Chemistry vs. Biology Research

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TBMcGee

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Hello,
I was just wondering if it matters whether I do chemistry or biology research? I'm doing research right now in chemistry, far from medicine, it's on photovoltaics (OLEDs <3)...The professor is incredibly hard and mean, but I love the lab, and I don't want to leave. Heck, I don't even know if I'll get a good letter of rec out of him. I was wondering if med schools look down on chem research? I mean what's the point of doing research if you don't even like it, and I don't like the bio research at my school..plus, do you even do research in med school to need it as an undergrad? I would think research would be more geared toward a PhD...

Who knows..


Anyone have some input?

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Do whatever research you find interesting and preferably will land you an independent project culminating in a poster or publication and a nice letter of rec.
 
Well, I just joined his lab. He only have two undergrads and two grads in his lab, and two of his students and him are close to a publication. A lot of kids warn me about him and say he won't give me a good letter of rec and they also say not to do research with him, but I think it's because most of them failed his O. Chem class (most likely because they didn't try). Those who did good say good things about him...Plus he comes off mean at first because so many kids just come and ditch his research lab...I would be the same way with new students, you never know if they're flakes.
We have great professors from Harvard and MIT at our school, this guy doesnt come from a great elite PhD school, but those who came from Harvard and MIT have really boring research projects...
I just love working with light lol.

Thanks!
 
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Well, I just joined his lab. He only have two undergrads and two grads in his lab, and two of his students and him are close to a publication. A lot of kids warn me about him and say he won't give me a good letter of rec and they also say not to do research with him, but I think it's because most of them failed his O. Chem class (most likely because they didn't try). Those who did good say good things about him...Plus he comes off mean at first because so many kids just come and ditch his research lab...I would be the same way with new students, you never know if they're flakes.
We have great professors from Harvard and MIT at our school, this guy doesnt come from a great elite PhD school, but those who came from Harvard and MIT have really boring research projects...
I just love working with light lol.

Thanks!
A publication is certainly not necessary. If you think he would be willing to give you a good LOR after you "put in your time" in his lab, stick with it. The LOR is not 100% necessary, but would make your research experience seem more legitimate. If you think he won't warm to you at all, and you can't get an LOR out of him, it might be best to find another lab to do research in. Chemistry vs biology doesn't matter.
 
As someone who did a lot of chemistry research and spent almost a year in a microbiolab, I'd choose chemistry. Less techniques to learn and results come much quicker. For interviews though, I'd make sure to find out the implications your research may have on medicine.
 
Thank you everyone! I think I will stick with my lab. He has started to warm up more. I believe it was because so many students come into his lab, are intimidated, and leave. I really am interested in his research. I am not sure what OLEDs can do for the human body, though, or how I can relate it to medicine. I just thought they wanted to see you do research to be more competitive, considering we don't do any in medical school (from what I know of, not sure if you guys actually do).
 
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