Work or research?

[Mopsd]

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After plotting my hours for next semester, the hours don't add up. I need to make a decision between one or the other by the time school starts.

Research:
- commitment of at least 10 hours per week
- I care about the research topic but duties are repetitive and likely won't have an opportunity for advancement anytime soon (low on the totem pole, many others above me). I feel as though I've gotten the gist of what it is about and have gotten pretty bored as a result.
- this is my first research experience...started this summer and will only have a few months of research (~80 hours) by the time I have to drop one
- if I decide to drop this experience, worried about it being look bad on my app because I quit only after a few months

Work:
- part of work-study (10-15 hours per week)
- I have plenty of work experience as a nontrad, my main purpose of pursuing work is to gain some side cash (~$1800 a semester. Is it worth giving up my research experience for $3600/year?)

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I know research isn't a requirement on a med school app. I also know that employment (work-study) won't contribute a lot to my app (especially as a nontrad who has quite a bit of years in the workforce) but the money would be nice.

An option that would sort of be a win-win for me with two years of undergrad left would be to continue research for the rest of the upcoming academic year (one year of experience min) and pursue employment for my second year. Otherwise, I'd have to drop one now and not look back.

***If I decide to drop research, I likely won't be pursuing any other research opportunity because of the limited time I have with other more urgent things to work on for my application (volunteering, shadowing and MCAT prep, etc.).

Any advice on which I should drop?

 

[Rajaredhilu]

If you already have around 80 hours and you need the money id just drop the research. You can still put the 80 hours research experience on your application. and you said yourself you were on the bottom of the totem pole and it wasnt going anywhere.

 

[Catalystik]

After plotting my hours for next semester, the hours don't add up. I need to make a decision between one or the other by the time school starts.

Research:
- commitment of at least 10 hours per week
- I care about the research topic but duties are repetitive and likely won't have an opportunity for advancement anytime soon (low on the totem pole, many others above me). I feel as though I've gotten the gist of what it is about and have gotten pretty bored as a result.
- this is my first research experience...started this summer and will only have a few months of research (~80 hours) by the time I have to drop one
- if I decide to drop this experience, worried about it being look bad on my app because I quit only after a few months

Work:
- part of work-study (10-15 hours per week)
- I have plenty of work experience as a nontrad, my main purpose of pursuing work is to gain some side cash (~$1800 a semester. Is it worth giving up my research experience for $3600/year?)

---------------------
I know research isn't a requirement on a med school app. I also know that employment (work-study) won't contribute a lot to my app (especially as a nontrad who has quite a bit of years in the workforce) but the money would be nice.

An option that would sort of be a win-win for me with two years of undergrad left would be to continue research for the rest of the upcoming academic year (one year of experience min) and pursue employment for my second year. Otherwise, I'd have to drop one now and not look back.

***If I decide to drop research, I likely won't be pursuing any other research opportunity because of the limited time I have with other more urgent things to work on for my application (volunteering, shadowing and MCAT prep, etc.).

Any advice on which I should drop?

Consider asking the PI if you could be hired as a Work/Study Program participant. But if you just can't stand the thought of staying in this lab, you've already checked the box with a summer of research participation and can move on.