research programs...is it worth it?

[stifler]

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im looking at research programs to apply to for next summer. are they even worth it? my parents are in the medical field and so are many of my family friends. i can just shadow them and do research with them. should i even bother being part of some program if i can get stuff on my own?

 

[boilerbeast]

try the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. It was just a fabulous internship. I learned a lot and rubbed elbows with a bunch of well-known doctors at Grand Rounds and many were quick to accomodate you in shadowing, etc. The pay is ok, like 8-something an hour and nearby housing is pretty cheap.

 

[oniwindu]

If you want to explore basic science research, research programs are a wonderful experience. There is also a certain amount of prestige to them, especially if they are NIH-funded programs. These programs often want to encourage students to consider making research as part of their professional career, so they often have a lot of helpful once-a-week seminars on applying to professional schools, what-it's-like to be an MD/PhD, how to pay for med school, etc etc --some even offer a free review program. I think NYU's SURP program does that, as does Harvard's SHURP (but I think you have to be a URM to apply). Check the med schools that are really closely located to their teaching hospitals. Besides, if you're near a hospital, you can always go to their Grand Rounds or attend their research seminars.

I don't have actual experience in an undergrad. research program geared towards pre-med students, but I do have plenty of experience with just plain old research programs. I can tell you they were wonderful. Although be warned that you might not get a lot out of the experience if you haven't had the basic coursework, depending on what area of the sciences you are looking into. I feel that your experience depends on how much you want to make out of it (for example, get so into a project and work so hard that you'll eventually get a publication out of it).

This summer, I was a mentor to an undergrad. pre-med student in one of these pre-med research programs. She really gained a lot out of it and our PI made it a point to take her on his clinicals, include her in our lab meetings, etc --just so that she would know what daily lab life is like. Definitely consider these programs.

However, if you think you'll get just as good or even better of an experience with your original plan, by all means, go for it! Good luck.

 

[45408]

Get a glimpse of what your family is into, but I'd go for the other opportunities, personally.

 

[stifler]

well in this summer before college i work in a lab doing stroke models on rodents. im not sure if i should continue going into research cuz its not what im into. i loved the surgery everyday but i hated the data analysis. i really like people contact. so for next summer im thinking:

this program at baylor, where you shadow surgeons for like 8 weeks (thing is i can do it here at mass general with family friends) ...so will being part of an organized program make the shadowing experience more prestigious?

work at NIH and on weekends volunteer at with disabled kids or shadow doctors in ER or take a day off each week and try to lobby medical issues on capital hill

work again in same lab (neurology) as i am this summer and spend a few days a week shadowing md/phd's as they do their rounds

work at a camp that offers disabled children the opportunity to do water sports such as sailling, then take a day off each week and shadow family friends at mass general

work at a major company doing stroke models on rodents and other animals (doubtful that id get a position or even hired considering the company is very big and supposedly really hard to get a job in)

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idk which one would be the best choice because i need to leave time to study bio and calc before i take the class

im thinknig of going to do an early assurance program so i kinda wanna show them that i nkow what im getting my ass into so thats why i wann shadow doctors early.

 

[the other Dr.]

It's great that you have the opportunity to work with people you already know, but when it comes time to get LOR's from them, they might not hold as much water as a letter from someone who you proved yourself to independently of any personal relation. I would go for a research program that leaves you time to do other volunteering, but if you already know you hate research, why waste your time doing more? Get into something clinical where you are working with people, if that's what you like; there are a lot off opportunities to do "research" without cutting open rat heads and crunching numbers, as most clinical/epidemiological research involves alot of direct patient contact, i.e. questionnaires, basic stats, etc., where you would be able to work on your rapport skills and give the data to someone else at the end of the day.

 

[stifler]

It's great that you have the opportunity to work with people you already know, but when it comes time to get LOR's from them, they might not hold as much water as a letter from someone who you proved yourself to independently of any personal relation. I would go for a research program that leaves you time to do other volunteering, but if you already know you hate research, why waste your time doing more? Get into something clinical where you are working with people, if that's what you like; there are a lot off opportunities to do "research" without cutting open rat heads and crunching numbers, as most clinical/epidemiological research involves alot of direct patient contact, i.e. questionnaires, basic stats, etc., where you would be able to work on your rapport skills and give the data to someone else at the end of the day.

i love doing surgery. if i can do it and talk to be about it that would rock. or have ppl talk to me and show me new techniques. what is weird is that it seems whatever i do some gunner at some neighboring lab is already doing and doing it 12903012321 times better.

 

[cmb81]

im also thinking of doing undergraduate research next summer...lookin at UNC and Argonne Lab. Where are some other places that are worth checking out?