Summer research question

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>I'm relatively new to the med school admissions process, so I was wondering what the veterans here might think of a small dilemma I have.</p>

<p>The summer after my freshman year in college, I secured a volunteer internship in a laboratory at a university near my hometown. I had worked in two other labs at this same university during my high school years, and I had great experiences, so I figured this new internship would be the same. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, this experience was drastically different. I was assigned to a postdoc who was uncaring and clearly had zero interest in mentoring an undergraduate. She usually only came into the lab 3 days out of a 5 day workweek and used my (volunteer) services for menial labor, like categorizing papers by keywords or mounting slides. I was not assigned any kind of independent project, and my postdoc only lifted a finger to teach me something when, in her words, it was something she would normally have to do herself. She was entirely unreceptive to questions, and I later learned she had me follow an improper protocol for anesthetizing animals before surgeries. My experiences as a high schooler were markedly superior to this one, though I was now a sophomore at MIT.</p>

<p>After about 3 weeks, I sent a respectful email to the lab PI requesting a new postdoc or graduate student or that we have a discussion with the postdoc I was having problems with. The PI did not feel that any of these measures were warranted. After a month, I concluded that my hours spent in the lab had little educational payoff, and considering I was a volunteer, I left. Upon submitting my "resignation" emails, the PI told me I should not list my time with them on a CV.</p>

<p>I reached out to other labs to try and find some way to make the most of the rest of my summer, but for many it was "too late." I eventually joined another lab, but given that I arrived late in the game, I couldn't be assigned my own project and was limited to observing/helping the other undergraduates. I managed to learn some things, but I did not have a robust project of my own.</p>

<p>I just finished my sophomore year, and I now know that any research experience I list on my medical school application must be backed up by a letter from the research supervisor. I don't think I'd be able to get a letter for my experiences between freshman and sophomore years, but if I don't list my experiences, it looks like I did nothing during that time. I've since had a great research experience for my entire sophomore year at my own university, and I had great experiences at labs during high school, so I know I'm not some kind of demon-intern who drove this particular postdoc insane. </p>

<p>What should I do? Should I not list research experiences at all if I can't get any letters, or should I list them and try to explain why I can't get letters? Do medical schools really even care about what you do during the freshman-sophomore summer?</p>

2

<p>You should list them. I don’t personally agree that one should have a PI letter from every lab. In your case that would be more letters than some schools even allow you to send. Having one good letter from your most recent and significant research experience should be sufficient in your case. I would, however, still list your past research experiences to demonstrate your long interest in it. Just be prepared to be asked why you did not continue in those past labs.</p>

3

<p>totally agree with mmmcdowe. As long as you get ONE research letter from your most significant research experience - if you are someone who has done a substantial amount of research, then you are fine. most schools wouldn’t want more than that anyway - different letters from different people who can speak about different parts of your background or achievements are always best.</p>

<p>List BOTH of these experiences for that summer on your CV. be honest about the kinds of things you were doing - but most med schools wouldn’t expect much more of a volunteer summer only experience (especially only after freshman year) to be more substantial than being helpful in someone else’s work, and they most certainly aren’t going to be expecting publications. Schools aren’t looking for super start researches, necessarily, when they are looking at applicants. They are more interested in seeing the kinds of exposures you have, and your familiarity with what you are getting yourself into.</p>

<p>As someone who has interviewed plenty of applicants (Granted, closed file), I could care less about what their research is. If they are excited about it when the subject comes up, then sure, we can talk about it… but I am far more interested in what that experience meant for them, what they learned about themselves and their interests within the sciences, and if they want to be a researcher. Doing a project to learn that you don’t like bench research is a totally worthwhile experience! It’s just one step on the road to understanding what your goals in life really are. You learned a lot about great and not so great teaching styles within the free-form world of the lab. Congrats! We’ve all been there. Put it in your CV and think of it in terms of the experience it really was.</p>