research schools want to see research activity as most meaningful?

Started by ycf06
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
Y

ycf06

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
research schools want to see research activity as a most meaningful activity?

It was meaningful, just as meaningful as some of my other involvements. But I do have a lot to say about my research exp. and will include it if not having it=not interested in research=research schools not wanting me.

not a big fan of having to pick three most meaningful activities.

Thanks
 
If you are having trouble finding things to say about a certain experience, then it probably is not as meaningful to you as you think.

If you try to represent your research as your most meaningful while that's not how you truly feel, you risk coming off as artificial in your application, which is more of a concern in my book.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Its not necessary you have to pick 3. Make sure the ones you do pick ARE meaningful though, not just chosen to fill a quota
 
LizzyM said:
This is the first year that applicants need to identify 3 "most significant" experiences so I really don't know how the broader membership of the adcoms are going to take to this.
Click to expand...


Does your Adcom have a meeting where they go over this and discuss it?
 
From what I hear some schools have been doing this already in the years past on their secondaries. So I guess for them it'll be business as usual.
 
I would sooner bet against a research-heavy school knocking an applicant because they listed three other more meaningful experiences, especially since not all top research schools are looking for heavy research in every applicant. If one has multiple or extensive research experiences listed, I can see allowing them to stand on their own on the application and listing different activities as meaningful. That said, if research is a major part of your application or goal for your career, it seems to me that it would follow that your research experience to this point must have been meaningful, right? But again, you may have had more meaningful experiences, and from your descriptions, secondaries, and PS, I can see the importance of your research experience shining through regardless.
 
what if you've done a lot of research before but you're not sure you want to continue it into your career? in fact...probably not. i want the majority of my time to be with patient care. i'm afraid this will make me more attractive to research heavy schools but i'm also afraid to tell them in the interview, for example, that i'm not sure how much more I want to do...thoughts?
 
edge of desire said:
what if you've done a lot of research before but you're not sure you want to continue it into your career? in fact...probably not. i want the majority of my time to be with patient care. i'm afraid this will make me more attractive to research heavy schools but i'm also afraid to tell them in the interview, for example, that i'm not sure how much more I want to do...thoughts?
Click to expand...

As the Genie said to Aladdin, "Be yourself". Would you be a good fit at a school where they are constantly directing students toward research opportunities, announcing funding opportunities, offering mentoring sessions with physician-investigators, etc at the expense of offering opportunites to explore issues in patient care?
 
LizzyM said:
As the Genie said to Aladdin, "Be yourself". Would you be a good fit at a school where they are constantly directing students toward research opportunities, announcing funding opportunities, offering mentoring sessions with physician-investigators, etc at the expense of offering opportunites to explore issues in patient care?
Click to expand...

haha, i really like that answer. SO TRUE.
 
AMCAS has been trying to "perfect" the character limit for the activities/work section for the past few years. This is just another iteration of this attempt, and I think it would be more useful to both applicants and the adcom to de-emphasize the significance of "checking the box" and see it more as a way of expanding upon an activity.

Placing a magical check to make the activity suddenly be "meaningful" is quite a silly notion.
 
tartrate said:
AMCAS has been trying to "perfect" the character limit for the activities/work section for the past few years. This is just another iteration of this attempt, and I think it would be more useful to both applicants and the adcom to de-emphasize the significance of "checking the box" and see it more as a way of expanding upon an activity.

Placing a magical check to make the activity suddenly be "meaningful" is quite a silly notion.
Click to expand...
I kind of take it as an opportunity to expand upon what you've written for three activity descriptions, and the "this is a meaningful experience" deal is just to make sure people know not to list more meaningless BS for an activity they think needs more explanation but isn't important to their application.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
  • Question Question
Changing Research to Most-Meaningful?!
Replies
1
Views
1K
cooper_m
C
T
Most Meaningful Experience
Replies
1
Views
512
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
student-questions5689
CRC as only research experience?
Replies
3
Views
601
Med Ed
Med Ed
S
Submitted 1° with 15 activities; forgot to swap out weaker activity with a stronger research activity; how to go about including this research in 2°?
Replies
4
Views
530
Goro
Goro
astrophage
Not Assigning Research as MME?
Replies
3
Views
619
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12