Bad Idea?

[ChemE2MDPhD]

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My program has an optional summer rotation before the first year and there does not seem to be any pressure to do one. I am kind of torn, do you think it is a bad idea to take the summer off (since it is probably the first and last summer I will have for a long time)?

 

[dmblue]

How long are rotations at your school? I believe most are ~6 weeks. you could easily take half the summer off, unless you really want a whole summer off.

 

[nothingman]

My advice (unless you foresee rotating through a lot of labs to make a decision) is to spend that summer doing something as non-academic as possible, if your finances and other circumstances permit. Travel to places you'd like to see, or otherwise just hang out with friends.

This is your last true summer vacation - something that some of us who are going through the process miss dearly.

 

[Shifty B]

When I started my mstp program I requested that I be allowed to start in August at the start of medical school and it was no problem. I had already accepted a summer job in a really interesting place and I thought it was worth it. It never hurt me that I didn't do that rotation.

 

[JmanDO]

I'll be starting a rot in July. I'll have most of June. Classes start in mid Aug.

How hard is it to get a break during the entire program? As a full time grad student, can't I dictate my schedule, even somewhat?

 

[nothingman]

I'll be starting a rot in July. I'll have most of June. Classes start in mid Aug.

How hard is it to get a break during the entire program? As a full time grad student, can't I dictate my schedule, even somewhat?

During med school (at least our program), about two weeks off during summer and about the same over the winter break.

During grad school, we were officially given 14 days over the whole year. Most people took substantially more than this. However, depending on how much at risk your project is of getting scooped/how strict your PI is/how much you want to finish by a given time, many grad students have a hard time justifying extended vacations to themselves.

My point is - for most people, the chances are not high that you will be able to do something non-scholarly for more than two weeks. And even on vacation away from lab, you may have papers you need to finish up, etc.

 

[ChemE2MDPhD]

Thanks, I think I am going to go with my gut and take the summer off. I have another 8 years of indentured servitude 😛.

 

[Neuronix]

My advice (unless you foresee rotating through a lot of labs to make a decision) is to spend that summer doing something as non-academic as possible, if your finances and other circumstances permit. Travel to places you'd like to see, or otherwise just hang out with friends.

Just make sure your program will actually pay you during that summer. I did the optional, not encouraged summer at my school and I ended up not getting paid until Fall when everyone else started (with a big check). They even kept my admission deposit. I'm still a bit sore about that, because I was very broke back then.

At least they did put me on health insurance for the first time in awhile . When the PD heard I wasn't covered under health insurance and was working with all sorts of toxic chemicals, exceptions got made. 😀

 

[CielloStelatto]

My program also will not pay you during the summer if you are not doing a rotation. I'm choosing to do 1 rotation instead of 2, so I lose just a month of pay. Fortunately it's not the end of the world since I've been working all year, but if you're fresh out of college, income is definitely something to consider.