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Question about striving for longevity in research experience?

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KiGnome

Full Member
5+ Year Member
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Hello all,

Background:
I am a rising second-year undergraduate student studying biochemistry at Berea College. I aspire the career of a physician-scientist. I am currently at my summer undergraduate research internship site (the Aspirnaut program at Vanderbilt U. Medical Center). I enjoy the internship, the research I am doing, and the community at VUMC itself.

Question:
For research experiences, is it better (more competitive, outstanding) to have variety in research positions/roles or longevity of a research experience? When applying to MSTPs, that is. Specifically, I am curious if two summers at VUMC on the same project with a third summer internship on a different project is better/worse than continuing my internship position at VUMC for all three undergrad summers on the same project.

I don’t know if that is worded oddly, but simply put, which is better:
a.) Two summers experiences at VUMC on the same project + another summer experience on another project (variety)
b.) All three summers at VUMC on the same project (longevity)

Thank-you for your help!