, after 3 semesters, I feel like it's more of a burden now as well as something that takes way too much time especially since I don't have a great passion for it. I am majoring in economics, and minoring in biology and someone mentioned something about economics research, which I would be very much interested in. I think I might look into that.

 

[LizzyM]

Thank you guys for the input, as it was much appreciated. I mean, the only reason I started doing research was, in all honestly, just to say that I did it and perhaps impress the adcoms a bit. However, after 3 semesters, I feel like it's more of a burden now as well as something that takes way too much time especially since I don't have a great passion for it. I am majoring in economics, and minoring in biology and someone mentioned something about economics research, which I would be very much interested in. I think I might look into that.

Give some serious thought as to whether you really want medicine. I've yet to see a medical school that doesn't have mandatory classes that begin at 8 a.m. 5 days a week and once you enter the clinical training you will be on duty before dawn. Maybe banking would be a better choice for you.

 

[revoapparel]

Give some serious thought as to whether you really want medicine. I've yet to see a medical school that doesn't have mandatory classes that begin at 8 a.m. 5 days a week and once you enter the clinical training you will be on duty before dawn. Maybe banking would be a better choice for you.

Don't get me wrong, my heart is definitely in medicine. My biggest complaint is not soo much waking up at 8 or 9 in the morning every day, but more so doing research and contemplating whether I should stop doing research. The 8 or 9 am detail was just an added thing that I disliked about having to wake up early in the morning for research.

 

[indo]

I remember in high school we had to be there at 7:40 and that seemed early. But, my freshman year in college I had an 8am writing class and it was so much worse than high school. There must be some kind of biochemical change that occurs when you move out of your parents houset hat prevents you from getting out of bed early. You might call it an alcohol-assisted circadian shift.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I remember in high school we had to be there at 7:40 and that seemed early. But, my freshman year in college I had an 8am writing class and it was so much worse than high school. There must be some kind of biochemical change that occurs when you move out of your parents houset hat prevents you from getting out of bed early. You might call it an alcohol-assisted circadian shift.

It happens even if there is no alcohol involved.

 

[Shredder]

I am majoring in economics, and minoring in biology and someone mentioned something about economics research, which I would be very much interested in. I think I might look into that.

ah, my kind of guy--let me know how that goes

you know i think theres economics research available that is related to healthcare, which might be a great way to hit two birds with one stone. its too late for me to pursue anything like that, but if i had known about it earlier and been an eco major back then i would have done it for sure.

 

[revoapparel]

ah, my kind of guy--let me know how that goes

you know i think theres economics research available that is related to healthcare, which might be a great way to hit two birds with one stone. its too late for me to pursue anything like that, but if i had known about it earlier and been an eco major back then i would have done it for sure.

I'm definitely looking into it right now, and the idea about researching economics with healthcare seems very interesting. I will definitely keep you guys updated as to whether I can land a research opportunity in the near future (I hope)

 

[45408]

Give some serious thought as to whether you really want medicine. I've yet to see a medical school that doesn't have mandatory classes that begin at 8 a.m. 5 days a week and once you enter the clinical training you will be on duty before dawn. Maybe banking would be a better choice for you.

Pretty sure bankers have to be at work when the doors open at 8am too. I have no problem rolling into work at 6:30am for a 24 hour shift, but those 9am labs are just brutal. 😛 It all depends on how much you want to be there. I practically jump out of bed on the days I'm shadowing a surgeon or something (I got there before he did - 6:15am at a hospital 45 minutes from my house, felt alert as ever).

College = your LAST CHANCE! Go ahead and schedule that class for noon. 😉

 

[LizzyM]

Pretty sure bankers have to be at work when the doors open at 8am too.

Where do you bank?? My bank doesn't open the door until 8:30 and the MBA-types don't need to be there until much later. I know; I see them in the school yard every morning dropping their kids off on the way to work.

 

[ND2005]

Give some serious thought as to whether you really want medicine. I've yet to see a medical school that doesn't have mandatory classes that begin at 8 a.m. 5 days a week and once you enter the clinical training you will be on duty before dawn. Maybe banking would be a better choice for you.

In college I never scheduled a class earlier than 9:30, because I knew I would be tempted to skip it too often (though due to fortuitous scheduling and multiple sections of the same class, I never missed out on a class I wanted/needed because of this personal policy).

Now I wake up every day at about 6:15 and arrive at work by 7:30. One cup of coffee and I'm good to go.


It's just a totally different lifestyle in college...I don't think it's fair to say that b/c a 20(ish) year old undergrad doesn't wan't to wake up early they should reconsider their career choice.

 

[Shredder]

I don't think it's fair to say that b/c a 20(ish) year old undergrad doesn't wan't to wake up early they should reconsider their career choice.

if one doesnt fit the perfect, idealized premed mold then advisors are quick to recommend changing career choice, just like that. as if medicine is the path to mount olympus. want to earn an income above survival level? reconsider careers. dont want to be surrounded by hiv patients during all working hours? reconsider.