What should I do with this research position offer?

[spottedcory]

I'm in my gap year and research is the weakest part of my app for this cycle (like mediocre hours I think, not productive, but got LORs) I just got a research position but I don't know if I should take it.

Pros:
- it's research with patients; overall goals are interesting and I can choose which / how many projects I wanna work on (clinical + research hours! 2 birds one stone)
- sounds like it'll be productive, maybe I can find out early if this kind of research is my thing so I can do more targeted exploring in med school
- seems like a supportive environment which might help me get over my negative exp. with research (toxic lab culture)
- might help for app updates? (not sure if this is worth it?)
- if I don't get in this would help with next cycle

Cons:
- unpaid 22 hours a week minimum
- commitment all the way up until potential matriculation date (I really want this year to be a break year for myself/friends/family/hobbies/personal goals)
- leaving my quarantine bubble so I can't see my distancing SO/friends for the duration of the position (all the way up until matriculation date...)
- my friend said my previous track record with service/community research would pull more weight than a gap year job so I could spend this year for myself instead of trying to improve my app (I'm still taking classes and in clubs so I'm not totally doing nothing)

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[Goro]

Why are you taking a gap year?

Unless you have an app that is geared to the Research Powerhouses, research may do less for you than you think, compared to service to others less fortunate than yourself.

 

[spottedcory]

Why are you taking a gap year?

Unless you have an app that is geared to the Research Powerhouses, research may do less for you than you think, compared to service to others less fortunate than yourself.

I took a gap year because I wanted to enjoy my last year in college and pick up time-intensive service positions that would not tolerate absences for interviews. Another reason was that I wanted to spend time with my family because my undergrad was far from home, and I wanted to touch base at home before starting another 4 years likely also far from home. My school list is geared towards stat-focused-ish schools, which also seem to be research powerhouses, so I was thinking that maybe research would help? My app/narrative is definitely service oriented though and I have about 2k hours across multiple longitudinal experiences.

I think the scenario I was mainly thinking about was like, what if it's late in the cycle and I haven't heard back, so I could send this fire update to schools so they could reconsider me? Is this a silly reason to put so much time into an experience?

 

[Goro]

I took a gap year because I wanted to enjoy my last year in college and pick up time-intensive service positions that would not tolerate absences for interviews. Another reason was that I wanted to spend time with my family because my undergrad was far from home, and I wanted to touch base at home before starting another 4 years likely also far from home. My school list is geared towards stat-focused-ish schools, which also seem to be research powerhouses, so I was thinking that maybe research would help? My app/narrative is definitely service oriented though and I have about 2k hours across multiple longitudinal experiences.

I think the scenario I was mainly thinking about was like, what if it's late in the cycle and I haven't heard back, so I could send this fire update to schools so they could reconsider me? Is this a silly reason to put so much time into an experience?

You're not going to get any points for saying I'm going to do some research over my gap year".

Updates are for accomplishments, not plans

 

[spottedcory]

You're not going to get any points for saying I'm going to do some research over my gap year".

Updates are for accomplishments, not plans

Oops I meant I'd start research in a month so that when Jan/Feb come around I'll have an update, like I've completed 300ish hours of research by then

 

[Goro]

Oops I meant I'd start research in a month so that when Jan/Feb come around I'll have an update, like I've completed 300ish hours of research by then

Might be worth an update to those schools that welcome them

 

[LizzyM]

If the purpose of the gap year is to spend more time with loved ones and this job will preclude you from seeing people who can't be near you because you are working in the hospital (outside of their bubble), it seems to defeat the purpose of your time off.

Furthermore, when something is clinical and research "two birds with one stone" it will often be neither: not clinical enough for those who want to see clinical exposure and not scientific enough for those who want to see your research productivity.