What would you do?

[bioboy23]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi everyone,

It's been a long time since posting but I hope everyone is doing well. I have been wrestling with an opportunity that has come up for me recently and I wanted to get some perspectives outside of my own to help weigh my options.

I have the opportunity to work with a clinical lab at the NIH through their IRTA postbac program for the next two years (starting this summer). It is a really cool program and would probably be a lot of fun--I hear good things about the DC area. But I had always planned on applying to medical school this summer and this would delay my app one year. My EC's are pretty good (5,000+ clinical employment hours, about 800 volunteering through a few unique organizations, lots of involvement with my local medical school, decently interesting story, etc.), and GPA is ~3.8. Taking the MCAT in a couple of months but I should be right around a 510 if I don't blow it. I'm not extremely interested in research like some are and do not plan on doing any as a physician. Also, the lab has an excellent track-record with getting their kids into medical school.

Basically, I am wondering if you guys think it is worth it to delay the app and go for it or continue and apply this summer. I don't want to delay my application if it is good enough as is unless it would tremendously help in the future. Thanks!

 

[bioboy23]

Also, would love to hear from @Goro @LizzyM @gonnif and @gyngyn thanks guys

 

[Lifeblood_20]

It’s all up to you. What are your goals and what would like to do to get there? What do you think you want to get out of NIH IRTA?
Do you want to target research focused schools or MSTP programs? Boosting your research resume through NIH IRTA would help a lot.
Do you want to apply this cycle & start med school next year? If so have you started getting your essays, LORs, school lists etc ready?
Would you just want some time off after undergrad to work or have fun before med school? If so do you want to do that through this program?
NIH IRTA by itself is not going to make or break your app. So just do what you want.

 

[Harambe]

Would you be able to find out your MCAT score before deciding whether to do the program? If so, I'd wait until getting your score, so you can get a sense of how competitive you'd be without the program. However, I'm a big proponent of taking some time off between college and medical school, so if I were in your shoes I'd probably do the program. Could be fun to live in a new city for a bit and decompress from academics for a little before getting right back into it with med school

 

[bioboy23]

It’s all up to you. What are your goals and what would like to do to get there? What do you think you want to get out of NIH IRTA?
Do you want to target research focused schools or MSTP programs? Boosting your research resume through NIH IRTA would help a lot.
Do you want to apply this cycle & start med school next year? If so have you started getting your essays, LORs, school lists etc ready?
Would you just want some time off after undergrad to work or have fun before med school? If so do you want to do that through this program?
NIH IRTA by itself is not going to make or break your app. So just do what you want.

Would you be able to find out your MCAT score before deciding whether to do the program? If so, I'd wait until getting your score, so you can get a sense of how competitive you'd be without the program. However, I'm a big proponent of taking some time off between college and medical school, so if I were in your shoes I'd probably do the program. Could be fun to live in a new city for a bit and decompress from academics for a little before getting right back into it with med school

I'm not very picky on the tier of school I go to, I just want to get in. So, I guess in that regard, research focused schools aren't my be-all end-all. Also, I graduated a few weeks ago, so I am already taking 1.5 gap years!

I likely would not be able to put my decision off until May, which is when I will get the MCAT score back, unless another lab offers me a position later (possibility)... It would be much easier if I had a score right now to help my decision, though.

 

[doc05]

You’re not interested in research, yet you applied to NIH IRTA. Why?

 

[bioboy23]

You’re not interested in research, yet you applied to NIH IRTA. Why?

I didn't say I wasn't--I said not extremely interested. And I think clinical research is much different than being in the wet-lab. I would not even be considering if it was a wet-lab.

 

[puahate]

I would just apply this summer while doing IRTA. IF they want 2 years then it is not worth it imo. Just apply to medical school and get in.

 

[LizzyM]

The reason that IRTA is successful in getting its people into med school is that people who are interested in research are attractive to the top med schools and the mid-tier schools are happy to snap them up if they are willing to attend (closer to home, less expensive, etc). It isn't that IRTA makes you a good candidate, it is that good candidates are drawn to do IRTA.

If you aren't interested in research, don't sacrifice 2 years you'll never get back. Apply this year, give it your best shot and come out the other end two years earlier. If things change and you decide you want to do research, you will have that opportunity in a fellowship after residency.

 

[Goro]

Also, would love to hear from @Goro @LizzyM @gonnif and @gyngyn thanks guys

It's a great opportunity, and it's something useful to have if that you decide medicine is not for you.

How fast do you want to be a doctor???

Med schools are not going anywhere you know

 

[LizzyM]

I didn't say I wasn't--I said not extremely interested. And I think clinical research is much different than being in the wet-lab. I would not even be considering if it was a wet-lab.

What skills to you expect to acquire in doing two years of clinical research? What does that even mean when you are coming out of undergrad? What tasks would you be assigned? I'm trying to get my head around this.

 

[bioboy23]

What skills to you expect to acquire in doing two years of clinical research? What does that even mean when you are coming out of undergrad? What tasks would you be assigned? I'm trying to get my head around this.

Well, for one, since research is all but required for a lot of residencies nowadays it would help get me acquainted with the process. Also, the postbac before me has 5 papers to her name after her 2-year commitment, so that would be very helpful to have for the rest of my career and for residency matching. Not to mention the connections being made at arguably the best research institute in the world. Since it is a paid position, they expect a little more out of you than just a data-cruncher or a glass cleaner.


edited for mistake

 

[puahate]

Well, for one, since research is all but required for a lot of residencies nowadays it would help get me acquired with the process. Also, the postbac before me has 5 papers to her name after her 2-year commitment, so that would be very helpful to have for the rest of my career and for residency matching. Not to mention the connections being made at arguably the best research institute in the world. Since it is a paid position, they expect a little more out of you than just a data-cruncher or a glass cleaner.

