Two profs, or one?

[futuredoc]

Ok people I have a slight dilemna:

 

-This summer I worked with a professor in the chemistry labs as I got a chemistry NSERC. The project was fun, and I am still working for him even though the NSERC is over. He is even alright with me coming back in the summer (with or without an NSERC). He is a knowledgeable/responsible supervisor, but I think he may be only slightly friendly to the idea of giving me a reference letter to medical school (I have yet to ask but I'm not sure how he would react).

 

-This year I have met a prof in the biology department. She is very enthusiastic about my plans for getting into medical school and has an interesting project. As far as I can tell she would be happy to provide me with a reference letter, as she talked about how a career in research would be an excellent backup to medical school (I didn't prompt the conversation- I was there to see a test). She also accepts NSERC students during the summer.

 

-The problem is, who should I pick to work with in the summer (assuming I have the chance to accept either prof as a supervisor)? Should I go with the prof with whom I will have worked with for over a year? Or should I go with the prof that seems more supportive?

[OneDay]

I would definitely go with the one that is supportive of your med school plans. Being in a research environment for the past 4 years, I have encountered many profs who are very unsupportive of med school ambitions (likely b/c many grad students leave to pursue medicine, or they feel that their students are only trying to get research jobs just to put it on their med applications, rather than going into research) And this has come up before in previous threads. If that one prof is already willing to give you a reference and is even enthusiastic about your plans, I would definitely go with that individual. It is terrible working for someone who is not supportive (or just doesn't care) about your future goals.

[Sarah2050]

I would definitely go with the one that is supportive of your med school plans. Being in a research environment for the past 4 years, I have encountered many profs who are very unsupportive of med school ambitions (likely b/c many grad students leave to pursue medicine, or they feel that their students are only trying to get research jobs just to put it on their med applications, rather than going into research) And this has come up before in previous threads. If that one prof is already willing to give you a reference and is even enthusiastic about your plans, I would definitely go with that individual. It is terrible working for someone who is not supportive (or just doesn't care) about your future goals.

 

Which Uni do you go? Is it easy to get a research work/project during summer in all Uni?

[OneDay]

For the research I did in undergrad was through Work-study jobs, and I think all universities have this program. Most of my recent reserach has been from my grad degree.

[register]

Get to know each prof a bit more, if possible tell them you'll be planning on applying to medical school.

 

If you're genuinely interested in their research and are competent, they won't mind taking on a student that plans to enter medical school. If they do, they're probably not the prof you want to work with.

[futuredoc]

Get to know each prof a bit more, if possible tell them you'll be planning on applying to medical school.

 

If you're genuinely interested in their research and are competent, they won't mind taking on a student that plans to enter medical school. If they do, they're probably not the prof you want to work with.

 

Sarahgirl: I am attending Dalhousie University. I got this NSERC with a 3.99 (out of 4.0), but the average is probably ~3.9. It is likely that the average falls to 3.8ish after first year though.

 

Both profs that I have met know that medicine is one of my career choices. I just find it difficult to assess what the first prof thinks about it. I have told both that I am 50\50 on research and med (mostly because I am but also to try and avoid classic "pre-med hatred" exhibited by so many profs). Perhaps I should go with the bio prof in the summer and then ask both for ref letters? Wouldn't the chem prof be pissed though, given that I will have been working with him for a year by then? Sheesh life is confusing isn't it?