pre-ms1 summer

[microTAS]

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Ah, the revisit and decision-making season is upon us!! Congrats to all of those who have been accepted. 👍 👍 👍

I've already thought about the upcoming summer.... and I'm definitely going on vacation for a while! But for the rest of the summer I'm debating whether I should: (i) work in my long-term lab (where I am 90% sure I'll publish first-author in a decent journal) or (ii) start a pre-ms1 summer rotation to reduce my phd years

argh! what would folks here do?

 

[javert]

I'm actually going to do the 'continue current work' option, though only for about a month or so. While I will probably get at least one second author pub out of it, my reason for doing it was mainly based on money. My PI said he would go above what I would be making if I were to go to my grad school to do a rotation and he's giving me free housing by letting me stay at his vacation home...just too tempting to pass up. 🙂

I don't remember talking to many people during interviews who did pre-MSI rotations, so it doesn't seem that by not doing a rotation you're behind in any way. The main advantage I see to doing an early rotation is getting aquainted with the city before the start of school, but you could do that just by moving in early. That's my plan, anyway.

 

[PostalWookie]

How about an option for vacation only? At least that's my plan - maybe do some mcat tutoring for cash, but otherwise I plan to do absolutely nothing of value to society. I'm going to sleep, watch TV, travel a bit, go out with friends. It'll be awesome

 

[chattkis]

How about an option for vacation only? At least that's my plan - maybe do some mcat tutoring for cash, but otherwise I plan to do absolutely nothing of value to society. I'm going to sleep, watch TV, travel a bit, go out with friends. It'll be awesome

Yep me too! Vacation only. Getting married, honeymooning, and moving in to a new place. Thats it.

 

[microTAS]

I plan to do absolutely nothing of value to society. ...It'll be awesome

👍
It would be.

Darn poll can't be changed

 

[fyli260]

My PI has been giving me the option of staying this summer as well. The only real perk is that I may get my stuff publish in a top 3 journal rather than a tier 2 or 3 journal. I'm leaning towards passing the option for several reasons:
1. Everything in science is sort of a gamble. Nothing is bound to work 100%. I think I'll try and give it my best shot between now and the end of May. Unless I see something really promising, I think I may be wasting my whole summer to nothing but frustration again (yes, that was last summer).
2. Since the program that I will be attending have 2 required rotations, doing the rotation the summer before med school could allow me to choose my thesis lab earlier (i.e. before as oppose to after MS2), which could allow me to get my thesis going during MS2.
3. I'm perfectly happy with a first author paper. It's not the end of the world that my paper is not in a tier 1 journal.
4. I'm so ready to move on.
5. I don't really like my advisor to begin with.

 

[Dr. Chiquita]

I was hoping for a vacation, but that plan is completely shattered by my advisor who told me to stay and continue my work during the summer. Can't exactly say no considering how much she has given me both time and $. She wants me to finish up my project and write up for a pub. Not too shabby, I guess. But no vacation sucks a$$. 👎

 

[tedrik]

Since the rotation isn't required by the MSTP, then why not get the extra pub? Not doing your first rotation pre-MS1 may, or may not, extend your time to graduation, but it's just a drop in the bucket considering what lies ahead 🙂.

 

[Dr. Chiquita]

it's just a drop in the bucket considering what lies ahead 🙂.

yeah totally. i gotta get myself to think about what i'm committing to. 😉

 

[PostalWookie]

Seriously though, none of us will have a summer off again until we're retired. I think it's totally worth it to just relax. I definitely look forward to the first summer I won't be doing something to improve my CV