The hardship of getting a premed internship

[omegaz]

I am a sophomore premed student. So recently I've been browsing the premed internship opportunities and found them to be really competitive.

Basically each university has its own summer internship program that mostly comprised of only about 25 to 50 students. My university has a summer program but it only has room for 25 students and about half are from other universities. So it means that only about 10 students from my university will get the summer internship. I'm sure I'm not among the top 10 premed students, so that's why I think summer internship is so hard to get. What about the rest of the premed students in our school, how will they get their summer internships? Do they have to apply to the summer internship programs of other universities?

Also, applying for internships ask for recommendation letters from professors. All the classes I took are huge general premed science courses. Although I sometimes visit the professors during office hours to ask questions, none of the professors really know me. I supposed those who did research under the professors are able to get decent rec. letters. Unfortunately, I don't have such opportunity.

All in all, I just feel truly pressured and hopeless.

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[flatearth22]

Organized programs are dumb. It takes far more initiative and resourcefulness to find a lab/hospital/clinic on your own to do your research/clinical experience.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

^ hmm okay why do you say that?

 

[btown8908]

I am a sophomore premed student. So recently I've been browsing the premed internship opportunities and found them to be really competitive.

Basically each university has its own summer internship program that mostly comprised of only about 25 to 50 students. My university has a summer program but it only has room for 25 students and about half are from other universities. So it means that only about 10 students from my university will get the summer internship. I'm sure I'm not among the top 10 premed students, so that's why I think summer internship is so hard to get. What about the rest of the premed students in our school, how will they get their summer internships? Do they have to apply to the summer internship programs of other universities?

Also, applying for internships ask for recommendation letters from professors. All the classes I took are huge general premed science courses. Although I sometimes visit the professors during office hours to ask questions, none of the professors really know me. I supposed those who did research under the professors are able to get decent rec. letters. Unfortunately, I don't have such opportunity.

All in all, I just feel truly pressured and hopeless.

Have you considered NSF or other nationally funded/recognized research programs, such as ICBP (cancer research) or anything on AAMCs website?

 

[btown8908]

https://www.aamc.org/members/great/61052/great_summerlinks.html

forgot to attach link:

 

[music2doc]

Organized programs are dumb. It takes far more initiative and resourcefulness to find a lab/hospital/clinic on your own to do your research/clinical experience.

I don't entirely agree that organized programs are dumb -- well-designed ones can be amazing experiences -- but I do agree that finding your own opportunities is a great thing to learn to do. OP, there are resources out there. You simply need to be resourceful. Look around. Contact people. Network.

 

[varsityblue]

Organized programs are dumb. It takes far more initiative and resourcefulness to find a lab/hospital/clinic on your own to do your research/clinical experience.

+1. I likelikelikelikelike you, flatearth.

 

[omegaz]

https://www.aamc.org/members/great/61052/great_summerlinks.html

forgot to attach link:

Thanks for the link! I actually have looked through it before. Most of them are still highly competitive programs affiliated with an university. It makes me feel like I'm applying to medical school/grad school.