research vs. shadow

[persianprep08]

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Alright guys, here is what's been driving me crazy this week. Try not to get lost in my train of thoughts. lol

For the past two years i've been part of a research program at my college. It does not involve lab work (like with microscopes and test tubes and all that good stuff). It is a neuroscience lab and we did our research on subjects and presented at the Neuroscience convention in October.
This semester is my last semester at this college and i'm transferring in the fall. I've looked at different things i could pick up for the next year and these are my opptions:

1. There is a semester round shadowing program at my new school. I could shadow some one in the
a. Surgical wing
b. ER
c. Research

2. I can stay with my current program as a volunteer

I have only done one volunteer activity at a nursing home for about a month or so last summer. and i know that Medical school's like to see students pick something and stick with it for a while. Obviously the volunteering isn't going to be that for me.

So now i'm stuck on if i should stay with the neuroscience lab and make it 3 years (it would be kind of inconvenient having to go back and forth b/w the new and old school), or if i should go to the new school.
If i go to the new program at the end of it i would have two LOR from researchers instead of one. But the second one would only know me for a year. Also i don't know how involved the students get in the other labs. I asked some one who was in it and she said it all depends on who i get appointed to. so it might not be as rewarding as this one.
I could also go and shadow a surgeon (which is my desired field) and have the opportunity to get a LOR from them (since they will know me for a while). I could however end up with a resident (which is fine) or a upperclassman medical student (would that be as good?).
I am shadowing a surgeon in the summer anyways, but since it will be short there is no point in getting a LOR.
and one last thought: my dream school is Hopkins.

My mind is going in a 1000 places with this, but fortunately i still have time before i have to decide. I wanted to get your oppinions since you guys are a lot more productive to discuss things with than the pre-health adviser at my school 🙂

Thanks in advance

 

[J ROD]

I would go with option 1

 

[persianprep08]

I would go with option 1

Do you mean to shadow a surgeon or get into a new research program?

 

[mediterranean]

Do you mean to shadow a surgeon or get into a new research program?

I think he meant the shadowing option.

 

[riverjib]

Stick with what matters to you. Whatever you do as a pre-med, you're in the company of all other pre-meds. Those who chose to focus their time on research, volunteer work, or other experiences have their reasons for doing so. Focus on what you actually enjoy doing, which sounds like shadowing in surgery.

 

[persianprep08]

Stick with what matters to you. Whatever you do as a pre-med, you're in the company of all other pre-meds. Those who chose to focus their time on research, volunteer work, or other experiences have their reasons for doing so. Focus on what you actually enjoy doing, which sounds like shadowing in surgery.

Yes i would love to get to shadow for a long time instead of a summer. But how important is research? is one enough?

 

[s1lver]

But how important is research? is one enough?

The general rule is that it is very important if you're applying to one of those research-heavy med schools / if you're after MD/PHD. If not, do a few semesters of research and then drop it to do shadowing/volunteering etc. UNLESS you have a chance to get published (in that case, stick with research a bit more).

 

[pdeco1]

You should diversify your experiences. Do you have any non medical volunteer experiences?

 

[casillas]

do the clinical shadowing. since you only have the nursing home experience you stlll need a lot more clinical experience before you apply.

 

[persianprep08]

I am shadowing for a month or two this summer anyways. my dad is going to set something up in the hospital he is working at so i don't think they would mind me sticking around more than a few days or a week (which i believe is normal). Should i volunteer at the hospital instead this summer and do the shadowing done during the semester or would it look back that every time i volunteer its for a month during the summer?

Or i could shadow in the summer and stick with research for next year since i'm shooting for a top 20 school. and if i do that which one would be better: sticking with the same PI for 10 semesters, or 8 with one PI and 2 with another?

Sigh...so many options, and each one has so many pros and cons. my head is going to explode.

 

[LizzyM]

Running subjects through a neuroscience research protocol is research if you are developing and testing hypotheses, evaluating the results and presenting your findings. So, you have a good, long-term research experience.

I would suggest that you need more experience being in the presence of the sick and getting an idea of a physician's work setting(s) and schedule. So, I'd suggest shadowing the surgical team.

 

[persianprep08]

Thank you for the feed back everyone. I think i will go with the shadowing. I'll just volunteer in the ER or something this summer, or shadow with a physician not involved in surgery so i'd have different fields.

Thanks again.