Shadowing or research?

[NP545]

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As of now, I have an offer to work in a research lab over the summer as well as shadowing a doctor over the summer. Which one should I pick to do in the summer? And also, which is better to do during the school year (I will be doing the one I do not choose over the semester)

Option 1:
Research Summer
Shadowing Fall Semester

Option 2:
Shadowing Summer
Research Fall-Spring Semester

 

[The Milkman]

I'd say shadow during the school year, as it would be less of a time commitment. But if you're gonna do both either way, I guess it doesn't matter. Just don't give up clinical experience for research.

 

[Laurenxxxx]

I recommend shadowing during the semester. There is no outside work involved. You show up, shadow, and you're done for the day. Research (in my experience at least) is 12 hours a week in the lab coupled with outside work such as reading countless articles and making presentations. Just piles on the stress of the semester.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

You probably don't need to dedicate an entire summer to shadow. In fact, it'll be much better if you split it up and had a chance to see different doctors do different things: ER at night, office hours during the day, surgery a couple of times. By contrast, research is all about consistency.

 

[NP545]

To elaborate a bit more... The summer research option involves 30-40 hrs/week whereas the research during the semester involves 5 hrs/week for multiple semesters.

Also, how many hours of research would be a good amount for med schools? 200? 300?

 

[cs24]

As of now, I have an offer to work in a research lab over the summer as well as shadowing a doctor over the summer. Which one should I pick to do in the summer? And also, which is better to do during the school year (I will be doing the one I do not choose over the semester)

Option 1:
Research Summer
Shadowing Fall Semester

Option 2:
Shadowing Summer
Research Fall-Spring Semester

Do both, but I would recommend option 1. Research is about long term consistency, accomplishing something (hopefully publication), and learning to do the whole research process. Shadowing is just about spending enough time with a doc to see what the day to day is like. This doesn't take months or 100s of hours. I had a total of like 50 hours of shadowing when I applied and it was plenty. No one brought it up. I would also recommend not going into research with an hour count goal in mind, try to pick a project and finish it rather than just clocking up the hours, or your PI will hate you and you likely won't learn as much.

 

[NP545]

To be honest, I really don't care about research but am just fulfilling the unwritten med school requirement. I would much rather be interested in volunteering 30 hrs/week at a hospital over the summer and helping there while doing some shadowing as well. The way I'm looking at it if I get 300 research hours over the summer and quit, my PI won't like me and I won't ask for a rec letter anyways. But this is still better to me than working 5 hrs/week for 2 years during the school year. Most likely, I will not be published in both scenarios, so which is the better of the two for me? Or can I just skip the research requirement?

 

[Catalystik]

Also, how many hours of research would be a good amount for med schools? 200? 300?

It depends on the level of research focus a given med school has. But more important than the number of hours is the duration of involvement, your understanding of the scientific method and how it applies to your work, and the progression of responsibility you might eventually be given.

 

[Catalystik]

if I get 300 research hours over the summer and quit, my PI won't like me and I won't ask for a rec letter anyways. But this is still better to me than working 5 hrs/week for 2 years during the school year. Most likely, I will not be published in both scenarios, so which is the better of the two for me?

A longer duration of association with a given PI is more likely to result in an LOR that strongly supports your positive qualities. We've seen that some PIs have refused to write a letter after a mere year of involvement since they have not yet had enough time to adequately assess a student's capabilities. Fortunately, this doesn't happen often.

 

[NP545]

Thanks for your good responses.

How would it look on an app if I overdosed on extracurriculars over the summer (about 50 hrs/week) and took it lighter during the semester with the extracirrs like volunteering and leadership (5 hrs/week) to focus on schoolwork and other interests like intramurals.? Does the discrepancy matter or would it be equivalent to them?

 

[Catalystik]

How would it look on an app if I overdosed on extracurriculars over the summer (about 50 hrs/week) and took it lighter during the semester with the extracirrs like volunteering and leadership (5 hrs/week) to focus on schoolwork and other interests like intramurals.? Does the discrepancy matter or would it be equivalent to them?

Every adcomm will have their own opinion, and some will be driven by school-specific expectations, so without sufficient detail, I won't venture to state a truism that will apply to everyone for all situations. But in general, you need some activities with long duration. Some will be fine if intermittent. And, adcomms like to see an application demonstrating your busyness, sociability, and ability to produce great grades despite that.