MS1 - plans for summer

[Striatum14]

Hi guys, I quick question for you all -

I want to do research over the summer, and currently have 2 options: I can either stay at my home institution in a very productive research group (clinical) vs. going back to my home state and helping out with clinical research for a PI at a top teaching hospital. I am leaning toward my home institution, since I feel I would be able to get more out of it (posters/pubs) which would possibly help me down the line, but at the same time I'd love to spend what could be my last free summer at home. Also at the top teaching hospital I might be able to make connections which I guess would also help me. Both research settings are in a specialty of my interest. Any suggestions?

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[Tenk]

Home institution 100%.

 

[deleted915325]

Depends on how much you miss your family. If there is something going on with a loved ones health, one of them is going through a major life event and needs as much support as they can get, or you’re struggling mentally, then go home. Otherwise do your home institution if that’s what will be more productive.

 

[BBBallIsLife]

Also interested in hearing more opinions on the thought whether doing research elsewhere will help develop connections for the long run...

 

[famguy225]

M1 here - I would vote staying at your mom institution. Totally get the wanting to be near family, but the value of working on a team that is known to be productive and put students in position to get pubs is huge. You can't underestimate how important it is to be working for PIs that have a good rep for helping students out.

 

[ceilingfan019]

Hi guys, I quick question for you all -

I want to do research over the summer, and currently have 2 options: I can either stay at my home institution in a very productive research group (clinical) vs. going back to my home state and helping out with clinical research for a PI at a top teaching hospital. I am leaning toward my home institution, since I feel I would be able to get more out of it (posters/pubs) which would possibly help me down the line, but at the same time I'd love to spend what could be my last free summer at home. Also at the top teaching hospital I might be able to make connections which I guess would also help me. Both research settings are in a specialty of my interest. Any suggestions?

Home institution is good if you're not too home sick. Otherwise, go home and do it at the research institution. You can do research at your home institution any time so you're not burning bridges by going back home.

Also interested in hearing more opinions on the thought whether doing research elsewhere will help develop connections for the long run...

Yes. I personally called my research mentor from that MS1 summer during MS3 year and secured an away rotation and a LOR.

 

[medschoolmentors]

Definitely prioritize a productive summer. I did post-M1 research at a top institution, and later got a great letter of rec from it -- but no pubs. The research summer was great for other reasons (lived in a cool place, made lots of friends, etc), but not great for my application per se.

 

[Striatum14]

Definitely prioritize a productive summer. I did post-M1 research at a top institution, and later got a great letter of rec from it -- but no pubs. The research summer was great for other reasons (lived in a cool place, made lots of friends, etc), but not great for my application per se.

Do you think the good LOR was worth it even though you got no pubs?

 

[Striatum14]

Depends on how much you miss your family. If there is something going on with a loved ones health, one of them is going through a major life event and needs as much support as they can get, or you’re struggling mentally, then go home. Otherwise do your home institution if that’s what will be more productive.

I mean, I'd love to go home, but at the same time I'm also trying to think about what might help me out later on with residency apps and what not. The other institution is very well known and prestigious, but I'm probably only going to help out with contacting patients and minor stuff, which I'm not sure would lead to a pub. But at my home institution I have the chance of heading my own project and possibly getting a paper and/or poster out of it. Considering both right now, will probably need to decide by the end of the month.

 

[Striatum14]

Home institution 100%.

What sways you toward home that much?

 

[Tenk]

What sways you toward home that much?

Multiple reasons: you'll be able to continue whatever you don't finish or work on additional projects, you'll be able to network and make lasting contacts over the next 3 years (most important), and your chances of making lasting connections at an ivory tower instutition in just a few months is slim to none (these people will probably forget about you in a month).

 

[medschoolmentors]

Do you think the good LOR was worth it even though you got no pubs?

Sorry for the delay! It probably helped, but a good LOR plus a few publications would've helped more haha. The LOR was mostly me making the most out of a not-great situation.

