Summer b/w First and Second Year

[G.O.A.T.]

I was hoping that some people here could give me some suggestions or ideas of what I can do b/w first and second year. I have no idea what area of medicine I would like to go into. I have done basic science research (w/ pubs) before med school. I know I could do some preceptorships, but that seems kind of boring and standard. Every fourth year I talk to says don't do anything, but I feel like I should do something. I would really like to go another country and do something. Do any of you guys know of any programs I could look into to do this? I have spoken to the admin at my school about it but they weren't much help. Thanks for your help!

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[sga814]

Personally, I'm doing an externship. But- you may want to take the 4th years advice and rest. I know a 4th year who didn't do anything and ended up getting a Ortho residency at Mayo! Point is- you'll have plenty of time for clinical research during clinical years (or at least that's what I'm told)... so enjoy the summer.... the last one of our lives!!!!

 

[twintiger32]

i would do research in a competitive field of interest. of course it's gonna be hard to know what you're gonna go into, but if you have an interest in any of the more competitive specialties, it can't hurt to do a couple months of research.

on another note, about a quarter-third of my class went on overseas mission trips. these were coordinated through the school (my school emphasizes and encourages mission trips)...that could definitely be an awesome opportunity to help people and get some exposure to medicine.

 

[PoorMD]

I was hoping that some people here could give me some suggestions or ideas of what I can do b/w first and second year. I have no idea what area of medicine I would like to go into. I have done basic science research (w/ pubs) before med school. I know I could do some preceptorships, but that seems kind of boring and standard. Every fourth year I talk to says don't do anything, but I feel like I should do something. I would really like to go another country and do something. Do any of you guys know of any programs I could look into to do this? I have spoken to the admin at my school about it but they weren't much help. Thanks for your help!

I am doing a paid research externship in CT surgery. we are studying some finer details of perioperative management for open heart patients versus recovery variables. You may want to look into the field that peaks your interest. Personally I don't intend do cardiothoracic, but I am going into general surgery. So I felt like the best way to get started was to do something unique, interesting, and in a warm locale. Good luck

 

[lobster M.D.]

check out medicindia.org, they have a really cool MS1 program for that summer, but then again i think india is incredible, i would do this program in a heartbeat if my school year wasnt structured so strange forcing me to have class all through mid june and july for the start of MS2 year

 

[Medbound786]

I am doing a paid research externship in CT surgery. we are studying some finer details of perioperative management for open heart patients versus recovery variables. You may want to look into the field that peaks your interest. Personally I don't intend do cardiothoracic, but I am going into general surgery. So I felt like the best way to get started was to do something unique, interesting, and in a warm locale. Good luck

Hey PoorMD;

I just sent you a message. Please check your message inbox.

thanks

 

[CanIMakeIt]

I have never done any biomedical research so I am doing some ICU related research with an Endocrinologist. Even though that is not the field I like, it is the topic that interested me.........

So if you are like me and want to keep your options open then get into some kind of research..if you already have done research prior to med school then relax and enjoy your last free summer as someone else suggested

 

[yellowcat322]

I had the same dilemma. I was all set to do research over this summer and even got a couple of labs lined up. Then I asked myself if I REALLY want to do research all through my last free summer and realized -- no way is that going to make me happy. So instead, I'm going on an immersion program in Buenos Aires to learn Spanish. Half of the patients in the hosptial I'll be rotating in 3 and 4th years speak only Spanish. So learning it is a must for me and at the same time i'll get to travel and enjoy Argentina. My advice is do what you want to do. Whatever it is, there's a program out there that'll fit your needs. I found my program through plain ol' google.

 

[leiface]

How do you go about finding paid externships? I cannot find a good database online for them. Are externships usually established programs or do you have to convince a physician you're interested in following? Thanks!

 

[G.O.A.T.]

thanks for all your responses guys.

 

[kam730]

I recommend doing nothing med school related. Personally I traveled, I did a mission trip, and I spent time with friends and family. It will be the last opportunity for a long long time to do these things, take advantage.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

I recommend doing nothing med school related. Personally I traveled, I did a mission trip, and I spent time with friends and family. It will be the last opportunity for a long long time to do these things, take advantage.

exactly what some of my friends are planning on doing....mission, spanish immersion just travelling etc.....

 

[nrddct]

Can anyone tell me more about the spanish immersion programs? I'm really interested in this. THanks!

 

[CanIMakeIt]

Can anyone tell me more about the spanish immersion programs? I'm really interested in this. THanks!

Most people here contact the programs directly and some get funding to go there...it all depends on if you want to do it on your own or via school .... we have a COMPOS group and faculty advisors for that and we can get some funding for the same...

You can also do it on your own but I would start at school....meet with the dean of student affairs...that is generally a good place to start .. at least for us Dean Dent is awesome...

 

[Sondra]

Can anyone tell me more about the spanish immersion programs? I'm really interested in this. THanks!

Spanish in Guatamala

http://www.hermandad.com/

 

[txguy]

I don't see why you can't do both. I'm doing research this summer in a competitive field I'm interested in, but I'm also going to be traveling to different places on the weekends....Of course you can't goto any exotic places halfway around the world, but I think its a good comprimise you may not have considered......

Like others have said, if you are interested in a competitive specialty, it definitely helps to have any research on your record (you don't necessarily need research in the particular field you end up pursuing).

Good luck

-tx

 

[vtucci]

I am doing research this summer (and hoperfully not repeating one of my classes) in infectious disease.

There are a number of spanish programs abroad including http://www.spanishabroad.com/

There are some clinical programs too like family medicine. You can do many things at the same time.

 

[bjackrian]

I'm working as a park ranger in Colorado this summer. I figured it's my last summer, and I've loved working in natural resources jobs for summers in the past, so why not do it this summer too?

It probably helps that I'm fairly sure I'm going to go into pediatrics, so not a hugely competitive match.

 

[Lloyd Christmas]

http://www.stjude.org/poe

 

[SalseraDoctora]

Can anyone tell me more about the spanish immersion programs? I'm really interested in this. THanks!

Hey, this summer I am doing www.cfhi.org in Mexico. You learn medical Spanish and do clinical rotations. I will let you know when I come back whether I liked it or not, but it sounds great so far.

 

[nikki9]

For those doing spanish immersion programs, do you have previous spanish language training?

 

[civic4982]

my suggestion is to go somewhere that has drinks with little umbrellas in it and do NOTHING. I dunno about you but I feel burned out as heck.

 

[Cinnameg]

I did CFHI (Child Family Health International) which somebody mentioned above when I was in college. It was great, I highly recommend it, especially the Ecuador program in Quito (not so much the jungle program; I did 2 programs and the city one was just a lot better).