Choosing a lab? The big and famous or matching research interest?

[CrayonShinChan]

Hello everyone, I recently decided not to apply this cycle and give myself another 2yrs to do more research before applying to MD-PhD because I realized my passion for MD-PhD quite late and only begun doing research the start of my Junior year.

Now my question is, if I choose a lab for the purpose of maximizing my chances for MD-PhD program, should I choose one that is

1. very Famous PI, currently super hot topics, publish fast and on several CNS paper a year consistently

OR

2. not super famous PI, but does exactly what I hope to do in PhD program, publishes much slower and because my field of interest is small and not so hot, mostly never CNS papers, this PI is also MD-PhD who practices in the field of MD I want to practice, and he is on the admission committee for MD-PhD of my dream school.

I understand for PhD I should do what I love to do instead of chasing hot fields, but is it worth it to spend 2 yrs chasing the hot fields and get a bunch of names on big journals in order to get into MD-PhD to do what I want to do? I am shooting for mostly top 10- top 15 schools and admitted students seem to all be research super stars and I already have 3 friends around me who have first author or co-first author on CNS because they work for 2-3yrs in fields like crispr etc.

Thank you guys for any of your input!

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[phonyreal98]

How do you get along with the two PI’s and the lab members in the two labs?

 

[CrayonShinChan]

How do you get along with the two PI’s and the lab members in the two labs?

I have heard rumors that the famous PI's lab is rather competitive and intense lab environment, but both labs I have only talked with PIs via skype and have not met with the lab yet.

Would you say that it is not worth it to be in a highly intense, competitive lab (instead of a nice, friendly, fun lab) in trade for more publications for 2 gap years?

 

[Lucca]

Pick the PI not the science
Pick the PI not the science
Pick the PI not the science
Pick the PI not the science

 

[Tothepub]

2. not super famous PI, but does exactly what I hope to do in PhD program, publishes much slower and because my field of interest is small and not so hot, mostly never CNS papers, this PI is also MD-PhD who practices in the field of MD I want to practice, and he is on the admission committee for MD-PhD of my dream school.

This, in my opinion, is a major advantage (assuming your personalities mesh well).
My PI was on the adcom at one of the MSTPs I applied to. Every interview I had at that school brought up this fact in a very positive light.
One of my interviewers even said "it is hard to reject a candidate that has a Letter of Recommendation from an Admissions Committee member".

Though, I must stress this is my individual experience.

 

[CrayonShinChan]

This, in my opinion, is a major advantage (assuming your personalities mesh well).
My PI was on the adcom at one of the MSTPs I applied to. Every interview I had at that school brought up this fact in a very positive light.
One of my interviewers even said "it is hard to reject a candidate that has a Letter of Recommendation from an Admissions Committee member".

Though, I must stress this is my individual experience.

Thank you!!