take summer research opportunity, or stay at home institution?

[glue19]

Hello! So I just got accepted yesterday morning to a summer research opportunity at a different institution (between years 1 and 2 this summer), but I am unsure whether or not to take it as I could also stay at my home institution to do research. For context, my home institution is not really known for research, whereas the summer program is at a place with lots of research funding.
The main thing I am thinking about is that if I stay at my home institution I am probably more likely to get a publication, since I could still work on it some during the year if it is not done by the end of summer. Also then I will have made that connection with someone at my home institution.
However, the summer program will definitely at least result in a poster. And I feel like maybe it looks good to have been accepted to a formal program with an application process? And the program and the research sound really cool, but after pubmed stalking previous participants getting a publication out of it seems like a big maybe.
I guess I just don't really know whether or not there is a big difference in having a poster versus a publication later on when applying to future things and residency and what not....

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[btuck]

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[glue19]

I just got into the Vanderbilt SRTP program. I'm excited and want to take it, but I also have no idea how important getting publications is or if the main idea is to have done research. Nice to know I'm not alone in this boat!

 

[btuck]

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[glue19]

haha very similar boat then

 

[Tenk]

I would probably stay at home. Producing something and having it go to a conference or presentation or anything is better than just saying you did some research. Plus, like you said, you will create longer lasting connections and possibly more papers which will result in much stronger connections than a research summer fling.

 

[glue19]

@Tenk The summer program would still result in a poster, and it looks like some previous participants have ended up on publications but usually not first author. I feel like the projects also tend to be more complex and maybe I would learn more skills. Even if I were to get a poster, would it still be more worth it to go with the route that will probably result in a paper? And is it completely unrealistic to try to develop a home research project during 2nd/3rd years?

 

[Tenk]

@Tenk The summer program would still result in a poster, and it looks like some previous participants have ended up on publications but usually not first author. I feel like the projects also tend to be more complex and maybe I would learn more skills. Even if I were to get a poster, would it still be more worth it to go with the route that will probably result in a paper? And is it completely unrealistic to try to develop a home research project during 2nd/3rd years?

Well judging from the fact that some other random person on SDN is asking the same thing as you in this thread, you can bet you’re gonna be a dime a dozen at the bigger program. This means you’re a small fish in a big pond. I personally think it’s more beneficial to be a big fish in a small pond as this will get your name out there if you can ride the coattails of a close mentor over the next few years. Ultimately when you apply for residency you want to be remembered (and in a good way) and it’s always easier to be remembered when you have a close mentor backing you up.

 

[glue19]

Thank you so much for responding and for the advice!