No research over the summer?

[MangoPlant]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hi all,

I was wondering whether it is a serious problem if an applicant does not have research over any of the summers during undergrad. I will have about 2 years of research (sophomore start to end of junior year) before applying, without any summers and some good publications (2 mid author and 1 1st author). I was wondering whether not having done research in the summer will significantly set me back for MD/PhD or even top tier MD?

Thanks

 

[debateg]

No one cares when you did your research as long as you have done the research. Having a first author publication will make you a lot more competitive than people who worked more and have not published. You may get asked what you did those summers, and there's an expectation that you did something academically productive. If you didn't and spent the time backpacking through Europe (not that there's anything wrong with that), that may be seen as a lack of commitment to science, so just be prepared for that.

 

[MangoPlant]

I see. This may be a problem then because I was just going to go to a foreign country to spend time with family there..

 

[CancerKiller007]

Dont worry about it. As long as you can justify, why you want to pursue MD/PhD. Given your publication record, you seem committed to research. You will be fine.

 

[MangoPlant]

Dont worry about it. As long as you can justify, why you want to pursue MD/PhD. Given your publication record, you seem committed to research. You will be fine.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Any more opinions on this? I need to decide soon

 

[plumazul]

Thanks for the encouragement.

Any more opinions on this? I need to decide soon

Every PD/admin that I've met personally has suggested that summer research is important. For example, from the Tri-I website:

The research experience and potential to become a future physician-scientist, as described in the personal statement, is the most important part of the MD-PhD application. Students should have a significant amount of research experience – at least one year and 1-2 summers – prior to applying to the MD-PhD Program.

Some have explained that they feel an intense summer experience where you are working full time+ is something they want to see since it can show your strong commitment to a career in science. But you are being very productive during regular semesters so I would think it wouldn't matter in your case. Good luck whatever you decide

 

[obscurehero]

They want to know that you can talk science. MD/PhD programs invest a lot of time and money into you and they want to make sure you're that you're worth the investment.

Summers are typically more intense and more likely to expose you to science in a way that research during the school-year cannot. It seems like you've been pretty productive in undergrad already, however, I'd really weigh how serious you are about getting in.

Everyone has to have a life. Certainly there might be some programs that don't give you an interview because you haven't had any summer research. There might be others that don't care. I'm not sure there's a hard and fast way to reassure you and I think that's what you're looking for.

If it were me, I might postpone that fun trip to make sure that I was as competitive as I possibly could be for the programs that I wanted to get into. That said, doing summer research just to check that box off the list isn't going to do you much good.

 

[MangoPlant]

They want to know that you can talk science. MD/PhD programs invest a lot of time and money into you and they want to make sure you're that you're worth the investment.

Summers are typically more intense and more likely to expose you to science in a way that research during the school-year cannot. It seems like you've been pretty productive in undergrad already, however, I'd really weigh how serious you are about getting in.

Everyone has to have a life. Certainly there might be some programs that don't give you an interview because you haven't had any summer research. There might be others that don't care. I'm not sure there's a hard and fast way to reassure you and I think that's what you're looking for.

If it were me, I might postpone that fun trip to make sure that I was as competitive as I possibly could be for the programs that I wanted to get into. That said, doing summer research just to check that box off the list isn't going to do you much good.

Thanks for the response.

I agree that doing research just to check off a box isn't going to be good. But the situation is more like this: If I will be at a significant disadvantage for not having done research over the summer, I will forgo the summer trip and stay. Staying does not mean I will not give the summer research my best effort, but I will be a little less happier than the alternate option (going on the trip).

Also this trip is not just for fun. The trip is going to a foreign country (my home country) to see family that I do not get to see during the rest of the year. If I went I would be staying for around 3 months but also studying for the MCAT at the same time.

I'm still split between the two options 😕, any more advice anyone?

Studying for MCAT + Seeing family
vs
Research during the entire summer and possibly getting one more publication

 

[MangoPlant]

Every PD/admin that I've met personally has suggested that summer research is important. For example, from the Tri-I website:



Some have explained that they feel an intense summer experience where you are working full time+ is something they want to see since it can show your strong commitment to a career in science. But you are being very productive during regular semesters so I would think it wouldn't matter in your case. Good luck whatever you decide

Thank you! I really hope I don't get taken not seriously for not having done full time research

 

[obscurehero]

Well, you've also got to live your life.

