Summer plans...need help!

[LifelongStudent]

I have been trying to decide how I should spend my summer for a while now, but just recently found SDN. I am a Junior and will be applying next year. I have logged around 1000 hours of lab time and have done posters/presentations, as well as being selected for a highly competitive fellowship. Additionally, I plan on being published twice in a month or so. However, I feel like my "clinical experiences" are a bit low. I spent around 85 hours in a more hands-on experience (transporting patients, talking to them, occasionally sneaking a peak at a procedure) in a hospital, around 20 more volunteering with the children there, and helped with the blood drives in the area).
**The question is.....should I apply for the fellowship again which takes 11 weeks of the summer and shadow doctors in those other 5 weeks to really make my research stand out or cut back on work and focus mostly on clinical experiences to help level out my resume....sorry its long, i felt more detail would help.

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[Forthegood]

Do whichever you are interested in. Its an education, not just an application. Research is great if you want to do that in your future. If not, I'd stick to something more clinical. What you were doing before sounds good.

You can do whatever you like.

 

[Darkshooter326]

**The questions are.....should I apply for the fellows again which can take 11 weeks of the summer and shadow doctors in those other 5 weeks to really make my research stand, or cut out work and focus mostly on clinicals experiences to help level out my resume....sorry its long, i felt more detail would help.

I think what you're doing is good, if you like research, keep doing it. It shows you're passionate about something.

Five weeks is still a solid chunk of time to do something clinically-oriented. Shadowing is very passive and not really getting engaged in patient care, etc. If you can, find something more substantial, like working in a free clinic or something with hands-on experience.

 

[cbrons]

I have been trying to decide how I should spend my summer for a while now, but just recently found SDN. I am a Junior and will be applying next year. I have logged around 1000 hours of lab time and have done posters/presentations, as well as being selected for a highly competitive fellowship. Additionally, I plan on being published twice in a month or so. However, I feel like my "clinical experiences" are a bit low. I spent around 85 hours in a more hands-on experience (transporting patients, talking to them, occasionally sneaking a peak at a procedure) in a hospital, around 20 more volunteering with the children there, and helped with the blood drives in the area).
**The question is.....should I apply for the fellowship again which takes 11 weeks of the summer and shadow doctors in those other 5 weeks to really make my research stand out or cut back on work and focus mostly on clinical experiences to help level out my resume....sorry its long, i felt more detail would help.

if youre a junior why aren't you applying this summer?

 

[ar2388]

if youre a junior why aren't you applying this summer?

haha even better question

 

[Tori's dad]

You have a lot of science activities and such already on your application. Remember that med schools are also looking for compassionate people. How can you demonstrate that? Probably not in a lab. Consider doing some extracurriculars that involve service to your fellow humans. Consider doing something that you find extremely interesting like joining a soccer league. Consider doing something that you have never done before like learn to fly-fish. Make yourself well rounded and you may find you have something else to talk about with the docs that interview you. I spent 20 minutes in the interview at the school I currently attend talking about ice fishing! Good luck

 

[Abulcasis]

Its an education, not just an application

This is so going into my siggy. I think many people forget that college is about an education and not just something to fill up your app with, including me.

 

[LifelongStudent]

I will have 6 weeks of summer before the beginning of June so I figured I could either do some of the clinical work and make a note of continuing the research. I could do the same thing if I didn't do research. Just make a note like this is what I have done so far this summer and these are my plans. (I think?)