 

[sharkbyte]

OP I'd stay at your home institution because it looks like you have a solid chance of turning it into a productive experience with a publication or at least a poster. Getting published in med school will be a good thing for your application and your future in medicine. I was in the same boat as you; briefly thought about going home for that last summer as well. But the difference was that I didn't have any options at home that were on the table for me so I would have had to apply or look for something and that very likely wouldn't have yielded anything. I ended up staying at my school to do research for ~8-9 weeks and it worked out really well; I worked on two projects, got the first one published and the second one is in the works. Also, I was able to still go home for the last 2 weeks of that summer. There will be opportunities over the next few years to go home including breaks, Step 1 dedicated/post-Step 1 (if you want to), vacation months M4 year, etc.

 

[Striatum14]

OP I'd stay at your home institution because it looks like you have a solid chance of turning it into a productive experience with a publication or at least a poster. Getting published in med school will be a good thing for your application and your future in medicine. I was in the same boat as you; briefly thought about going home for that last summer as well. But the difference was that I didn't have any options at home that were on the table for me so I would have had to apply or look for something and that very likely wouldn't have yielded anything. I ended up staying at my school to do research for ~8-9 weeks and it worked out really well; I worked on two projects, got the first one published and the second one is in the works. Also, I was able to still go home for the last 2 weeks of that summer. There will be opportunities over the next few years to go home including breaks, Step 1 dedicated/post-Step 1 (if you want to), vacation months M4 year, etc.

Cool, thanks for the input!

 

[Green_Goose]

OP I'd stay at your home institution because it looks like you have a solid chance of turning it into a productive experience with a publication or at least a poster. Getting published in med school will be a good thing for your application and your future in medicine. I was in the same boat as you; briefly thought about going home for that last summer as well. But the difference was that I didn't have any options at home that were on the table for me so I would have had to apply or look for something and that very likely wouldn't have yielded anything. I ended up staying at my school to do research for ~8-9 weeks and it worked out really well; I worked on two projects, got the first one published and the second one is in the works. Also, I was able to still go home for the last 2 weeks of that summer. There will be opportunities over the next few years to go home including breaks, Step 1 dedicated/post-Step 1 (if you want to), vacation months M4 year, etc.

Would you change your response if you had the same opportunity to publish at your hometown vs home medical school? I am in a similar position as OP but I'm not sure what my likelihood of getting published is at my medical school. Also, at my med school, I've been assigned to a summer research track that doesn't align with any of my career interests. Do you think it's still worth it to stay with my med school, even if I'm not particularly interested in the research? I'd also like to add that I haven't yet been assigned to a mentor yet for the research program in my hometown.

 

[jakethedog222]

I would agree with Pepe18 here. Many summer fellowships are being cancelled and departments simply are not taking on outside students at this stage. Your best bet is to stay at your home medical school for these reasons.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

What does everyone's summer break look like? I was planning on doing summer research during MS1 as well, but I found out we only get a 1 month break. This doesn't seem like much time for research, but maybe my school is just an outlier??

 

[thatdude!]

How is COVID-19 changing the summer after M1 now? Is everything just going to be remote?

 

[Striatum14]

How is COVID-19 changing the summer after M1 now? Is everything just going to be remote?

I'd like to know that too. I'm guessing if it's something like chart reviews (what I'll be doing primarily) it can be done remotely?

 

[Tiran145]

I'd like to know that too. I'm guessing if it's something like chart reviews (what I'll be doing primarily) it can be done remotely?

Ya my project is going all online! Luckily it’s a meta review so its mostly data collection and statistical analysis anyway so easy to do online. I cannot imagine any bench research actually happening this summer, my schools campus is locked down except for authorized persons for example.

 

[Green_Goose]

How is COVID-19 changing the summer after M1 now? Is everything just going to be remote?

My hometown research program was moved online a few weeks ago, but my med school hasn't said anything other than the initial 'we are continually evaluating the situation.' My school's summer research starts in a month, so I'm guessing they'll be moving online, but they haven't sent us any updates for a while so it's kind of confusing.