Research vs Volunteering

[americanangel]

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Okay here's my issues....

I have the chance to work at a couple of different research places over the summer. I don't mind traveling but I don't want to stop volunteering at the hospital. I love volunteering...I love working with the nurses and doctors and honestly, research and lab work isn't my forte. I'm definately a people person and not a lab person, but I know that research is an important part of the med school application. Which weighs more?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Okay here's my issues....

I have the chance to work at a couple of different research places over the summer. I don't mind traveling but I don't want to stop volunteering at the hospital. I love volunteering...I love working with the nurses and doctors and honestly, research and lab work isn't my forte. I'm definately a people person and not a lab person, but I know that research is an important part of the med school application. Which weighs more?

volunteering

research is not required--especially if you want to go into primary care

 

[Ross434]

From what ive heard, volunteering is more important. However, research is crucial for medical scientist programs.

 

[45408]

I'd say what's required is what you like doing more. Since you like what you're doing, I'd say keep doing it.

 

[americanangel]

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[dr_pepper]

Depends what your interests and goals are. Do you want to go to a research-heavy school? Are you interested in primary care?

 

[mudphudwannabe]

I definitely agree that whatever you're interested in is more important. I think it's good to be exposed to both volunteering and research, but if you already know research doesn't float your boat, spending the whole summer harvesting protein from worms (or whatever you're going to be doing) isn't necessarily going to help you. It might look good on paper, but what would you say to someone if they asked you about it? Would you be able to say it really inspired you, and you really had a greater appreciation for science after doing it? I've been primarily focused on research (because I really enjoy it) and haven't done as much volunteering as other premeds, but I don't think this has set me back too much -- I'm still interviewing at some of my top schools. So, being focused in the other direction is probably ok too. They aren't just looking for one type of person.

That said, not every research lab is the same, and you might like it more in a different environment, or doing clinical as opposed to basic research.

Well, best of luck to you!

 

[el matador]

Okay here's my issues....

I have the chance to work at a couple of different research places over the summer. I don't mind traveling but I don't want to stop volunteering at the hospital. I love volunteering...I love working with the nurses and doctors and honestly, research and lab work isn't my forte. I'm definately a people person and not a lab person, but I know that research is an important part of the med school application. Which weighs more?

go with your interests. med school applications and interviews are much easier when you are genuinely enthusiastic about your responses.

 

[WatchingWaiting]

Okay here's my issues....

I have the chance to work at a couple of different research places over the summer. I don't mind traveling but I don't want to stop volunteering at the hospital. I love volunteering...I love working with the nurses and doctors and honestly, research and lab work isn't my forte. I'm definately a people person and not a lab person, but I know that research is an important part of the med school application. Which weighs more?

Volunteering at the hospital does not seem like a full-time summer job. The ideal thing would probably be to go do a research project over the summer and continue with your volunteering the rest of this school year and year after the summer. No one states this like this, but you'll be working in a hospital or clinic your whole life, if you're like the 95% of med school graduates who don't go into academic medicine. You likely won't be doing research past residency (or even past med school in many cases).

There is almost always something positive you'll get out of your research experience, for example a letter of recomendation from a professor who will actually get to know you well, something interesting to talk about at your med school interviews, critical thinking and how the academic research process works.

 

[bluejellybelly]

Okay here's my issues....

I have the chance to work at a couple of different research places over the summer. I don't mind traveling but I don't want to stop volunteering at the hospital. I love volunteering...I love working with the nurses and doctors and honestly, research and lab work isn't my forte. I'm definately a people person and not a lab person, but I know that research is an important part of the med school application. Which weighs more?

I decided to apply to a research program this summer just so I can explore the laboratories a bit (I never got a chance- every chance/ opportunity was quickly snatched by somebody else). But I can tell you, I love volunteering and I do it constantly. I have so many wonderful experiences from it, I've done hundreds of hours of volunteering (425 last summer!) and its great. You want to stay where you are, DO IT.

 

[DrWorkNeverDone]

I know your feeling, I went to a summer internship over the summer and "officially" lost my spot from the ER because I was gone so long, even though I made up all the hours I was going to lose one week before i left. My blessing though, which may be yours, was that I knew all the head nurses so when I came back, I just simply told them I was waiting to be reassigned and would volunteer during the early hours. Everything went fine! Now I work a really good shift, Fridays 4-8, and get to see all kinds of stuff.

My feeling about the research, I am wondering if you have ever had a chance like this? How do you know you don't like it? I like certain aspects of research, and other parts I dread. I think it is a great opp. though to go and try some research out, then when the question comes up you can say you have had some experience with it. Some schools, like *cough* stanford, really do like some sort research to be on the resume. Plus, there are opp. that deal with patients and research. I dont know if you have anything near you but in Davis, there is something called EMRAP that has alot to do with patient care and research, like filling out surveys 🙂 but for the sick.

Hope this helps

Volunteering at the hospital does not seem like a full-time summer job. The ideal thing would probably be to go do a research project over the summer and continue with your volunteering the rest of this school year and year after the summer. No one states this like this, but you'll be working in a hospital or clinic your whole life, if you're like the 95% of med school graduates who don't go into academic medicine. You likely won't be doing research past residency (or even past med school in many cases).

There is almost always something positive you'll get out of your research experience, for example a letter of recomendation from a professor who will actually get to know you well, something interesting to talk about at your med school interviews, critical thinking and how the academic research process works.