I work with six different people in six different situations: three MD/PhDs at various levels of experience; one PhD research scientist; one MS scientist working toward a career in industry; one gastroenterology fellow (MD); and one pediatric endocrinology fellow (MD). Over the course of my time here, we've had the opportunity to talk a lot about the paths they've taken to get to where they are and which path will be best for me. The emerging line of advice, whether I talk to medical students, MD/PhDs, PhDs, or MDs, is "Do what makes you happy," regardless of cost. I think I already knew that, but it's nice to have it reinforced by so many people I look up to. My friends also affirm my decision to pursue an undergraduate degree in something other than basic science; it'll be a talking point in my interviews and besides, in medical school, I'll learn more science than I've ever wanted to know.
Being able to question all my coworkers here has really helped me to solidify my future plans. As of now, I'm thinking I'll get an MD and then complete a specialty fellowship that involves research, like my coworkers Camilla and Rebecca.
Oh, and I got some compliments today from two of the graduate fellows in my lab! One told me that Dr. B, the one I mention in
this post, "speaks very highly of me," and the other told me (positively) that I wasn't a typical summer student. :-) I'm treated like a full-fledged scientist here, if a young one, and I try my best to act like I belong. Hopefully it will pay off.
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