What to do over the summer?

[Djax99]

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I’m wrapping up my freshman year and I was wondering what would be the best thing I could over the summer to make my application as competitive as possible. Would an internship at a pharmaceutical company be a good use of my time? Research at a top tier hospital (think MGH/Beth Israel/Brigham Women’s) or university? Or volunteering or some other venture? I’m currently thinking between the internship and the research so I was wondering which would be a better opportunity/more impressive?

 

[Blueprint Med School]

It's still early for you. Do what you think you would enjoy more, or what you think will be more rewarding. Personally, I would do research, especially if the research is something that you'll be able to continue with going into your sophomore year.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Ole_Toe]

I can't stress this enough! Build up experience doing something that you are passionate about. One of the recurring compiments I received about my application was that I had pursued interests that clearly were not intended to benefit my application. Longitudinal service/experience really shines

 

[Goro]

I’m wrapping up my freshman year and I was wondering what would be the best thing I could over the summer to make my application as competitive as possible. Would an internship at a pharmaceutical company be a good use of my time?

NO



Research at a top tier hospital (think MGH/Beth Israel/Brigham Women’s) or university?
Maybe



Or volunteering or some other venture?

I lean to this. Medicine is a service profession, and research is overrated.


Do what you love and love what you do.

 

[Djax99]

Thank you for your response! I think I am leaning towards research with some volunteering as that is what is most interesting to me, however, I was wondering why doing an internship in research at a pharmaceutical company would be frowned down upon.

 

[u_raptor]

Thank you for your response! I think I am leaning towards research with some volunteering as that is what is most interesting to me, however, I was wondering why doing an internship in research at a pharmaceutical company would be frowned down upon.

I would lean towards saying that is because you aren't going into pharmacy, so why work in a pharmaceutical company when you could instead being doing clinical or non clinical volunteering or research. Just not as a good of an investment of your time.

 

[u_raptor]

In terms of the original Q, I would also recommend shadowing if possible! Figure out as soon as possible that medicine is definitely the profession and life you want!

 

[Djax99]

I would lean towards saying that is because you aren't going into pharmacy, so why work in a pharmaceutical company when you could instead being doing clinical or non clinical volunteering or research. Just not as a good of an investment of your time.

That definitely makes sense but even if the role was in research and development would it be not looked as favorably than if it was traditional research at a university?

 

[Opticalfuture]

i got into my first internship im freshman, but its next summer.

 

[altblue]

you could always do a little of both researching and volunteering. the pharmaceutical internship would be of little use unless it was related to what you'd want to go into, like the pharmaceutical industry

 

[Djax99]

you could always do a little of both researching and volunteering. the pharmaceutical internship would be of little use unless it was related to what you'd want to go into, like the pharmaceutical industry

Even if the research would be in research and development for the company?

 

[altblue]

Even if the research would be in research and development for the company?

oh yeah that'd be fine. if it were a standard business internship it'd be a little less helpful