Question about Research

[Chemstudent]

I'm currently a chemistry major at my undergraduate university and we are required to do research in order to complete our major. For me, I chose to do research under an organic chemistry professor and he is currently doing research on dental materials and cavities. However, I am definitely going above and beyond the requirements as I am staying at school this summer to work in the lab 40 hrs/week on a research grant. I am highly involved and am pursuing my own project. So does this research fall under the medical category even though it is dental research? Or does it fall under the hard sciences more? Also, is this research worth it in the long run applying to medical school? Could my time be better spent shadowing? I already have 100+ hours of clinical volunteering.

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[QofQuimica]

You're overthinking this way too much. Any research where you're doing your own project is a good research project at your stage of the game. In fact, an UG project doesn't even have to be in the natural sciences at all. The important thing for you is to be as knowledgeable as possible about your project. Focus on being able to explain your hypotheses and conclusions, as well as what would be the "next step" after your project is done. Those are the kinds of questions that will let an interviewer know that you really understand the project and had significant involvement.

As for the shadowing, if you don't have any, it wouldn't hurt you to spend a few days shadowing and then ask for a LOR from the physician. But it's certainly not necessary to shadow 40 hours/week for an entire summer.

 

[Chemstudent]

Thanks for the response. Don't medical schools favor medically related research over any other research though? Im planning on shadowing here and now throughout the summer on weekends

 

[kyamh]

No, medical schools care about any research where you have accomplished something and I don't think there is any significant favoritism. Writing a grant is really really great! So are conference poster presentations, conference symposia, published abstracts, and peer-reviewed publications. My research has zero to do with medicine but it's WAY more important to be excited by the research you do than to have some particular topic.