Research --- REUs

[fun8stuff]

I am looking to apply for an REU or any other research experience over the summer, but most of the places that I have found prefer pre-graduate students.

Are there any that give the same preference to Pre-Med Students, or am I going to have to keep the fact that I am really Pre-Med a secret? I really don't want to do this because I would like to try and get a LOR out of this.

Anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

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[peterockduke]

Do not tell them that you are premed, seriously. I did not get hired at a research position for this reason and it burned me up. Especially b/c I drilled the interview and my PI would have been really cool (think British, thin version of the lead singer from SmashMouth). It was a great job too... Premeds are known for being flakey and bailing out on research positions.

The most effective way of selling myself has been to pretend that I am really interested in going to graduate school, just not sure of what field. I have researched in both chemistry and biology and basically double majored in both so it's a pretty plausible story.

You can get the LOR later on when you've worked at your lab for 2 years and everyone in your lab thinks you're kick@ss. Bottom line, if you are good at research and the people in your lab like you, they'll write you a letter of recommendation to be the Greeter at Wal-mart and yes, medical school.

 

[fun8stuff]

All right, sounds good, thanks!

 

[Hermeone]

well said, you really shouldn't tell that you are a premed, pretending to go to grad school is the best way!

Don't know why but it works for me.
I am a foreign undergraduate student and also a REU participant funded by NSF. Weird?

Don't ask me how...

 

[Jeffy]

Use the advice given above. When I applied for my REU's, I mentioned that I was a pre-med considering possibly doing reserch as well. It worked for me but if you don't have to say anything at all, don't mention that you're premed. Here's a link for a bunch of different REU programs.

 

[tygrwds]

Originally posted by fun8stuff
I am looking to apply for an REU or any other research experience over the summer, but most of the places that I have found prefer pre-graduate students.

Are there any that give the same preference to Pre-Med Students, or am I going to have to keep the fact that I am really Pre-Med a secret? I really don't want to do this because I would like to try and get a LOR out of this.

Anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

I did my REU at a cancer center in Seattle, and mentioned that I was a premed. I had a roommate in Seattle that is currently in med school. It didn't seem to hurt us, but we were definitely the minority - most of the participants want to engage in research, as I believe is the case at most REU programs.

My friend (also a premed) did an REU at Baylor, where she also shadowed a doctor.

Regardless, you should mention that you're interested in performing research (I believe I did in my REU apps). I don't think that your PI will frown upon the fact that you want to go into medical school, and will write you a solid LOR provided that you work hard and understand your research.

Good luck!

 

[exigente chica]

I have tons on info on research programs..for pre med and grad...pm me and tell me the state or your intrest...and I will tell you the program...


Exigente

 

[efex101]

If you do a search on Google for SURF you will get tons of hits.

 

[fun8stuff]

Hey, thanks everyone! Have any of you done any research programs that you found online? How was the experience? When did you apply?

 

[efex101]

Yeah, I found all mine online at Vandy and Mayo. You apply through March depending on the program and they all have a stipend $3,00-4,000 and are usually ten weeks long.

 

[Jeffy]

Originally posted by fun8stuff
Hey, thanks everyone! Have any of you done any research programs that you found online? How was the experience? When did you apply?

since i went to school relatively close to home, it was a good experience to spend 10 weeks in a completely random part of the country. kinda filled the whole "i didn't go away for college void." plus coming from a small school,, it was interesting getting a feel for living on a huge D-I campus. the research itself was great, but being able to do something new and different even for just a little while was well worth it.

to answer your second question, many REU's have a January deadline that i was never aware of. so if you are thinking about applying to some, check NOW for their deadlines and start getting reccomendations in line, etc.

 

[sunni]

Hey ask in your office about the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Program.
It's awesome. You do an individual project, write an abstract, & present it at a "mini-conference" (it's just all the HHMI students from your school & the PIs.) YOu can even do it at other schools if yours doesn't have it (I know V-tech takes non V-Tech students). And they don't care if you're pre-med, b/c that's who it's for.
Then there's the NIH option, not sure how it works, but it can be done for sure.
Then Baylor has the SMART program, rumor has it that being a SMART participant really adds "weight" to your med school app, so if Baylor's a choice, try that one too.
If they ask you where you see your self in five years, you can honestly say pursing a doctorate in some science field (Why might you ask, well medicine is a science field, and even if you choose DO, it's still "DOCTOR OF........").
The office should also have a list of all the faculty and their interests, & then you can pick which ones sound cool- like stuff you'd be interested in, & then contact them.