Research Prior to Medical School

[chesswiz23]

When it comes time to apply to residency programs, is research done prior to medical school (undergrad, research positions post undergrad…etc) seen as equivalent to research done during medical school (summer between M1 & M2, projects done during medical school)?

I ask this question because I am currently a research technician soon to enter medical school, and by the time I will apply to residency, I will be a co-author on 7-8 publications from my position now. Would I be more advised to do something different during my summer between M1 & M2 (volunteer somewhere, or sit on the beach and relax lol) or pursue a research project as so many medical students do?

Many thanks in advance on any input.

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[MrBigglesworth]

Sit on a beach and relax.

All publications are good.

 

[chesswiz23]

Sit on a beach and relax.

All publications are good.

haha..thanks man...good to know...I do live in Florida so that definitely sounds like a better option

 

[Hemichordate]

When it comes time to apply to residency programs, is research done prior to medical school (undergrad, research positions post undergrad…etc) seen as equivalent to research done during medical school (summer between M1 & M2, projects done during medical school)?

I ask this question because I am currently a research technician soon to enter medical school, and by the time I will apply to residency, I will be a co-author on 7-8 publications from my position now. Would I be more advised to do something different during my summer between M1 & M2 (volunteer somewhere, or sit on the beach and relax lol) or pursue a research project as so many medical students do?

Many thanks in advance on any input.

How can you be so sure you'll have 7-8 publications?

 

[chesswiz23]

b/c I've worked on 7-8 projects over a 3 year period, and each of them is being written up. What are your thoughts on research pre medical school vs. research during medical school? Equivalent?

 

[clausewitz2]

This does not mean all of these will be successfully published. Take it from someone who has been through the trenches of science - perfectly good work can end up in a desk drawer for a whole host of reasons.

 

[Hemichordate]

This does not mean all of these will be successfully published. Take it from someone who has been through the trenches of science - perfectly good work can end up in a desk drawer for a whole host of reasons.

I can definitely empathize with that. And research in med school trumps any research that you had become your first year. I would make a case for clinical research, but since you're already established with a basic science position, you should stick with that.

 

[courtnes]

While it's not like those things don't count, there is kind of a "what have you done for me lately" feel to residency advice. You may have this leg up prior to med school, but it's not right to just rest on your laurels. Get involved, do more research, volunteer, whatever - just do something.

 

[chesswiz23]

While it's not like those things don't count, there is kind of a "what have you done for me lately" feel to residency advice. You may have this leg up prior to med school, but it's not right to just rest on your laurels. Get involved, do more research, volunteer, whatever - just do something.

Thanks...that's a good way of putting it...I appreciate the advice from everyone.

 

[CatFactorial]

OP, I'm in the same boat as you. I was a tech after undergrad and fortunately was there in a particularly productive period for the lab. Finishing M2 now and just got word of 9th pub from then.

Having 7-8 publications is quite helpful regardless of when you worked on them. However, for residency applications, if you are you trying to sell yourself as a researcher, a 1st or 2nd authorship should be the goal. Otherwise, a bunch of middle authorships just shows that your intellectual contributions were at the tech level.

My advice would be to use those papers to land you good lab spot wherever you're going (or research fellowships, etc.)

Summer research programs are for those who haven't done much research and need the structured environment to get a small project off the ground. You won't have much time to get anything of note done, so I'd head for the beach instead (if these were what you were considering).

 

[chesswiz23]

OP, I'm in the same boat as you. I was a tech after undergrad and fortunately was there in a particularly productive period for the lab. Finishing M2 now and just got word of 9th pub from then.

Having 7-8 publications is quite helpful regardless of when you worked on them. However, for residency applications, if you are you trying to sell yourself as a researcher, a 1st or 2nd authorship should be the goal. Otherwise, a bunch of middle authorships just shows that your intellectual contributions were at the tech level.

My advice would be to use those papers to land you good lab spot wherever you're going (or research fellowships, etc.)

Summer research programs are for those who haven't done much research and need the structured environment to get a small project off the ground. You won't have much time to get anything of note done, so I'd head for the beach instead (if these were what you were considering).

Thanks for the advice; fortunately I was able to work on my own small little project, so I will have a first author pub and a couple of seconds...Now that I think about it, you guys are right-- the summer between M1 and M2 is not really enough time to get anything meaningful done...I guess I would have to consider taking a year off between M3 and M4 to do some research.

Thanks for the advice