What should I do over the summer?

[Rhino1000]

Hi. I am a sophomore, a little behind on the EC's, and I would appreciate your advice.

I have ~150 hours nonclinical volunteering, and will be continuing to add about 3 hours per week. However, I have absolutely no research, and no clinical experience.

Assuming my grades are good, should I be focusing on applying to summer research programs, or getting a job as a scribe? Or should I plan on doing a lot of shadowing/ something completely different? I know some of the summer research programs application deadlines are coming up here. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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[911 Turbo]

Research and alternate between clinical volunteering and shadowing

 

[Stumpyman]

I would apply for research programs in and outside of your undergrad, and probably do some clinical volunteering on the side.

 

[mindyopenner]

The best thing for you to do at this point in the application cycle is to work with physicians to get a sense of whether you want to be one. You could potentially do this as a job, in a research lab, or as a volunteer. The benefits are that you might get a good letter of recommendation this way, learn that you do / do not want to be a doctor, or find that you enjoy research more than anything. None of these activities would be a waste of time.

If your goal is medical school acceptance, you might consider that this time to spend would become the closest experience to clinic you could have, short of going to medical school. That will help people appreciate your level of interest.

 

[Rhino1000]

Thanks for the great replies guys! I'll try to get into a research program (hopefully clinical), but I might have a tough time getting 2 letters of recommendation from faculty. I never became close with any of my professors.

 

[TheShaker]

Thanks for the great replies guys! I'll try to get into a research program (hopefully clinical), but I might have a tough time getting 2 letters of recommendation from faculty. I never became close with any of my professors.

This I what stopped me from applying too but I really do regret it. Just ask the ones you don't know very well, you would be surprised how willing people are to help you. In general, they love ambitious students and they will likely set up a meeting where they can get to know you better just so they can write you a letter. Plus, they'll know you're young and you probably don't have many professional contacts.

IMO, you should go for a bench research position as you learn more about actual research skills there and it's been speculated that schools value bench research more.

 

[quiltlady]

You could get a volunteer job at a camp for kids with some medical problem. These camps usually last only a few days and you could actually interact with sick people. This could turn into a long-term volunteer gig, besides you could have a lot of regular camp fun at the same time. Start asking around at the diabetes assoc or cancer assoc, etc.

 

[ComfortCreature]

There are lots of summer research programs around the country that will pay you and give you a place to stay. There's also the Johns Hopkins Summer Anatomy Institute that's kinda pricey, but you get to study anatomy for four weeks at the school of medicine, meet med students, shadow doctors, and get taught by the med school faculty.

Plenty of stuff out there, bud.

 

[Josh7]

Didn't read the other replies so I apologize if I'm just repeating what everyone else said.

I would recommend you contact some professors at your own university and do research with them for credit or pay. While doing research you should definitely volunteer in a hospital or become a scribe/EMT as you mentioned. This way you'll be on campus and can continue the research and volunteering during the next few semesters.

 

[MedPR]

Hi. I am a sophomore, a little behind on the EC's, and I would appreciate your advice.

I have ~150 hours nonclinical volunteering, and will be continuing to add about 3 hours per week. However, I have absolutely no research, and no clinical experience.

Assuming my grades are good, should I be focusing on applying to summer research programs, or getting a job as a scribe? Or should I plan on doing a lot of shadowing/ something completely different? I know some of the summer research programs application deadlines are coming up here. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Shadow and relax. I think it's better to volunteer somewhere near your undergrad because it's easier to show continued involvement compared to somewhere that you only go for 2-3 months out of the year. Obviously it doesn't matter if you summer/winter vacation nearby your undergrad though.

 

[vadeem]

- Nevermind -

 

[Havoc390]

In the same boat as you OP. I have no research experience so I applied for a few summer REUs. No clinical experience so I'm doing ER volunteering for 8 hours/week this upcoming semester. I decided against ER scribe to focus on grades and MCAT.

 

[ICFire]

Nvm

 

[Rhino1000]

Havoc, can I ask you what classes you are taking along with your 8 hours volunteering?

 

[stevvo111]

Do something cool. lol easier said then done, but honestly don't do something because it's "for med school". I had the opportunity to do research abroad and get paid for doing so by my school- cool s**t like this was fun for me as well as something that "looks good".

Look into cool opportunities, don't pay for anything (as in any program abroad, better to get paid than to pay for it), and make as many experiences as possible. Honestly, the best thing to do over the summer is to do something significant. Show ad coms you know how to run s**t outside of school beyond volunteering and stuff.


Look into your school's opportunities. Most schools have cool scholarships/ research money they give to students to do pretty much any well planned research. Many times you will have to hide the fact that you are pre-med because there is often this preconception that the only reason you are applying is for getting into med school (for good reason too), but if you find any cool programs that pays you to do something fun, definitely take part in it.

Scribe programs are world renown to scream "IM PREMED AND THAT IS THE ONLY REASON I AM DOING THIS" so I'd avoid it at all costs... it's an activity that is super cliche pre-med, out of a 100 applicants, I'd guess 40 or so are scribes. Being part of the 40% is not cool. Do something else that is awesome and you'll be the 1%.

Summer research programs too- very cliche, avoid these unless you really wanna see what research is all about. In which case it is an excellent opportunity to travel to other parts of the country and do cool stuff.

good luck! Best advice don't waste any summers (going home and hanging with friends is fun, but honestly not that great), you will wish you had more of them to do all the awesome programs out there once you graduate.

 

[Rhino1000]

Wow, seriously that is an inspirational post. I will now be applying to research OUTSIDE of my state. Should be sweet. However, I do believe that your statement that scribe positions are cliche and they do not look that great to adcoms is questionable.

 

[Havoc390]

Havoc, can I ask you what classes you are taking along with your 8 hours volunteering?

Nothing too demanding.
I'm taking physics 2 with lab, chem 2 with lab, calculus, a core class, and an online class for a total of 16 credits.