Howdy- Wondering if any other pre/current/post MD/PhD OPM’ers did research internships at their future first pick med school(s) and if so, if anyone had any advice or or thoughts on the pros/cons of this. My other option is to stay at my home university to assist with research (not a big research university, so not sure how this will be viewed during the application process).
I was thinking that as a non-trad student it might be beneficial to get early one-one-one time with the staff. And of course, the research being done is totally awesome and would a blast to participate in any small way that they’ll let me.
Thanks in advanced for any thoughts 
I did three summer research internships and I got into those medical schools…do not know how much it helped but I think that knowing the ins/outs of each place and having done research there did help somewhat. It can never hurt.
I strongly suspect that doing these pre-applicant research internships are much like doing “audition” rotations during your 3rd & 4th year of medical school. If you can go there & shine, and I do mean shine, AND gets along well with the folks there - then it can be of significant benefit. However, if even accidentally you are perceived as not carrying your share of the load or rub someone influential the wrong way - it could be a death knell for your application.
OTOH, it also gives you the opportunity to see the program from the inside before it has its coffee in the morning, so to speak. Everyone expects the program, be it a residency or a med school, to have its Sunday-best on come interview day. But, by hanging around for x-number of weeks/months in a research intenrship or audition rotation, you will see what life is like on a day 2 day basis - the gloves are off. You may decide that this place is only shiny & attractive on paper, but not in real life. Or, that the personality of the program just does not suit you or your learning style.
You should learn to view this & all other activities where you interact with programs as active shopping vs the more passive: “please let me impress you so that you like me enough to let me in.” Take active ownership in shopping for programs that best fit you. Would you buy a Brook’s Brother’s suit 3 sizes too big in hopes that you will eventually grow into it? No, you buy it to fit you as best as it can be made to fit. And, you shop actively for a suit that not only fits well; but also compliments your physical attributes. Same logic applies here.
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Howdy- Wondering if any other pre/current/post MD/PhD OPM’ers did research internships at their future first pick med school(s) and if so, if anyone had any advice or or thoughts on the pros/cons of this.
As I’m essentially doing the same thing, I think it’s a great idea. Right now, I’m involved in a colloborative research project with a professor in the department where I hope to earn my PhD in Pathology. I was also given permission to take PhD required courses and some of these courses are with medical students. All of this is definitely by design to help “put a face” on my application to the MD/PhD program later on.
I think in addition to doing research, if you can take a few courses that would be very helpful as well.
Thanks guys, as always, good to hear others thoughts! And I agree totally with you OldManDave regarding the increased chance of removing doubt of potential by a bad snafu during the summer. Fortunately, I’m pretty confident about the face time- a strength from years as a manager. Now if I can only get the internship and not blow up their lab…
I can’t speak from personal experience, but my sister worked in the lab of an admissions committee member at a medical school. Worked out very well for her. She’s now in her third year at that school.
Erica
Hi there,
I think Dave has summed up the pros and cons of doing ‘audition’ research. I would like to add another. If you are part of a great research project at your home institution, I would not leave to audition at another institution. It is far better to stay where you are and continue your accomplishments then start over in a new lab where you run a risk of not getting as much accomplished.
I did undergraduate research at my undergraduate institution GWU in a department that wasn’t even affiliated with the medical school. When I left GWU, I had significant collaboration with many of the labs in the chemistry, biology, physiology and biochemistry departments there as well at labs at NIH and Holland Laboratories of the National Red Cross. My undergraduate research was in laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry which is a great technique for analyzing post translational modifications of proteins. If I had not spent the years honing and refining my techniques, I would not have been nearly as prolific when I started my graduate work in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
The bottom line is leave if you have something very significant but don’t leave because you are just looking to try to increase your chances of medical school acceptances. Like doing audition rotations during fourth year medicine, they can backfire and you find yourself hurting your chances and you don’t know why. If movement means a better project with increased chances to grow and expand, by all means leave and don’t look back. The opportunities will come.
Good luck!
Natalie 
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My other option is to stay at my home university to assist with research (not a big research university, so not sure how this will be viewed during the application process).
Can I assume the school your at now doesn’t have a medical school? If so, I don’t see the benefit of staying there versus doing research at a medical school. Another thing to think about is the type of research opportunities available. For example, UMaryland College park (No med school) is a fine school with a chemist there who would have been fanstastic to work for/with, but when I was looking for a research lab with a strong clinical component to work, my options were severly limited. UMaryland Baltimore (med school) on the other hand, offered many clinical research opportunities, in addition to the added benefit of working around people who were already where I was trying to be.
In the end, I chose NIH because in the world of research and admissions to MD/PhD programs, it appears that research experience at NIH trumphs just about everything else. If you’re interested in learning more, check out the link in my signature or send me a PM!.
I agree that the NIH offers wonderful opportunities in research, and my experience was important to me both personally and (as it turned out) strategically.
http://www.training.nih.gov/student/index.asp
cheers
joe