Research for Credit vs. Volunteer

[Caffein3]

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Hey everyone. I've been doing research since my freshman year spring semester. I have done my research for class credit as a DIS (Directed Individual Study) because that's what my advisor and friends have told me to do. I have noticed a lot of people do research purely for volunteer hours though. I was wondering what the difference is between doing research for credit vs. doing research for volunteer hours and how that affects the application for med school. Thanks!

 

[LizzyM]

I've not yet seen this year's AMCAS application but the descriptor for the experience labeled "research" has not distinguished between "volunteer", "paid" or "for academic credit". So, it would make no difference from where I sit whether it was done one way or another.

 

[looncat]

I don't really think there is a difference, I did mine for no credit at first and then switched to credit because it was an easy A. Also, if you take it for a grade some schools will accept a PI recommendation as a main science rec, so there's that.

 

[Catalystik]

My opinion agrees with LizzyM's.

 

[ndafife]

AMCAS does not distinguish the types as LizzyM stated, so basically this is the difference:
Research for credit = you pay to do research
Paid research = they pay you to do research
Volunteer research = they let you use facilities/research for research

 

[chillinillinkillin007]

AMCAS does not distinguish the types as LizzyM stated, so basically this is the difference:
Research for credit = you pay to do research
Paid research = they pay you to do research
Volunteer research = they let you use facilities/research for research

Does the lab really get money for the credit you enroll in? I always opted out to volunteer instead of get the credits since I could take more classes but I'm curious

 

[ndafife]

Does the lab really get money for the credit you enroll in? I always opted out to volunteer instead of get the credits since I could take more classes but I'm curious

IDK if the lab actually gets money for it, but you pay for credits (whether those credits are for research or any course). So if you are receiving credits credits for research, you are paying the school for those credits, and therefore paying the school to do research. I always thought it was kind of funny

 

[LizzyM]

Does the lab really get money for the credit you enroll in? I always opted out to volunteer instead of get the credits since I could take more classes but I'm curious

Well you pay the school for the credits. How the school uses those funds and whether the lab sees any of that money depends on the school's policies. A portion of a faculty member's salary may be paid out of tuition revenue with the expectation that the faculty member does some teaching/mentoring.

@ndafife fine minds think alike but you type faster.

 

[Time Table]

I'm planning on taking my research for credit because of class standing. Currently I'm a sophomore standing, but by the end of my first semester of sophomore year, I'll have junior standing, and by taking 3 credits of research, I'll have senior standing by the end of sophomore year. But, like stated above, it doesn't matter if you take it for credit or not.

 

[kyamh]

Does the lab really get money for the credit you enroll in? I always opted out to volunteer instead of get the credits since I could take more classes but I'm curious

I'm sure rules are different for different schools. At my institution, we get $500/semester/undergraduate and about $750 or $1000 per student per summer session.

These funds are supposed to go towards funding the student's work, but how it actually works is that the lab absorbs all the money in the beginning and doesn't distinguish between different students/budgets. When a student needs equipment they get equipment regardless of whether they have money in "their" stipend.