It's not worth it imo. Do this research in med school.

 

[LizzyM]

Well, for one, since research is all but required for a lot of residencies nowadays it would help get me acquainted with the process. Also, the postbac before me has 5 papers to her name after her 2-year commitment, so that would be very helpful to have for the rest of my career and for residency matching. Not to mention the connections being made at arguably the best research institute in the world. Since it is a paid position, they expect a little more out of you than just a data-cruncher or a glass cleaner.


edited for mistake

You still haven't answered my question: what skills do you expect to acquire? What are you going to learn how to do through this experience and do you expect it will make it worth two years of your life and entering the paid workforce as a physician two years later than many of your peers?

 

[ThrowawayShmoaway]

I'm not extremely interested in research like some are and do not plan on doing any as a physician.

If this is the case, do not do it.

 

[doc05]

Well, for one, since research is all but required for a lot of residencies nowadays it would help get me acquainted with the process. Also, the postbac before me has 5 papers to her name after her 2-year commitment, so that would be very helpful to have for the rest of my career and for residency matching. Not to mention the connections being made at arguably the best research institute in the world. Since it is a paid position, they expect a little more out of you than just a data-cruncher or a glass cleaner.


edited for mistake

1. It’s not required for most residencies.
2. Residencies that require have very low bars.
3. Papers from this will experience will have little to no bearing for the rest of your career, nor for residency matching.
4. What value are these “connections” if you have no intention to do research as a physician?
5. You really need better mentoring than the advice you can get on this forum.

 

[OchemOficionado]

5. You really need better mentoring than the advice you can get on this forum.

This may be true, and I can’t speak for the OP, but for some of us, this forum is the best mentoring available to us. I was going to add a “sadly” somewhere in there, but nope. It is what it is. Members of this site come from different backgrounds and this forum was created to help students through the process so it isn’t sad that it’s doing exactly that.

 

[theKingLT]

This may be true, and I can’t speak for the OP, but for some of us, this forum is the best mentoring available to us. I was going to add a “sadly” somewhere in there, but nope. It is what it is. Members of this site come from different backgrounds and this forum was created to help students through the process so it isn’t sad that it’s doing exactly that.

It is sad that most people do not have access to quality, personal mentoring in a field in which it is so beneficial, but SDN does a great job of filling that void. As for OP, I say you should apply now. I'm usually in favor of people taking more gap years, but looks like you will have a strong app regardless, and it's not worth losing a year of physicians salary for something you're not going to love.

 

[Mike Bagwell]

You only have one life so you have to do what you feel makes that life your best.

However, I've said this earlier but becoming a doctor and getting into medical school is a commitment till that goal is accomplished. If you legitimately have the stats to get into a medical school and you "delay" that opportunity for whatever reason, then I would question how committed despite your efforts to further improve your app and your experience.

You can't do everything in this life. Pick one thing and do it well. In your case go to medical school and leave the research for someone who really wants to do it.

 

[bioboy23]

I want to thank everyone individually for their input, but this is much easier, so thank you all! For now, I’m just going to focus on the MCAT and try to knock that out of the park. I guess deep down I only thought about this experience to improve my application because of how competitive this process is, and I wanted to make myself better on paper and in real life by living in the academic realm for 2 years.

For now, I’ll just wait it out. Unless something else pops up that I can’t say no to, I’ll stick with applying this summer.

 

[theKingLT]

I want to thank everyone individually for their input, but this is much easier, so thank you all! For now, I’m just going to focus on the MCAT and try to knock that out of the park. I guess deep down I only thought about this experience to improve my application because of how competitive this process is, and I wanted to make myself better on paper and in real life by living in the academic realm for 2 years.

For now, I’ll just wait it out. Unless something else pops up that I can’t say no to, I’ll stick with applying this summer.

Make sure to stay productive during the cycle with work, volunteering, or whatever you'll be doing. Good luck

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

Some IRTAs only make a 1 year commitment, have you talked to your potential lab about whether this is a possibility? What would you be doing for the next year otherwise?

I personally would do the full two years if I went the IRTA route though - I worked at the NIH in another related but different position, and the second year was definitely more valuable, the first year can be a really steep learning curve.

 

[bioboy23]

Some IRTAs only make a 1 year commitment, have you talked to your potential lab about whether this is a possibility? What would you be doing for the next year otherwise?

I personally would do the full two years if I went the IRTA route though - I worked at the NIH in another related but different position, and the second year was definitely more valuable, the first year can be a really steep learning curve.

Yes--I originally only planned on doing a 1-year position but it's nearly impossible to find. They prefer 2 years, which is completely understandable. If I did find one, I would have jumped on that immediately /:

 

[Dr. Stalker]

NIH IRTA is a sweet gig. A number of my colleagues have completed it simply as a boost for medical school admissions. Most top medical schools T20, even T40 (maybe) love research, and the NIH IRTA is an EC I've seen actually help combat perhaps not the most stellar objective scores (albeit their MCATs/GPA weren't bad per se). These students also have zero intention of going into basic science in their career, so that's fine. It's just another EC to help for admissions.

Feel it out and come to a decision!