Better Summer Internship: Pediatric Hospital or Harvard Stem Cell Institute?

[KFritz52]

Hi,

This is a bit of a personal question, but not many of my friends or relatives can relate enough to provide solid advice on which job I should take for this summer.

I've committed via email to accepting a position as an intern at a pediatric hospital in Memphis. They have yet to tell me what I'll be doing, but it's through a company that facilitates dialysis, so I assume it will be kidney related, which is fine. It is obviously clinical work, which is very important to my med school apps, which go out this summer; and I was also really excited to be working with children.

However, I recently received an email from a grad student in Doug Melton's lab at Harvard Stem Cell Institute offering me a job there. Melton is one of THE big stem cell guys; he's been named one of Time magazine's most influential people TWICE, and I'd be working on a project that could potentially be relevant to a diabetes cure. This is cutting edge research that I may never get the chance to do again.

On a separate but related note, I'd be living alone in Memphis and I will be the only intern from the program. I go to Boston University; the majority of my friends will be in Boston for the summer. I also would probably resume volunteering at Mass General, so I'd still be around a hospital

...so, which would you choose? Back out of Memphis about two weeks prior to the job to take the prestigious bench research? Or stay in Memphis, get the clinical experience, and hopefully help some sick kids?

THANKS!

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[cliffhuxtableDO]

Take the research. Then volunteer in a children's clinic in Boston.

 

[LizzyM]

Can you, right now, tell me a story about a patient who made an impression on you -- who made you weep or laugh or become frustrated or become inspired? If not, you need more clinical exposure & should go to Memphis.

If you 've got a patient story under your belt, how important is it to you to keep your word to the people with whom you would work in Memphis. Burning bridges can be dangerous.


If you aren't afraid of burning bridges, how afraid are you of getting out of your comfort zone and going somewhere where everything & everyone is unfamiliar. Some experiences of that sort are also a good preparation for med school.

If you are totally psyched by the lab opportunity rather than a clinical opportunity, is pre-med the right place for you? (Not saying it isn't but this might be a test of where your heart lies and where you'd be most happy in the long term.)

 

[KFritz52]

Admittedly, I was more excited to be working in the hospital, but the problem is, they could be sticking me in a lab in Memphis. They have told me NOTHING about this job other than that I have it. And I AM a bit nervous about burning bridges, but I'm fine with going somewhere new. That's not an issue at all, not to me anyway... my parents will argue otherwise.

It's just... I'm never going to have the opportunity to work with someone this influential again, and I've had a fascination with stem cells through high school up until now. I'll be in a hospital for plenty of years to come. This is the kind of opportunity a lot of people would kill for... it's THE stem cell guy.

And I've got a reasonably good patient story, courtesy of volunteering at Mass General.

 

[planktonelement]

I'd go with the research position 100%. IMHO, you can volunteer anytime during the year, but it's a lot easier to focus on research during the summer.

 

[reddyjs]

Hmm, normally I'd say stick with the hospital, but let's face it, getting a spot in Melton's lab is an incredible opportunity. It's probably one of the premiere labs for stem cell research in the world. Just be honest with the guys at the hospital and tell them that this opportunity is something you've always dreamed of. Yes, there might be some hurt feelings along the way but I'm sure they can easily find someone to replace you.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Can you, right now, tell me a story about a patient who made an impression on you -- who made you weep or laugh or become frustrated or become inspired? If not, you need more clinical exposure & should go to Memphis.

If you 've got a patient story under your belt, how important is it to you to keep your word to the people with whom you would work in Memphis. Burning bridges can be dangerous.


If you aren't afraid of burning bridges, how afraid are you of getting out of your comfort zone and going somewhere where everything & everyone is unfamiliar. Some experiences of that sort are also a good preparation for med school.

If you are totally psyched by the lab opportunity rather than a clinical opportunity, is pre-med the right place for you? (Not saying it isn't but this might be a test of where your heart lies and where you'd be most happy in the long term.)

There is NO crying in baseball......I mean Medicine.

Without a doubt, take the stem cell research spot. That is an opportunity you can't pass up.....even if you hate research. 1 story that either makes you cry like a girl, laugh like a hyena, or anything else is easy to come by compared to a research spot in a Top lab at Harvard.

 

[KFritz52]

Thanks all for the input!

I'm just hesitant to completely screw over this company. I'm supposed to start the job June 2... but the thing is, they still haven't even told me EXACTLY what I'll be doing. I could be researching in Memphis anyway. They've been stringing me along since March...

Butttt, it's Doug Melton, and if I'm back in Boston I'll volunteer at Mass General. That's clinical enough, right?

Decision's due tomorrow... more input still welcome. 🙂

 

[scarletgirl777]

Thanks all for the input!

I'm just hesitant to completely screw over this company. I'm supposed to start the job June 2... but the thing is, they still haven't even told me EXACTLY what I'll be doing. I could be researching in Memphis anyway. They've been stringing me along since March...

Butttt, it's Doug Melton, and if I'm back in Boston I'll volunteer at Mass General. That's clinical enough, right?

Decision's due tomorrow... more input still welcome. 🙂

It's a little worrisome that the first internship can't even tell you what your responsibilities will be, and you're well aware of how exciting Melton's work is, so I would lean towards going with HSCI. And yes, volunteering at MGH is clinical enough, though I like the idea of working at Children's. 🙂 Just explain to them that you've found a great opportunity elsewhere with the ideal job description (maybe they'll get the hint that they've been dragging their feet too long on that) and that you're going with that.

 

[schizosquirrel]

I personally do stem cell research in a lab of basically one of Douglas Melton's academic "competitors", so I personally think you should take the Melton lab position. He's a big deal. Stem cell biology is cutting edge, with a lot of interesting avenues and Harvard has a fairly well developed institute compared to most medical schools in the US. Be aware though, Douglas Melton runs a really big, factory style lab, so they'll be just tons of post-docs, grad students, interns, etc. You probably will have very little if any interaction at all with Professor Melton and should make sure the post-doc you'll be working with is a good mentor, because you'll likely spend all your time with him. Personally, as someone who has worked in varying size labs, large labs like Dr. Melton's are better if you're a post-doc- because mainly, pumping out papers in a prestigious lab makes it easier to get a faculty position later. You'll learn a ton as a student about research, but you'll probably learn more with more responsibility in a smaller lab. Just my two cents, but I'd definitely take it over the other position regardless.

 

[shindotp]

The choice would be obvious for me (Harvard stem cell research!!)

 

[NickNaylor]

I'd go with the research position 100%. IMHO, you can volunteer anytime during the year, but it's a lot easier to focus on research during the summer.

100% true.

 

[MsJLewis]

I did HSCI a couple of years ago as well as some of my friends. One worked in Melton's lab for about 2 years. Its a LARGE lab (as someone mentioned earlier). A lot will be expected of you. You will be interacting mainly with the post-docs but when you get a recommendation for med school, he'll be signing it (and it doesn't look so shabby on an application). I really liked HSCI. Its a great program. And Boston is quite nice in the summer!