working in my school's lab look good on app?

[sike08]

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I just recently started working in my undergrad school's lab as a tech. I am not asking if just being a tech drone will look good to adcoms, because I am using it to get my foot in the door.

My question is: will adcoms appreciate it more if I worked my way up towards a research project and know the in's and outs of a lab? I am not looking to gain my MD/PhD, but I hope, after ochem, to work with my profs on a research project (so they say).

Is there anyone out there who has gone this route to gain research experience? Do I really even need to go this way to have access to research opportunities?

Also, my senior lab tech said she writes LORs all the time for former students but they usually attend med school as a biomedical researcher, and she has only recommended a few allopathic students.

Thanks to anyone who has some advice.😀

 

[Mattabet]

Yeah, working in the lab is good as far as research goes. Bonus points if you eventually work the way up to the point where you're doing work on your own hypothesis (not just droning, but thinking about the science).

But the kind of lab tech. scut work is where a lot of people get in the door, and it's beneficial for the application.

 

[sike08]

alright thanks, thats good news to hear.

another question. its also my second job. i have another job (20-25 hours/week) plus the fall semester is 16 credits (physics, gen chem, and gen bio) and i feel like something is going to have to give if I want to keep my 4.0

what should I consider? I am up at 430 every day for my original job, go to school for 4 hours, then work in the lab for another 4.

:/

 

[Mattabet]

Check your other thread. As I said there, I wouldn't take all three of those hard sciences at once. Unless you're going into your junior year and put them all off until the same year as the MCAT, you're going to drive yourself nuts with all 3 at once.

 

[sike08]

really? i have received advice from my profs that this is normal for a lot of their students and is easily copable if i am willing to sacrifice something else that may not really benefit me later on in my medical career.

 

[Van Chowder]

Meh, are you talking about being a lab tech, or something research oriented?
I can imagine them both looking decent on an app as an ec, the latter more so than the former of course.
Good luck!!