2 years of research but nothing to show for it...

[gearsofwar3]

---

Members do not see this ad.

i have two years of research on my app, but i really dont have anything to show for it. no poster, pubs, or presentation, but i did commit substantial time to the endeavor, getting at least (i hope) a somewhat meaningful feel for research (i did mine under a med school faculty, so a MD person).

tbh, i really didn't like the experience one bit, and i think that the most meaningful thing i got out of it is that i dont like research. could this mentality be viewed as a negative?

also, i am "THIS" close to just screw this whole application bull**** and consider another line of career. things as of late have been pretty ****ty...to put it nicely. It's not just problems with my own app that's frustrating/pissing me off. i am sick and tired of seeing everyone around playing pretentious games, doing things just for their resume, etc.

 

[La Presse]

What about a LOR from the PI?

 

[gearsofwar3]

As for the LOR from the PI, aka physician in charge...

It has been a while since i worked for him, and he is no longer employed by the university. He left for another position over a year ago.

Also, I pretty much have forgotten what i did during my time at lab. I didn't accomplish anything, and I'll be hard pressed to write something intelligent about the whole experience. but i'll figure something out...just a game everyone's playing, right?

 

[La Presse]

As for the LOR from the PI, aka physician in charge...

It has been a while since i worked for him, and he is no longer employed by the university. He left for another position over a year ago.

Also, I pretty much have forgotten what i did during my time at lab. I didn't accomplish anything, and I'll be hard pressed to write something intelligent about the whole experience. but i'll figure something out...just a game everyone's playing, right?

If I were you, I would try and locate him. How did your 2years of research experience turn into a waste?

 

[samsunimomo]

also, i am "THIS" close to just screw this whole application bull**** and consider another line of career. things as of late have been pretty ****ty...to put it nicely. It's not just problems with my own app that's frustrating/pissing me off. i am sick and tired of seeing everyone around playing pretentious games, doing things just for their resume, etc.

Hey, just because you had a bad experience with research, don't think that everyone is doing it for a couple of lines on the CV. There are those of us who are genuinely excited by their research and even devote weekends to it.

 

[Shalashaska]

Take a deep breath and relax. Get that LOR though. I've also had 2 years of research with no papers, posters, or presentations. But it's the experience that mattered most.

 

[gearsofwar3]

i mean....it's not exactly a waste. but i guess that is the nature of research...sometimes, you can spend years working on something only to end up in failure. i think the only valuable thing is that i was able to see this failure and appreciate how challenging the research field is.

and to address samsunimomo's post. the reason i am so sour about this whole thing isn't because of my research experience...it's something else. i am sorry if i can off as attacking people who liegitimately enjoy research and are able to really get something out of it.

and the PI didn't exactly like me either....and let's just say that i didn't exactly leave the lab on the most friendliest of terms...fml...

 

[La Presse]

i mean....it's not exactly a waste. but i guess that is the nature of research...sometimes, you can spend years working on something only to end up in failure. i think the only valuable thing is that i was able to see this failure and appreciate how challenging the research field is.

and to address samsunimomo's post. the reason i am so sour about this whole thing isn't because of my research experience...it's something else. i am sorry if i can off as attacking people who liegitimately enjoy research and are able to really get something out of it.

and the PI didn't exactly like me either....and let's just say that i didn't exactly leave the lab on the most friendliest of terms...fml...

FYL indeed. Do you have any other research conducted during summers? What else have you done related to research?

 

[gearsofwar3]

that's pretty much it. i did do an honors thesis in music...but music research is...let's say a lot different from the types of research adcoms want to see.

but isnt 2 yrs of reesearch in one lab plenty of research experience for everywhere but the top 10 research places? i heard that most med schools will be happy seeing a mere summer of research to know that you've tried the field. well, i've ****ing tried the field for 2 years...i think i did my share.

 

[La Presse]

that's pretty much it. i did do an honors thesis in music...but music research is...let's say a lot different from the types of research adcoms want to see.

but isnt 2 yrs of reesearch in one lab plenty of research experience for everywhere but the top 10 research places? i heard that most med schools will be happy seeing a mere summer of research to know that you've tried the field. well, i've ****ing tried the field for 2 years...i think i did my share.

Yeah. You are right on the above. But you need that LOR. Get goin' soldier. 🙂

 

[gearsofwar3]

why do i absolutely NEED a LOR though? do med schools expect LORS from all length activites. will not having a LOR raise a red flag? come on....they can't be that ****ing anal, can they?

