Volunteer Ra With Project Or Paid Ra Without Project?

[zaxop]

I was extremely lucky and was offered 2 research positions this summer. The first is at UHN, in the specialty I eventually want to go into, with my own project, but is a strictly volunteer position. The other is at my home institution in my current research lab, where I volunteer as an RA. It is paid but my PI cannot guarantee that I will have my own project (though he knows I am interested in doing one). The UHN project is everything I have ever dreamed of but I'm barely keeping myself afloat financially as it is and really cannot afford to work for free- transit to UHN on its own would cost me ~$15 round-trip every day. I'm really torn up about this because I may never get an opportunity like UHN again in my life but I need money to eat and pay rent. I really don't want to give the impression that I'm being greedy- I come from a low-income family and can't depend on my parents for financial help, and genuinely just want to be able to afford basic cost of living next year. Thoughts?

[CC36]

Could you not just work at your current paid RA position a few days a week and then volunteer for 1-2 days a week at UHN?

That way you'd be able to make money and still do the research you want to do.

[zaxop]

Unfortunately that's not an option, as both PIs want me there full-time, Monday-Friday.

[_ _]

Don't feel bad you can't take a volunteer position. The vast majority of people, including myself, don't have the luxury of volunteering full-time and still being able to pay for school, rent, and food.  Honestly I was shocked beyond belief when I found out people take the summer off work to study for the MCAT. Outside of med school world, most people can't imagine not working for pay.

I think it's completely absurd people expect students to take on work without pay when we only have 4 months. 'Dream' summer jobs are only 4 months, but it'll make the next year of your life difficult.

Sometimes this kind of stuff happens, it sucks passing up opportunity because of money, believe me I know. But be thankful you have one paid research opportunity, many people don't get that. 

[Depression]

I don't believe that there is anything wrong with volunteering or working and as such, you should pick what you really want to do. If I were in your shoes, I'd pick the paid position as it'd be a good chance to earn some income to support yourself financially over the summer. 

 

Currently volunteering as an RA. 

 

Cheers OP

[s5260205]

What year are you in? Take the paid position if you are still in first or second year. You will have plenty of time to get your own project once you become familiar with the nitty-gritty in the lab. This is especially so if you take a research course in third year or fourth year which, depending on the outcomes, will have the prospect of publications or at the very least a poster presentation.

 

While I understand how hard research funding is to come by, I despise PIs who hire students on a volunteer basis and require full-time work. You need to ask about the prospect of publication if you decided to take the volunteer position. 

[bclionsfan]

any pi who makes u volunteer full time m-f is a scam

 

they are exploiting the sh88888 out of you

 

period

at least ask if theres a possibility for being paid after the summer

 

anyhow, take the money.

idc if you're nobel prize researcher, making a student work volunteer FT is poor on the supervisor's part

 

and publication? lol good to ask but its unlikely it will work out 

[Bede]

What bclionsfan and s5260205 said.

 

If you get paid, the PI makes the rules. If you volunteer, you make make the rules. Don't let the PI insist on FT volunteerism on their terms. If the PI can't pay you, it's their problem for not being to secure funding. You can get a volunteer position at any lab. You are doing them a favour, not the other way around. 

[武田信玄]

any pi who makes u volunteer full time m-f is a scam

 

they are exploiting the sh88888 out of you

 

period

at least ask if theres a possibility for being paid after the summer

 

anyhow, take the money.

idc if you're nobel prize researcher, making a student work volunteer FT is poor on the supervisor's part

 

and publication? lol good to ask but its unlikely it will work out 

This man speaks the truth!

 

To OP:

 

Did your volunteer PI also tell you that you can potentially get a first-authored paper out if you work hard? Don't believe a word of it! Let's be realistic, do you honestly believe that this scamming m-f will give an undergrad VOLUNTEER a first-author paper, when he still needs to take care of his grad students and post-doc?

 

At least the paid PI is being honest about it, which makes him not a scamming m-f. BTW, you don't have your own project doesn't mean you can't get a paper out. Your contribution in this paid PI's lab will be recognized if you can maintain a good relationship with the PI. Also, once you are in the lab, talk with your labmates. Ask if they need some help with their projects (in a smart way of course) and start collaborating.

 

Unless your volunteer PI is your aunt, then it's a different story...I heard some guy got his name on a paper by italicizing some words in the manuscript.

[武田信玄]

 You need to ask about the prospect of publication if you decided to take the volunteer position. 

