At what point do poster presentations become excessive?

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Future_Bone_Docta

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I have done research in my anatomy professors lab, and in my biomechanics professors lab. I have Done three poster presentations total for studies I have conducted, one at a national undergrad conference, and two at state level undergrad research conferences. This year I will be manning a study that is planned to lead to a First author publication in the biomechanics lab, and POTENTIALLY may be getting a middle author (like WAYYYYY middle author) publication in the anatomy lab. To sum it up... my question is would it be beneficial to do more poster presentations on my new studies I will be starting? Or at this point would it not be beneficial and should I just focus on the publications solely? Thanks!

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my question is would it be beneficial to do more poster presentations on my new studies I will be starting? Or at this point would it not be beneficial and should I just focus on the publications solely? Thanks!
Just focus on what you want to do. If you already have the poster presentations and are on track to have a few pubs before application, then more of either will yield diminishing returns. However, just do the research and activities you enjoy, so long as it doesn't come off as all you want to do is research (ie. Maintain volunteering and clinical engagement as well as keep up your grades and MCAT)
 
Just focus on what you want to do. If you already have the poster presentations and are on track to have a few pubs before application, then more of either will yield diminishing returns. However, just do the research and activities you enjoy, so long as it doesn't come off as all you want to do is research (ie. Maintain volunteering and clinical engagement as well as keep up your grades and MCAT)
Okay thank you!
 
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would it be beneficial to do more poster presentations on my new studies I will be starting? Or at this point would it not be beneficial and should I just focus on the publications solely?

Worry about additional posters when you get the results.

Publications are never guaranteed, and even if they are, you never know how much time it will take to do the research and get the paper out.

For MD, the research you have (and will continue to do) sounds like enough... Additional posters are unlikely to help or hurt you. A 1st author paper would be an addendum that most applicants don't have.

For MD-PhD, you research experience will be the most important factor for admission (but stats and clinical experience are still important), so it would help to get those additional posters and papers, if possible. Even for these programs, though, papers are not required and most applicants don't have them - but you do have to show evidence of significant research experience.
 
Worry about additional posters when you get the results.

Publications are never guaranteed, and even if they are, you never know how much time it will take to do the research and get the paper out.

For MD, the research you have (and will continue to do) sounds like enough... Additional posters are unlikely to help or hurt you. A 1st author paper would be an addendum that most applicants don't have.

For MD-PhD, you research experience will be the most important factor for admission (but stats and clinical experience are still important), so it would help to get those additional posters and papers, if possible. Even for these programs, though, papers are not required and most applicants don't have them - but you do have to show evidence of significant research experience.
For MD/phD do you know what the average total research hour range usually is for applicants? Have thought briefly into applying MD/PhD, but not extensively.
 
For MD/phD do you know what the average total research hour range usually is for applicants? Have thought briefly into applying MD/PhD, but not extensively.
In general, competitive applicants for MD-PhD have research hours in the thousands.

An adcom of an MSTP in the Physician-Scientists forum shared some data from the 2018 cycle, which says that the median was about 2000 h and the average about 3000 h. Where should I start? MD/PhD, maybe a bit late in the game

The quality of the research experience and your ability to articulate it in your application and interviews is much more important than the raw number of hours.

This data (see the link below) is for 1 program only (and a top one), but the graph on the bottom reveals the distribution of research hours among applicants and interviewees for this school (WashU) for the 2019 cycle:

 
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In general, competitive applicants for MD-PhD have research hours in the thousands.

An adcom of an MSTP in the Physician-Scientists forum shared some data from the 2018 cycle, which says that the median was about 2000 h and the average about 3000 h. Where should I start? MD/PhD, maybe a bit late in the game

The quality of the research experience and your ability to articulate it in your application and interviews is much more important than the raw number of hours.

This data (see the link below) is for 1 program only (and a top one), but the graph on the bottom reveals the distribution of research hours among applicants and interviewees for this school (WashU) for the 2019 cycle:

Okay thanks!
 
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