Family is terribly important and as an MD/PhD its a long haul with very little time off (maybe time for a jaunt during your PhD years).

What kind of publications do you have? Are you able to talk well about your research?

 

[debateg]

I just want to clarify that I'm not saying you absolutely must do summer research or your dreams of MD/PhD-dome are completely shot. Obviously, the more research you do, the stronger your application will be, but at some point, you have to realize that the life of an MD/PhD is full of compromises and sacrifices, and sometimes we have to sacrifice bits of career for our family. Spending an extended about of time with your family abroad could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so it's something to seriously consider. Your application seems to be strong enough to secure a spot as an MD/PhD, and the real question is where. Just be prepared to be challenged on the issue; I found that my MD/PhD interviewers were sometimes a bit more antagonistic towards my application, harping on one or two random facts, than I expected. One interviewer may think the trip is a sign of not being committed; the other may find it super cool and chat with you the entire time about your experience. Just be prepared.

 

[MangoPlant]

Well, you've also got to live your life.

Family is terribly important and as an MD/PhD its a long haul with very little time off (maybe time for a jaunt during your PhD years).

What kind of publications do you have? Are you able to talk well about your research?

I just want to clarify that I'm not saying you absolutely must do summer research or your dreams of MD/PhD-dome are completely shot. Obviously, the more research you do, the stronger your application will be, but at some point, you have to realize that the life of an MD/PhD is full of compromises and sacrifices, and sometimes we have to sacrifice bits of career for our family. Spending an extended about of time with your family abroad could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so it's something to seriously consider. Your application seems to be strong enough to secure a spot as an MD/PhD, and the real question is where. Just be prepared to be challenged on the issue; I found that my MD/PhD interviewers were sometimes a bit more antagonistic towards my application, harping on one or two random facts, than I expected. One interviewer may think the trip is a sign of not being committed; the other may find it super cool and chat with you the entire time about your experience. Just be prepared.

Thanks for the advice.

The publications are 1 mid author in a high impact journal (Nature/Science/Cell), 1 mid author in decent journal and 1 first author in a decent journal. Apologies for being kind of vague about the impact factor of the journals. I'm trying to stay anonymous 😛

I think I can speak fairly well about my research, however I realize that this is subjective.

In a different way: Would it be more to my advantage to have a summer of research and a 34 - 35 MCAT or to not have summer research (go on the trip) and get a 36 - 37 MCAT?

 

[Microglia]

Thanks for the advice.

The publications are 1 mid author in a high impact journal (Nature/Science/Cell), 1 mid author in decent journal and 1 first author in a decent journal. Apologies for being kind of vague about the impact factor of the journals. I'm trying to stay anonymous 😛

I think I can speak fairly well about my research, however I realize that this is subjective.

In a different way: Would it be more to my advantage to have a summer of research and a 34 - 35 MCAT or to not have summer research (go on the trip) and get a 36 - 37 MCAT?

Honestly my advice to you is as long as you can productively study for the MCAT in this place, go for it. You have phenomenal publications from the sound of it and if you have a 3.8+ and do well on the MCAT I don't think you'll have any problems with admissions (probably a couple very solid offers). Maybe a few of the elite schools would bat their eyes at you, but you could never be sure and they might anyway for no major reason.

To;dr: If stats are good go on the trip, you should be fine.

 

[K31]

In a different way: Would it be more to my advantage to have a summer of research and a 34 - 35 MCAT or to not have summer research (go on the trip) and get a 36 - 37 MCAT?

Do what you must from a personal standpoint, but don't overestimate the amount of MCAT studying you're going to get done while traveling overseas.

 

[snobored18]

Thanks for the advice.

The publications are 1 mid author in a high impact journal (Nature/Science/Cell), 1 mid author in decent journal and 1 first author in a decent journal. Apologies for being kind of vague about the impact factor of the journals. I'm trying to stay anonymous 😛

I think I can speak fairly well about my research, however I realize that this is subjective.

In a different way: Would it be more to my advantage to have a summer of research and a 34 - 35 MCAT or to not have summer research (go on the trip) and get a 36 - 37 MCAT?

As long as the corresponding author on your pubs doesn't share the same last name, you get a good letter from your PI(s), and your grades/MCAT are good taking the summer off won't matter...even without the summers you'll have been more productive from a research perspective than 90% of applicants...heck I've seen graduate students get a PhD with fewer publications and from the sound of it lower tier journals. If you chill out and go into the process with a humble mindset you'll do fine.