Summer after 1st year

[sunnyMD]

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I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions about things medical students can do over the summer after their first year. I'm considering research b/c i have a background in it but wanted to know if there were other programs people have been involved in. I don't want to go into a competitve medical field so I don't necessarily need to do anything great for a resume filler. Just wondering if there was any cool opportunities besides research to pass the time this summer.

 

[mackie]

I'm not here to suggest opportunities, but I would recommend that you take at least two weeks (more if possible) for yourself to do something that is absolutely NOT related to medicine. BTW, how much time do you get off?

 

[Ezekiel20]

I am in it right now - my summer after 1st year (I am in Australia). After taking a 3 week overseas holiday, I spend early afternoons and late evenings revising my 1st year material. It's amazing how quickly the brain forgets details, leaving only the vague skeleton of knowledge.. 🙁

It would probably be better if I engaged in some research project etc, but I honestly have no research interests at this point, neither do I think I can start and finish a project in just 2 months.

I would recommend getting a summer job at a pathology service. I worked for 2 years as a weekend casual at a pathology centre, where my job was to collect blood for tests (95% of my job), and carry out occasional swabs, urea breath tests, urine drug screens and nail clippings. When I entered medical school, being able to perform venepuncture came in real handy, and I even 'rescued' a doctor at my hospital once.. 😎

 

[sunnyMD]

thanks for all the advice

 

[SkylineMD]

Some students teach at MCAT prep classes, the majority do research at their university, while others participate in volunteering activities or trainings in various places in the nation.

Maybe you could think about doing research only because right now you may feel that you don't want to get into a field that is competitive, however when the time is right, you may change your mind. It's much harder to try to makeup for lost time in that scenario

 

[trunksvegeta]

Have any of u gone to Asia to shadow or work during the summer btw MS1-MS2?

 

[Blake]

Most people are against it, but I say go for research if you're interested in it. I did it and actually enjoyed it, hoping to do it this year too. If you're lucky and inside a good lab, you can get your name as 2nd/3rd/4th author on a few articles, if that's what you're looking for. Oh, you get paid decent money too 👍

 

[Brainsucker]

I'm planning on being a lab rat, but I was just thinking that it'd be fun to TA an undergrad class. LS2: From Cells to Tissues at UCLA was like a grossly simplified first year of med school. I think it'd be some nice review to teach that stuff and we'd certainly be qualified.

 

[coffeeluver]

Most people are against it, but I say go for research if you're interested in it. I did it and actually enjoyed it, hoping to do it this year too. If you're lucky and inside a good lab, you can get your name as 2nd/3rd/4th author on a few articles, if that's what you're looking for. Oh, you get paid decent money too 👍

How do you get money for research? Are these paid positions? Are most research positions for medical students non-paid? How do you suggest we start looking for paid research positions? thanks.

 

[Blake]

How do you get money for research? Are these paid positions? Are most research positions for medical students non-paid? How do you suggest we start looking for paid research positions? thanks.

The position was paid/financed by the government (bursary). At my school, most of the research positions are paid, but I'm not sure how it works in other schools. I suggest that you talk to some of your professors about your interest in specialty X, and ask them how can you be involved (whether it's research, shadowing, etc). The majority of med students I've met couldn't care less about all that, so use that to your advantage. It's crazy the amount of stuff you can do as a 1st/2nd year student when you're showing interest and willing to work 👍