What's Better for Summer Experience?

[NervousRex]

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I've tentatively been offered two positions this summer, and am unsure of what will be more beneficial to me in the long run?

1. Paid Research Assistant at National Institute of Health (NIH)

2. Summer Resident Assistant (RA) at New York University. I would also be volunteering at a hospital, and have another clerical job. This position would also extend into next school year, and I would receive free housing/meals.

The research position theoretically sounds more beneficial, but I am not interested in pursuing research seriously in my future. Ideally, I want to be working for Doctors without Borders.

However I am interested in knowing, in a broader sense, what medical schools are looking for in terms of summer work experience? (all my previous work experience involves minimum wage jobs, i.e. Waitress, Kmart Cashier)

 

[Pons Asinorum]

#1

You say that you're not interested in pursuing research long-term. I'm pretty sure you don't want to pursue managing an apartment building long-term either. If you want to pursue medicine, do the research. Fight to get your name somewhere in the authorship of a scholarly article while you're there.

 

[Catalystik]

If you have no research experience to date, then I'd go for that. Even if you have only a summer's worth on your application, it does strengthen your appeal to adcomms at most schools. If you already have research, then go for #2.

Not knowing your previous ECs or time left prior to planned application, it's hard to make further recommendations. If you have zero clinical experience and plan to apply in a year, I'd consider that very important to start (as the average applicant has 1.5 years). Nonmedical community service and shadowing are other things to strategize toward, among others.

 

[Harvard DBag]

Is there any way you would be able to pull off being a summer resident assistant, not volunteer at the hospital/hold a clerical job, but instead, find a research position at NYU? This combination would be the most impressive. Medical schools are easily impressed with productive research, as well as a huge leadership position such as being an RA.