grad school

[nancy9494]

Hey,

I'm majoring in microbio and I want to pursue a PhD/MD. Does it matter what type of research I do as an undergrad? I am trying to get into a microbio lab but the spots are limited, but there are some spots open in some biomedical labs. Would it look weird if I got a position there? 

[hypervalent_iodine]

I wouldn't think so, but I'm not very familiar with the process of selection there.

[nancy9494]

 I've looked at some school requirements and all they say is 2 years of undergrad lab work. Some-kind of experience is better than no experience I guess.

thanks

[CharonY]

1 hour ago, nancy9494 said:

 I've looked at some school requirements and all they say is 2 years of undergrad lab work. Some-kind of experience is better than no experience I guess.

thanks

As a rule of thumb you should have some level of roughly applicable undergrad work. The precise area matters less. For example, having done field work is less useful if you want to join a wetlab. But if you have at least some applicable skills (such as e.g. sterile techniques, maybe cultivation techniques, certain analytical techniques etc.) it is mostly transferable. It is generally assumed that you'll have to learn your way around the lab. However, if have at least a basic awareness of how not to kill yourself, others and ruin expensive equipment and chemicals, it is typically fine. Demonstrating desire and ability to learn and the willingness to put serious time and effort into the work become more important at that point.

In fact, with the latter you could also join even if you had only done fieldwork of sorts. The big question would then be why the switch in topic.

[nancy9494]

very helpful thank you!

[tmx3]

On 3/1/2018 at 7:47 PM, nancy9494 said:

Hey,

I'm majoring in microbio and I want to pursue a PhD/MD. Does it matter what type of research I do as an undergrad? I am trying to get into a microbio lab but the spots are limited, but there are some spots open in some biomedical labs. Would it look weird if I got a position there? 

You should be fine. 

For PhD/MD, you’d think it would look even better to do research in biomed rather than merely microbio. And you’d be right to assumte that. Outsider’s pov: it looks like you’re committed to medicine and the research aspect of it, which is excellent and needed for MD/PhD.