Summer Research Programs

[marctam86]

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Hey, is anyone else applying for summer reseach fellowships/programs? Im just a freshman now, but most of them seem geared towards juniors, so Im applying to eleven of them, figuring that ill at least get into one. I really love doing research, but I'm a little apprehensive about asking my bio teacher to write all these letters of recommendation (some programs have different forms). If anyone has any tips for applying to these things, I would really appreciate them, thanks!

 

[freddytn]

One suggestion I have is that you should inquire at your local institution for research opportunities. This is two-fold in the sense that it could be your backup solution if you don't get into these summer research programs and that by developing a research project at your campus, you can potentially continue on with it during the academic year and would speak more highly than a summer research program. This would potentially give you the opportunity to get on some publications as well since you would have a longer time commitment than 10 weeks during the summer. The summer research programs are definitely highly competitive and tend to give priority to those who are nearing graduation from college since they tend to have the most experience / coursework under their belt which hopefully translates into an efficient summer research project. I think most will agree that 10 weeks is not a whole lot of time to get familiar with a project and then to really take it somewhere. It's not impossible to do it but it just takes a lot of hard work. Hope that helps.

 

[milliardo_L]

I did my first research project during the summer after my freshmen year, at Wash U Med. I even got a publication out of it. I know it is not the rule but rather the exception, but I strongly suggest you to at least try to get to a program. It's true that most of them prefer juniors/seniors, but some of them do not have any previous experience requirement. I would imagine that your professor would not have problems writing so many letters, he/she might be impressed that you want to start doing research so early and help you.

 

[marctam86]

thanks for the suggestions, i guess im just really worried about these programs being ultracompetitive to get into . i've got two years of research experience and a publication pending, but i just get the impression that I might not be competitve for the ones im applying to, specifically the Cold Spring Harbor one, just because im a freshman. I checked with my university, and they do offer a program, albeit less formally structured, but one that offers the same type of research, so i think ill be ok. thanks again for your ideas 👍

 

[cluelesspremed]

thanks for the suggestions, i guess im just really worried about these programs being ultracompetitive to get into . i've got two years of research experience and a publication pending, but i just get the impression that I might not be competitve for the ones im applying to, specifically the Cold Spring Harbor one, just because im a freshman. I checked with my university, and they do offer a program, albeit less formally structured, but one that offers the same type of research, so i think ill be ok. thanks again for your ideas 👍

Apply to more than one summer program if possible. They're great experiences and MSTP programs look high upon them. I had no previous research experience before doing 3 summer programs, and have since been accepted into an MD/PhD program

Good luck!

 

[tedrik]

I only went into one summer program because that is some pretty valuable time that you could spend at your home lab. MSTPs seem to love the summer programs though, so I would definitely suggest doing at least one. Try to find out what MSTPs you may be applying to later on and then see if there are opportunities for you to go to one of those schools during the summer.

Cold Spring Harbor and NIH are great places to go, but what I think should be a consideration is the name of the faculty you are working for. Some people may have a different opinion about this, but I think that a short 10 week project in a big name lab can carry you pretty far. The amount of contact you have with your mentor doesn't matter as much since it's such a short project, but being able to say you came from "so-and-so's" lab can be impressive (depending on who you are talking to). The fact that you are a freshman and already thinking about this is great and I think that your enthusiasm for research will easy some lab's concerns about taking in a student with a little less experience than a junior or senior. Besides, it doesn't hurt to try and you need to get some practice at doing applications anyways 😉

good luck!