<p>Hi, I'm trying to get a research position over the summer.</p>
<p>I contacted someone for a biological research, and he told me that he doesn't have any paid positions in the lab available, but he would like me to volunteer in the lab.</p>
<p>Is this just as good for medical schools? It's seems to be very good biological stem-cell research. But will me just "volunteering" (I would say participating) in the lab impress medical schools at all or no?</p>
<p>Most research positions you will find will be unpaid. The experience will probably be roughly the same, you just won’t be making any money. If you don’t mind that then take the opportunity and hopefully you’ll learn a lot.</p>
<p>Of course it’s all about “impressing” the adcoms… tsk tsk</p>
<p>^^ umm, yes, actually, impressing the adcoms is extremely important. Today to go to a medical school that I may can be proud of I do have to impress the adcoms. Point, blank, per-id. </p>
<p>I want to do research, but I also have to impress the adcoms to accomplish a later goal of mine. I wish I could just do what I wanted and not be worried about the logistics or terminology of “volunteering” in the laboratory, but the fact is that I have to be worried about that if I want to be extra sure in completing a goal of mine. sorry if you don’t like that</p>
<p>Question reworded: Is volunteering in a research program good/impressive to medical schools? I don’t understand the actual meaning of “volunteering.” Does that mean i’m just someone who cleans up the trash and it would be equivalent to me working at McDonalds to medical schools?</p>
<p>Sigh. Volunteering is no way inferior to paid research. You will be doing actual research. You can put it down on your resume and get a letter from your PI and it will all be good and just as legit as paid research. </p>
<p>And honestly, adcoms will not be impressed with research simply because 50-90% of students do research depending on which medschool you’re looking at. Therefore, doing research is equivalent to community service or club activities. What might mildly impress the adcoms is if you get published but even that is very very mildly.</p>
<p>The truth is most premeds do research and many of those get published so don’t think about impressing anyone and just do whatever you want to. You’ve probably heard this before, but true passion about what you’re doing is what’ll really impress the adcoms. These guys have years of experience have read thousands, probably millions of applications and interviewed just as many. They’ll know if you were doing something just to impress them and well not be impressed at all.</p>
<p>^^ lol alright thanks, I see that they are superhumans and can read right through me and my motives and ambitions by reading a paper about me and having a list of what i’ve accomplished throughout college. kidding, but thanks.</p>
<p>and i did word this wrong. of course I didn’t literally mean to impress the adcoms. impressed is a lame word. I meant to look good on my resume. peace</p>
<p>They’re not superhumans, they’ve had a ton of experience. And you do remember that they interview look at you recs etc…</p>
<p>‘look good on my resume’ isn’t that great of an improvement either lol </p>
<p>i’m not trying to insult you, do things you actually enjoy doing (research, volunteer, whatever), that’s what really counts</p>