summer research programs

[thebillsfan]

i'm currently performing research at my university, and plan on doing so for about 2.5 years total before i apply to med school, and 3.5 years before i graduate. ive always told myself that it would be pointless to do a summer research program for 10 weeks, even if it's at a highly regarded institute such as harvard, johns hopkins, mayo, pasteur (in paris). now im second guessing myself. so the question for people on this forum is: if youre already doing research during the school year, have you or do you plan on also doing a summer research program in a different lab, and if that answer is yes, what's your rationale for doing that? what's the advantage of doing research, which you already are doing, when you can be doing something else?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

i'm currently performing research at my university, and plan on doing so for about 2.5 years total before i apply to med school, and 3.5 years before i graduate. ive always told myself that it would be pointless to do a summer research program for 10 weeks, even if it's at a highly regarded institute such as harvard, johns hopkins, mayo, pasteur (in paris). now im second guessing myself. so the question for people on this forum is: if youre already doing research during the school year, have you or do you plan on also doing a summer research program in a different lab, and if that answer is yes, what's your rationale for doing that? what's the advantage of doing research, which you already are doing, when you can be doing something else?

i've always been under the impression that people do summer research programs because they cannot or do not want to do research during the academic year. since you have a significant amount of research done or in the works, i think your decision NOT to do summer research is completely fine.

some people also don't like research, but they know it can help their app. so doing a more highly regarded program will prove that they are capable of it and at least tried it out before deciding they didn't like it.

 

[redlight]

me = no research as of now, however..

i can see someone doing summer research elsewhere if they:
cant get funding to do research in the summer at their home institution,
are looking to work in a new (as in different) or more advanced lab, new field, etc.
want (a potentially) more involved/intense role in research in an established lab catering to undergrads
want to add an extra rec letter
want (more?) conference/poster session experience (as a participant) if it is available


plus the regular stuff like exploring a new city, meeting new people, and perks like grad school stuff--some places offer mcat prep--, mentorship w/ people from a different institution (like a med school or w/e), shadowing if they have it, etc.

and some programs offer courses in your research field if you are interested..etc.