which would you choose? need help

[UCDavisdude]

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hey yall, so im in a little situatuation here. i have a choice between doing EMT course or being a research assistant at uc davis medical center in department of pathology and laboratory medicine. possibility of publication as well.i will be involved with clinical studies involving rapid detection of bloodstream infections. im assuming you all know what emt is.
well, im really torn between the two, i wont be able to do both because i wont have time im an intern in the ER as well at ucdmc. i am interested in both equally. so it comes down to which will look more impressive on my application. if i do emt, i was planning on working next year as a volunteer emt. medical research would be really cool as well. what do you all think i should do?

 

[Thundrstorm]

Will you definitely have time to be a volunteer EMT next year? If you're not positive, don't waste your time on the course. Will you have another opportunity to take the EMT course? It sounds like you have clinical experience; do you have any research experience? If you're thinking in terms of your applications, common sense would say that clinical + research experience could likely trump clinical experience x 2, depending of course on what kind of med school you want to attend.

Are you really equally interested in both? You really can't choose just based on your own interests? Also, the possibility of a publication shouldn't sway your decision... there's always a possibility, but don't count on it. You don't know what your results will be b/c you haven't even started, so that's a pretty big presumption. Also, is the research something you could continue next year? If not, what you're really choosing between is short-term research versus short-term EMT training and then long-term EMT volunteering.

I don't know if any of that was helpful, but you can't really make a bad choice here.

 

[kimmcauliffe]

personally, i'd do the research. only because i have an inquiring pea-sized brain. whichever one you think you'd have the most fun with and benefit the most from in the long run, go for it!

 

[DavisStudent]

UCDavisdude,

As my name implies, I go to Davis also. I just got emt certified in december, and I was wondering what volunteer emt opportunities you were talkin about if you dont mind sharing. thanks man

 

[xTiggerx]

hey yall, so im in a little situatuation here. i have a choice between doing EMT course or being a research assistant at uc davis medical center in department of pathology and laboratory medicine. possibility of publication as well.i will be involved with clinical studies involving rapid detection of bloodstream infections. im assuming you all know what emt is.
well, im really torn between the two, i wont be able to do both because i wont have time im an intern in the ER as well at ucdmc. i am interested in both equally. so it comes down to which will look more impressive on my application. if i do emt, i was planning on working next year as a volunteer emt. medical research would be really cool as well. what do you all think i should do?

Hi UCDavisdude,

I'm from UCD too! Anyway, in response to your question, I would do the research. I know alot of premeds here have done EMT, some of my friends included, and I don't think it would really make you stand out from the pack that much (though it would be an interesting experience!) If you have an opportunity to do some good research and will be staying with the professor long enough to publish a paper, you should definitely do that. Its important when you apply to have alot of clinical experience shadowing doctors (at UCDMC), as well as research. I've heard it more than once from my advisors as well as other people that are applying. Also, I've noticed that alot of secondaries ask about your research experience... so it would be impressive if you actually DID research (not just washing test tubes and beakers). Yea, thats just what I think though 🙂

 

[UCDavisdude]

alrite, some more davis students. about time i ran into some on sdn.

 

[UCDavisdude]

UCDavisdude,

As my name implies, I go to Davis also. I just got emt certified in december, and I was wondering what volunteer emt opportunities you were talkin about if you dont mind sharing. thanks man

dude, you totally ripped off my name. lol, j/k, we gotta represent rite. try contacting the university fire squad. they will probably let you ride with them.

 

[UCDavisdude]

Hi UCDavisdude,

I'm from UCD too! Anyway, in response to your question, I would do the research. I know alot of premeds here have done EMT, some of my friends included, and I don't think it would really make you stand out from the pack that much (though it would be an interesting experience!) If you have an opportunity to do some good research and will be staying with the professor long enough to publish a paper, you should definitely do that. Its important when you apply to have alot of clinical experience shadowing doctors (at UCDMC), as well as research. I've heard it more than once from my advisors as well as other people that are applying. Also, I've noticed that alot of secondaries ask about your research experience... so it would be impressive if you actually DID research (not just washing test tubes and beakers). Yea, thats just what I think though 🙂

yeah, i have no research yet. so its probablty a better idea. i wonder if EMT goes down as clinical experience like interning at the med center does.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I would go with research if I were you. Don't do EMS unless you are really interested in it for what it is, not what you think (and are mistaken) that it will do for you.