Research position

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I would like to take up a research position next semester in college (i'll be a sophomore) - especially because I have not done any research yet, and I figure that I should start very soon. However I'm kind of worried about the time commitment; my classes next semester are quite difficult. I know that the time commitment varies from lab to lab...but is there a minimum number of hours? I haven't heard of anyone having less than 10 hours a week. Have yall found it difficult to handle both research and classwork? </p>

<p>I know that it is not imperative to begin research sophomore year, but it seems like a good idea to start early in order to establish contacts for recommendations, future research positions, and such. Research is quite widespread at my college, so I feel some pressure to start next semester. Any thoughts about whether it would or would not be a good idea to try researching w/ a professor this fall?</p>

<p>Thanks so much! any comments would be much appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Grades first, for pre-meds, (A-) 3.7+ is less dicey. I think many students find 11+ hr extra time a large, cumulative drain in a demanding schedule although it <em>can be</em> a very positive experience. What is the real payoff? personal interests, an extra letter of recommendation or access to a good summer job? Vs the risk of overloading and drowning or burning out. </p>

<p>The summers may be a better opportunity but even 40-50 hr a week is a limited utility for many profs with u/g in 10-12 weeks. I happened to talk with a Presidential Scholar (2 per state+20/40 at large, typically high 1500s) week before last, at a rigorous, top 20 uni. She seemed a little bummed out and felt somewhat commoditized, she clearly felt a lot of pressure to perform (I'm just another parent). She was pitching the p/t research next year, concentrating on ECs, sizzle, and the other premed boxes. Original research where concepts are in play can be fun and/or fulfillling, YMMV. Rule #1 get the good grades, America seems to be paper happy these days. Grades are not sufficient but they are usually necessary.</p>

3

<p>Emerald34, here's the deal. </p>

<p>The best way to think about this situation is that if you can't perform at your best and survive (with good grades, of course) the next semester with your difficult classes while you do 10 + hours of research a week, how will you be able to survive medical school?
I agree that this is an 'overblown' question; however, it should motivate you to take on this obstacle with a positive attitude and blow it away. </p>

<p>Once you’re in medical school, I am sure you’d be in a super competitive atmosphere (everyone tryin to get into top tier residencies) studying for hours and hours, while having to go on clinical rounds etc. ( I am sure BDM, BRM, and Sakky can elaborate) And after Med School, you’d be in a stressful residency program working ~80 hours a week. </p>

<p>(Question for the experienced --- Does your transcript/application give an indication of your schedule during a particular semester: 17 h coursework, 10 h lab, 5 h work, 4 h volunteering etc.?)</p>

<p>Therefore, once you do work your B** off acing (or surviving) the next semester with a stellar (or reasonable) grade, you would have performed at your best, and this will give you a LOT of confidence to take on the next few semesters in a similar fashion, and when you come to think of it, you WILL be better prepared for medical school.</p>

<p>And while you’re at it, you should do research not under competitive pressure, but with an intellectual curiosity / desire to learn...This will make the situation less stressful. Good Luck!</p>

4

<p>Medical school isn't as super competitive as you think. Some people study even less in med school then in college because they know how to study better. In generl people in medical school will help each other more than in college. Plus medical school grades don't matter nearly as much as college grades do. USMLE scores matter as do rec's from teachers, but other than that its all good in med school. Its not insane in med school. Residency is where it gets fun with insane hours, low pay, little sleep.</p>

5

<p>BA: I have no idea what some of the abbreviations you used stand for. YMMV? p/t? sizzle?</p>

<p>TTH:</p>

<p>1.) I haven't entered med school yet, and it will be some years before I start up on rotations and such, but from what I can tell, I think BND is probably closer to the mark here, even (especially?) at very selective schools. (I am skeptical that a significant portion of kids study less, however.) His points about grades being less important (particularly since most schools are P/F), and increased collaboration ring particularly true with what I expect to see.</p>

<p>2.) Still, I agree with your overall point, which (I think) is this: Research can be very difficult, and it can suck up a great deal of time, but being able to balance research with your schoolwork is something that is often expected of premedical students.</p>

<p>With that said, all my research happened during the summers - which I understood would in fact turn out to be somewhat of a disadvantage, and rightly so. This is despite the fact that my summer research was, in fact, very good - it's just not the same when medical schools know that you're not putting in the hours on a consistent basis.</p>

<p>Finally, I will tell you that excellent time-management skills will help alleviate a great deal of this. 10 hours a week is less than 10% of your waking hours, which is sizeable but hardly devastating. If you assume schoolwork takes up the 40 hours a week of a full-time job (and I've never met a student for whom that's true), then that still leaves you half your time for volunteer work and total, insane amounts of leisure. Plus that still gives you 8 hours of sleep a night. Furthermore, if you can incorporate your research into your courseload - perhaps via independent study, or as a thesis your senior year - that reduces the other courses you're taking.</p>

<p>3.) Yes, your AMCAS application has a listing of when you performed your various activities along with how many hours they took. Obviously, they have no idea how much time you spent studying. But they know how much time you spent doing research, how much time you spent volunteering at the hospital, etc.</p>

6

<p>thanks, guys! that helped a lot. I think i'm going to start emailing profs now for research positions, and if I get any...well, then I guess I'll cross that bridge when it comes. thanks again!</p>

7

<p>This may vary between schools but how exactly does a freshman go about seeking a research position with basically no prior experience or knowlege?</p>

8

<p>My son got a research position with his inorganic chem prof. A friend of his received a position with his bio prof. Get to know your professors and let them know of your interest.</p>

9

<p>YMMV, your mileage may vary; p/t part time; sizzle, sexy ECs. Big question for anyone's time budget - 10-12 hr work study too?</p>