Stanford vs. UCSF vs. Hopkins summer programs

I did the UCSF summer program a couple of years ago. It was fantastic - not only for the research experience itself but for the opportunities that I had at the school (lectures, go on grand rounds, meeting noble laureates and really interesting faculty and visiting professors). My mentor and I still write and he wrote one of my med school recommendations for me. I also published a paper as second author - so, you can accomplish a lot.

San Francisco is a fantastic city as well - and we really had fun socially as a group (from renting cabins in Yosemite, hiking in Muir Woods, clubbing, and parties). The diversity of the program participants meant for a wide variety of interests and goals.
The program was very well run, receptive to students' interests, and provided sufficient stipend to meet our needs. HIghly recommended.

 

The researchers are great at all 3 institutions... in my mind there is no clear edge...

So whoever told you that there would be better research going on JUST BECAUSE its in silicon valley is wrong. Silicon valley has the same caliber researchers as anywhere else... not any better and not any worse.

Location-wise San Francisco is the way to go.

 

Yeah, seriously. One could even argue that Research Triangle Park in NC is a better location because it has one of the highest concentration of PhDs in the country and because of all the technology oriented companies and research. The point is, the research is great any place like that, and Silicon Valley probably isn't any better than anywhere else just by virtue of its being Silicon Valley.

 

i went to the hopkins summer research internship. note it is just for minorities, but i was able to slip in as a 1st gen college. firstly...they have two main progs. the grad school geared one...and the pulmonary dept. i did each, two consecutive summers. the pulmonary dept is by faaaar the better program. the people there are great, and it is a wonderful environment. the quality of research is amazing as well. i think its a great opportunity to go there. there was also plenty of time to go on rounds, shadow, lectures, etc.

 

RTP rocks...yeah

 

I did the Stanford program the summer before last. It was an awesome program. Although my concentration of research for the past three years has been lipid biochem., I did genetics at Stanford. The stipend is good, the housing is excellent, and though I didn't get published, one of the girls from the program got a publication out of it. Its all luck. Anyhow, I strongly recommend Stanford. The profs. there are top notch.

 

Did the UCSF Summer Research Program in 2001. It was cool, you got alot of lectures from top researchers. UCSF has a wealth of researchers doing exciting things. I worked in the Lung Biology center at San Francisco General Hospital, and I absolutely loved my PI's research and the atmosphere of the lab. I think regardless of where you go, it depends on who you work directly with, and what you make of the experience. Good luck.