Summer Pre-Med Programs

[dottielou]

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I will be a sophmore pre-med at a top 20 university in the fall. I am considering my options for the summer of 2013, weighing the benefits of doing undergraduate research in a lab at my home university vs. applying to one of those university sponsored "pre-med summer programs" at another institution. Question: What are the BEST summer premed programs? Are these just money makers for universities or are they actually valuable experiences?

 

[HH Holmes]

Question: What are the BEST summer premed programs??

There are many different 'pre-med programs'. Some include taking courses for credit, taking courses for no credit, research, shadowing, volunteering, simply mingling and networking, or a combination of some (or all) of the aforementioned. Decide what you want to do and go from there.

There are a bunch of threads across the Pre-Allo board regarding summer research programs (like SURF) as well as course based programs like SMDEP and others like the cadaver prosection program at Indiana.

 

[plumhill]

It's hard to say what's the "best." It depends on what you want to do. If you're talking about doing solely research, I'd get a position in a lab at your school, and then perhaps take summer courses on the side. It would look better if you could spend at least a year in the same lab and potentially gain more autonomy, or even your own project. Programs like Amgen, REU or SURF are good for experience, but you'll only get three months of experience, which isn't a whole lot.