- Joined
- May 12, 2017
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 1
I'm choosing between two organizations at UCLA and was curious which seems like a more valuable opportunity. Input from both non-UCLA and UCLA students would be immensely helpful. Both are similar in that they are involved in clinical trials in the ED but with some differences. I’ll briefly describe them below (they are both on Google as well):
The first is Student Stroke Team. Students interview patients in the ED who may be undergoing strokes and enroll them into clinical trials. One benefit of the program is it seems students get to work with neurologists and are involved in that they actually contact the attending neurologist if a patient is identified as undergoing a stroke. There are also opportunities to shadow attendings/residents during case presentations and rounding. Its sister organization (Stroke Force) has additional focus on community outreach/education with less research commitments and both are capped at ~25 students in the program. 5/25 students in the organization help run the program in leadership roles.
The second is Emergency Medicine Research Associates (EMRA). Their clinical research seems to be more broad, with focus on general trauma and other relevant ED cases. Similarly, students assist in identifying and enrolling patients. This organization also offers shadowing opportunities with ED residents (I’m not sure if this would differ from shadowing attendings, they specify residents) in a level one trauma center. In total, it seems they have ~50 members in the organization. From other members, it seems they are in a growing phase and expanding studies into other departments and starting up committees for students to become involved in leadership outside of the 8 main coordinator positions.
I’m extremely grateful for either opportunity, but I want to make the best decision for me. Stroke Team appeals to me because I have current ECs related to the neurology and I think it would convey a coherent theme in my application (and I'm interested in the brain). On the other hand, EMRA’s broader focus also offers benefits (I’m definitely not committed to any medical specialty) and I’m not sure if it is good or bad that their program is in a dynamic rather than stable phase. And finally, as silly as it sounds, Stroke Team has ~25 members (with a sister org of ~25 as well) while EMRA has ~50. I’m not going to base a decision purely off selectiveness, but I think it’s a fair assumption that less students means more individual opportunities (with the opposite something I’ve become very familiar with at a large UC). I welcome any feedback from UCLA students who may be personally familiar with the two or non-UCLA members who have insights to offer based off my descriptions of both, similar to how an adcom would not be personally familiar with either.
The first is Student Stroke Team. Students interview patients in the ED who may be undergoing strokes and enroll them into clinical trials. One benefit of the program is it seems students get to work with neurologists and are involved in that they actually contact the attending neurologist if a patient is identified as undergoing a stroke. There are also opportunities to shadow attendings/residents during case presentations and rounding. Its sister organization (Stroke Force) has additional focus on community outreach/education with less research commitments and both are capped at ~25 students in the program. 5/25 students in the organization help run the program in leadership roles.
The second is Emergency Medicine Research Associates (EMRA). Their clinical research seems to be more broad, with focus on general trauma and other relevant ED cases. Similarly, students assist in identifying and enrolling patients. This organization also offers shadowing opportunities with ED residents (I’m not sure if this would differ from shadowing attendings, they specify residents) in a level one trauma center. In total, it seems they have ~50 members in the organization. From other members, it seems they are in a growing phase and expanding studies into other departments and starting up committees for students to become involved in leadership outside of the 8 main coordinator positions.
I’m extremely grateful for either opportunity, but I want to make the best decision for me. Stroke Team appeals to me because I have current ECs related to the neurology and I think it would convey a coherent theme in my application (and I'm interested in the brain). On the other hand, EMRA’s broader focus also offers benefits (I’m definitely not committed to any medical specialty) and I’m not sure if it is good or bad that their program is in a dynamic rather than stable phase. And finally, as silly as it sounds, Stroke Team has ~25 members (with a sister org of ~25 as well) while EMRA has ~50. I’m not going to base a decision purely off selectiveness, but I think it’s a fair assumption that less students means more individual opportunities (with the opposite something I’ve become very familiar with at a large UC). I welcome any feedback from UCLA students who may be personally familiar with the two or non-UCLA members who have insights to offer based off my descriptions of both, similar to how an adcom would not be personally familiar with either.
