Switching W/A Experience Type?

[plsacceptmenotajoke]

Reapplicant here. In my W/A last year I included a job (where I have worked since 2015 and have 1000s of hours) as paid employment (not medical/clinical). However, over the past few years, my role has switched to be primarily research (and I was able to publish a minor paper for them this year).

I was thinking of switching the experience type to be "research/lab", but I wasn't sure if this would be seen as a red flag to schools I reapply to, who will notice my research hours increase by 1000s. I also don't want to be misleading by labeling first years I worked there as research, when that wasn't really what I was doing.

Just as a note, I have all 15 slots filled, so unless I get rid of another activity (which I really don't want to), I can't split this job into two.

If I add a sentence explaining that my role shifted and that research best explains what I am currently doing, do you think it would be ok to mark this activity under research? Alternatively, could I report just the research hours, and then mention the other hours/ what they were for in the activity description (this is an MME so I will have space)?

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[Catalystik]

Reapplicant here. In my W/A last year I included a job (where I have worked since 2015 and have 1000s of hours) as paid employment (not medical/clinical). However, over the past few years, my role has switched to be primarily research (and I was able to publish a minor paper for them this year).

I was thinking of switching the experience type to be "research/lab", but I wasn't sure if this would be seen as a red flag to schools I reapply to, who will notice my research hours increase by 1000s. I also don't want to be misleading by labeling first years I worked there as research, when that wasn't really what I was doing.

Just as a note, I have all 15 slots filled, so unless I get rid of another activity (which I really don't want to), I can't split this job into two.

If I add a sentence explaining that my role shifted and that research best explains what I am currently doing, do you think it would be ok to mark this activity under research? Alternatively, could I report just the research hours, and then mention the other hours/ what they were for in the activity description (this is an MME so I will have space)?

I do not think you should list it under Research since much/most of it is in another category. Instead, keep it as Employment and include both roles in the title you give the space. Explain further in the narrative, including the dates & breakdown in hours for each portion.

 

[plsacceptmenotajoke]

That makes sense, thanks! If I break down the dates/hours of each portion in the description, do you think schools would add the hours I say I did doing research to the "research/lab" category? My work with another lab is pretty minimal, so I am hoping to show that I am still committed to research with these additional hours.

 

[Catalystik]

That makes sense, thanks! If I break down the dates/hours of each portion in the description, do you think schools would add the hours I say I did doing research to the "research/lab" category? My work with another lab is pretty minimal, so I am hoping to show that I am still committed to research with these additional hours.

A reviewer would mentally add it to the research column, but the AMCAS summary for Research would not include it. If you are applying to highly-competitive research-focused schools, you might do better to omit the preceding nonclinical/nonresearch employment and its hours (but still mention it as a backstory in your narrative) and including only the research-related endeavors, dates and hours in a Research space (as your final paragraph suggested). If you are not a contender for top schools, then go with my original suggestion.