What to do summer after sophomore year (research)?

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fogo

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Hi everyone,

I am a sophomore undergraduate who has just recently joined a lab, where I'll be working for the year and possibly in the summer and beyond. I have a question about what to do the summer before junior year. Is it wise to do research with the same PI/lab and hopefully get a publication out of it, or look for stipend/research job via a prestigious internship, like Amgen Scholars? Thank you!

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Do what you think is right for you and will apply to the practice of medicine. Its not what you do, but how you progress in what you do and what you learn from it.
 
I'd stick with your current lab if you're enjoying it. It is much easier to be productive on a long term project spanning a year or more, and having evidence of productivity matters a lot more than having a recognizable summer science program on your app.
 
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I see. I want to aim for the Goldwater Scholarship, and saw that there are three LORs that you must submit, so I was wondering whether working in more labs (quantitatively) would be better in this regard. Any thoughts/ideas?
 
I see. I want to aim for the Goldwater Scholarship, and saw that there are three LORs that you must submit, so I was wondering whether working in more labs (quantitatively) would be better in this regard. Any thoughts/ideas?

No, if you are going for Goldwater your best bet is to stay in one lab with a faculty member who explicitly says they will support your candidacy for Goldwater. They know what this means but they will also expect a lot from you. The other two LORs are up to you.
 
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