"Of course you can get a paper out if you work hard! This project is really a good project. All the foundation has been laid. It won't take that long to finish. I can see the paper out in 6 months."

 

Isn't this how most students got scammed into a 10-year PhD project?

[武田信玄]

I was extremely lucky and was offered 2 research positions this summer.

How exactly are you lucky?! You are asked to work full-time for free!! People get paid at Walmart for arranging shelves and you are working on ways to save peoples' lives but you are not even getting your gas covered. You think it's fair???

 

BTW full-time research is not just 40hrs a week.

[Colonel]

How exactly are you lucky?! You are asked to work full-time for free!!

 

BTW full-time research is not just 40hrs a week.

 

I love your posts man

[JohnGrisham]

How exactly are you lucky?! You are asked to work full-time for free!! People get paid at Walmart for arranging shelves and you are working on ways to save peoples' lives but you are not even getting your gas covered. You think it's fair???

 

BTW full-time research is not just 40hrs a week.

haha win.

 

 

srs though, don't work full-time as a volunteer. That is terrible.

[武田信玄]

 I come from a low-income family and can't depend on my parents for financial help, and genuinely just want to be able to afford basic cost of living next year. Thoughts?

The wording of my previous posts might be a bit too harsh. I just get a bit passionate when I see PI scamming student.

 

I come from a poor family too, and I'm taking about real poor here. So I can empathize your situation. But please, do yourself and your family a favour, take the paid position. It gives you money. Not only that, it'll most likely give you an opportunity to work under the wings of a grad student or a post-doc. This means you will get constant guidance. This also means your chance of getting your name on a paper is higher. Working on your own project when you most likely have no previous research experience is not wise.

[LittleDaisy]

Take the paid position, having any research experience is good. I know people in med school who do research part-time as volunteers, it is often because they wish to pursue research in another university than their home school (pretty hard to get a bursary), or if the project is already under a grad student's name and the student is just helping out.

I come from a poor family too, I understand that it is more difficult for us to volunteer while working part-time and having stellar grades....but it will adapt us better to med school with time management

Also, it is hard to have a publication after 1 summer...I have managed to get a first author publication after working non-stop for 8 months...So it really depends if the PI is willing to put your name on the publication and how much you contribute to the project.

I was extremely lucky and was offered 2 research positions this summer. The first is at UHN, in the specialty I eventually want to go into, with my own project, but is a strictly volunteer position. The other is at my home institution in my current research lab, where I volunteer as an RA. It is paid but my PI cannot guarantee that I will have my own project (though he knows I am interested in doing one). The UHN project is everything I have ever dreamed of but I'm barely keeping myself afloat financially as it is and really cannot afford to work for free- transit to UHN on its own would cost me ~$15 round-trip every day. I'm really torn up about this because I may never get an opportunity like UHN again in my life but I need money to eat and pay rent. I really don't want to give the impression that I'm being greedy- I come from a low-income family and can't depend on my parents for financial help, and genuinely just want to be able to afford basic cost of living next year. Thoughts?

[LittleDaisy]

https://sluckettg.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/reflection-on-sleeping-on-couches-and-diversity-in-medicine/?fb_action_ids=10103339237149062&fb_action_types=news.publishes&fb_ref=pub-standard

I read this article today and I just want to share with you and the rest of premed students who don't come from a privileged socioeconomic background. 

I personally come from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background, I understand and witnessed how poor socioeconomic and cultural background could hinder one's access to proper health care. I truly think that it is important that the med schools admission value more personal experiences than 3 months of volunteering in Africa or in Latin America. Not all of us could afford the luxury of volunteering 3 months in third world countries. Being a physician requires more than academically competent, it requires empathy and kindness. Don't give up your dreams and you will be a great physician who will understand what your vulnerable patients are going through. 

I was extremely lucky and was offered 2 research positions this summer. The first is at UHN, in the specialty I eventually want to go into, with my own project, but is a strictly volunteer position. The other is at my home institution in my current research lab, where I volunteer as an RA. It is paid but my PI cannot guarantee that I will have my own project (though he knows I am interested in doing one). The UHN project is everything I have ever dreamed of but I'm barely keeping myself afloat financially as it is and really cannot afford to work for free- transit to UHN on its own would cost me ~$15 round-trip every day. I'm really torn up about this because I may never get an opportunity like UHN again in my life but I need money to eat and pay rent. I really don't want to give the impression that I'm being greedy- I come from a low-income family and can't depend on my parents for financial help, and genuinely just want to be able to afford basic cost of living next year. Thoughts?