What is more valuable?

[Hooked0nPhonics]

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In direct comparison what is more valuable, research or patient contact.

I am going to get a job and I am a CNA, so i could work as a CNA which would be the patient contact route.

Or I could try and find a paid research lab tech position somewhere, which would be the research route.

I have to choose one or the other. Also, I have no research experience so I am not sure how easily a paid research position is to come by.

 

[octupus]

In direct comparison what is more valuable, research or patient contact.

I am going to get a job and I am a CNA, so i could work as a CNA which would be the patient contact route.

Or I could try and find a paid research lab tech position somewhere, which would be the research route.

I have to choose one or the other. Also, I have no research experience so I am not sure how easily a paid research position is to come by.

It depends on the schools you want to apply to. Applying to big name research schools without any research isn't the best idea, but I think meaningful patient contact is harder to come by. If you're already a CNA, I would just go with it. Contact a professor and see if you can volunteer in their lab next semester or perhaps propose an independent research course for Fall.

 

[johnisles2011]

It totally depends on the school you apply to and what their goals are. At a research heavy school like Duke, I would say research. Then again, at a competitive school like Duke, I would say it's really important to have both if you want to have a complete application.

Yeah, that's my final answer. Both. I would vote for research now and find another, more part time avenue to patient contact simultaneously or later.

 

[V5RED]

In direct comparison what is more valuable, research or patient contact.

I am going to get a job and I am a CNA, so i could work as a CNA which would be the patient contact route.

Or I could try and find a paid research lab tech position somewhere, which would be the research route.

I have to choose one or the other. Also, I have no research experience so I am not sure how easily a paid research position is to come by.

This is not currently true. Until you actually have an offer of employment from a lab, your choices do not include research. Given that you have zero research experience and that lab jobs are hard to come by, I would not put money on you finding paid work in a lab unless you have a connection to get you a job.

 

[ppfizenm]

This is not currently true. Until you actually have an offer of employment from a lab, your choices do not include research. Given that you have zero research experience and that lab jobs are hard to come by, I would not put money on you finding paid work in a lab unless you have a connection to get you a job.

this. even with pretty serious research experience unless you know someone it it really hard to find a job in the research field.

 

[Hooked0nPhonics]

. Given that you have zero research experience and that lab jobs are hard to come by, I would not put money on you finding paid work in a lab unless you have a connection to get you a job.

This is exactly what i needed to know, thank you!

 

[deleted445355]

Can people still make it to the top research institutions without getting published? Like summer internships.

 

[pinipig523]

In direct comparison what is more valuable, research or patient contact.

I am going to get a job and I am a CNA, so i could work as a CNA which would be the patient contact route.

Or I could try and find a paid research lab tech position somewhere, which would be the research route.

I have to choose one or the other. Also, I have no research experience so I am not sure how easily a paid research position is to come by.

I was a CNA before I got into med school. I thought it was a great experience and something to talk about during interviews. Moreso than a research position unless you land something huge.