I am currently deciding between continuing research at a T20/T10 for STEM or participating in a paid biomedical research internship at the City of Hope (a big hospital/cancer research center) this summer and I’m really torn between the two…
For some background, I intend on applying as a biochem major and being a premed, money/transportation/housing is not an issue (I mean, obviously it will be practically but don’t judge based on that since my parents said they would help me make it work either way), and I live in California.
Option 1: Continue research at the T20/T10
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I’ve been volunteering here for the past year, and I did a science fair project that did relatively well (qualified for CSEF so that was pretty cool)
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I’ve gotten to know my advisor pretty well (and he also went to my high school lol odd coincidence) + he wrote my rec letter for the City of Hope. I was hoping to also ask him for a rec letter for college and for Regeneron STS, and that would obviously be much better if I did a summer project at the lab.
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The research I’m working on is definitely biochem, but it’s not as applicable/interesting as what I could work on at the City of Hope.
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Not paid
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More flexible – I can go on more vacations, work on/build a community service project/organization I started this year (that I may have overfundraised for and now have money that I should use otherwise I’m kinda breaking grant promises heh), and do some other summer programs I had applied for (Girls Who Code SIP, an internship with a publication, Iowa Young Writer’s Studio)
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I was originally going to write something about ~prestige~ but tbh I’m not sure. The university is very well known and even my parents are impressed (lol not me using them as a standard since they’re Asian)…but I feel like AO’s/future employers may think that I got it through connections and not merit? But at the same time I have a decently strong resume…idk
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If I stay, I could (maybe?) go more in-depth rather than learning new stuff and not having as much time to do intense research at the City of Hope (?) – I don’t have a lot of info about the city of hope, though, so maybe don’t judge off of this
Option 2: Go to the City of Hope (Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy)
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Superficially…prestige. The program is really selective (like 4%), and it’s paid ($4000 stipend) + at a well-known cancer research center + college students do it too. So like…paid biomedical research internship sounds pretty good on anything…
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$4000 – my parents said don’t worry about the money (ahh I really don’t want to sound entitled but I think this is how it’s going to end up sounding – I just want to say I recognize how incredibly privileged I am and I’m really grateful that my parents worked hard and were successful enough to let me be in this position) but that’s not exactly nothing yk
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It’s 10 weeks, and you can’t go part-time. I haven’t traveled in the last five years due to medical issues, then the pandemic, and I’m not sure if they’ll let us take a week off (especially since it’s paid…), and my family had wanted to take a vacation this summer
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Very intense. Not sure of the exact hours, but I get the feeling it’s a Mon-Friday 9-5 sort of thing. I wouldn’t do anything else major with my summer, since I wouldn’t have time – I wouldn’t be able to work on the community service project I had been working on most of my junior year, which I’ve actually really enjoyed doing (and I guess would be good for college apps lol I hate how I’m a prestige whore) → I would be able to do Iowa Young Writer’s studio though since it’s mostly asynchronous
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The research is more up my alley. Not to say that what I’ve been researching the past year is not enriching and enjoyable, but my brother had cancer and being able to intern at the city of hope and help out researchers who are looking for cures/explanations for cancer would be amazing
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I’m planning on applying to some BS/MD programs so this could help show my interest in medicine (I haven’t been able to volunteer at a hospital and I don’t do HOSA or any medicine related clubs)
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Diversity in experiences: I’m interested in learning more outside of the very specific field I’m studying rn + it would be cool to do cancer research…and the time to explore is now lol since I’m young and fresh to the world of academia
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If I do this, I feel like I’m kinda betraying the other lab I worked in? And like obviously the rec letter shouldn’t be controlling my decision but then it wouldn’t be as good if I asked my mentor to write me one after I kinda ditched him for a summer
If you got here tysm for reading my rambling and any advice is much appreciated 