 

[La Presse]

why do i absolutely NEED a LOR though? do med schools expect LORS from all length activites. will not having a LOR raise a red flag? come on....they can't be that ****ing anal, can they?

You've stated that you have no publications, posters, or anything to show for your research. You need a letter from this guy to validate you did research. And get his contact details too so you can put them on AMCAS or TMDSAS

 

[tn4596]

You've stated that you have no publications, posters, or anything to show for your research. You need a letter from this guy to validate you did research. And get his contact details too so you can put them on AMCAS or TMDSAS

IMO you dont "need" his letter if you think he is going to say something bad about you. You just need his contact info to put in AMCAS to verify your activity. Maybe give him an email/call to give him a head up that you are putting his info on there. TMDSAS doesnt require you to put contact info for your activities. Only use strong/good LORs for your app, (you said you left the lab on bad term so his LOR might reflect that, too big of a risk to take)

 

[sinuous sausage]

I've been employed as a research tech for the last year or so. No pubs or real groundbreaking data to speak of, in fact this project has been an über bish, but it's easy to relate that to an appreciation for that side of medicine and perseverance despite numerous setbacks. I gave my PI my essays and he wrote me a great letter. It sounds like that may be a problem for you since you're not on the best terms with yours, but if nothing else maybe get him or her to write a synopsis of your project and then add in whatever positives they can about you. If it's going to be noticed by the adcoms, I'm sure they will ask about what it is you worked on.

 

[gearsofwar3]

I can definitely get the person's contact info. while i didnt really leave on the best of terms, i did come across the person a couple of times on campus after i left his lab. we always greeted each other and things were pleasant. his lab went out of business about a year after i left, so he went to another institute.

if i REALLY begged him, it's not impossible to get a rec letter. but i dont think it's necessary to go there. the problem is that i only have his email when he was at our school...i dont have his new email and i dont know if he still checks his old email now that he has left the university.

and lastly, i was under the impression that we could put down our own names as contact. i mean...i have a very meaningful internation volunteering experience that i did completely on my own - i didnt go through any official agency or group.

sigh...this is exactly the types of bull**** i am talking about...

 

[tn4596]

I can definitely get the person's contact info. while i didnt really leave on the best of terms, i did come across the person a couple of times on campus after i left his lab. we always greeted each other and things were pleasant. his lab went out of business about a year after i left, so he went to another institute.

if i REALLY begged him, it's not impossible to get a rec letter. but i dont think it's necessary to go there. the problem is that i only have his email when he was at our school...i dont have his new email and i dont know if he still checks his old email now that he has left the university.

and lastly, i was under the impression that we could put down our own names as contact. i mean...i have a very meaningful internation volunteering experience that i did completely on my own - i didnt go through any official agency or group.

sigh...this is exactly the types of bull**** i am talking about...

troll sense tinglin'
But gonna go on a limb here and say that no, you should not put your name as contact for your research activity. it looks shady even to me.

 

[phonyreal98]

I can definitely get the person's contact info. while i didnt really leave on the best of terms, i did come across the person a couple of times on campus after i left his lab. we always greeted each other and things were pleasant. his lab went out of business about a year after i left, so he went to another institute.

if i REALLY begged him, it's not impossible to get a rec letter. but i dont think it's necessary to go there. the problem is that i only have his email when he was at our school...i dont have his new email and i dont know if he still checks his old email now that he has left the university.

and lastly, i was under the impression that we could put down our own names as contact. i mean...i have a very meaningful internation volunteering experience that i did completely on my own - i didnt go through any official agency or group.

sigh...this is exactly the types of bull**** i am talking about...

Why not just google his name and the new institute he's at? Usually you'll be able to find some contact info that way

 

[gearsofwar3]

thanks so much! just did a google and his named popped up!

but coming back to the contact info thing...schools should understand that it is very difficult/unrealistic to have contact infor down for certain activities, right?

 

[Renaissance Man]

also, i am "THIS" close to just screw this whole application bull**** and consider another line of career. things as of late have been pretty ****ty...to put it nicely. It's not just problems with my own app that's frustrating/pissing me off. i am sick and tired of seeing everyone around playing pretentious games, doing things just for their resume, etc.

Didn't you have a thread a couple of days back about starting medical school in 2 or 3 years? Why are filling out an application now?

 

[gearsofwar3]

Didn't you have a thread a couple of days back about starting medical school in 2 or 3 years? Why are filling out an application now?

dont want my MCAT to expire...just recently found out that most schools have a limit on how far back ur score can be...