Teach MCAT or Research?

[DrChandy]

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Summer between MS1/MS2
Assume you already have some research experience w/ potential publications come residency app. time, and MCAT teaching experience prior to the start of MS1...?

 

[physicsnerd42]

Summer between MS1/MS2
Assume you already have some research experience w/ potential publications come residency app. time, and MCAT teaching experience prior to the start of MS1...?

I would do research. Teaching an MCAT prep might pay well, but you're not really going to get any useful knowledge, experience, or publications out of it.

 

[Callogician]

I'm in the same dilemma as the opening poster except that I have basically no research experience and no test prep related teaching experience.

I would would prefer to tutor MCAT test prep for the money, public speaking experience, and fun, but I'm trying to set up a research position in neurology because I want to gain experience in what might be my future field and something to boost a potential match application. Besides, I've been doing independent writing which relates philosophical methodology to neuroscience, and to do research in a field that would prompt me to learn more about this connection would be fantastic!

For Dr. Chandy, I would say it depends on what your career goals, interests, and specific opportunities are.

 

[Sureshot83]

Who says you have to choose one or the other? I think I'm going to try to do both this summer. I'll be in the lab every day, but I figured I can take one or two nights per week to teach the young 'uns about the wonders of the Ideal Gas Law....haha. Actually, when I took my MCAT prep class, my bio teacher was in between his M1 and M2, and was doing a research job during the day and teaching our class (about once a week) from 6 to 10 pm.

I have also read that some academically-oriented residency programs value teaching experience. Maybe not as much as they value research, but at least it won't be totally useless for residency apps if you do choose to go with the MCAT teaching.

 

[DrChandy]

Who says you have to choose one or the other? I think I'm going to try to do both this summer. I'll be in the lab every day, but I figured I can take one or two nights per week to teach the young 'uns about the wonders of the Ideal Gas Law....haha. Actually, when I took my MCAT prep class, my bio teacher was in between his M1 and M2, and was doing a research job during the day and teaching our class (about once a week) from 6 to 10 pm.

I have also read that some academically-oriented residency programs value teaching experience. Maybe not as much as they value research, but at least it won't be totally useless for residency apps if you do choose to go with the MCAT teaching.

Great points. I thought about doing both, but was afraid of burnout since I was thinking of doing it 4-5 days a week in addition to research. Once or twice a week (maybe more if manageable) w/ a steady research stint sounds like a great idea.