Contribution Threshold for Lab Research: When Can I Submit a Publication Update to Med Schools?

[LenTrexler]

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Hi, everyone. Long time lurker here, but now it's time to get serious.

I have spent my gap year applying to medical school and working in a research lab. I am involved in a number of major projects, and I have done almost all of the bench work myself. They are long and intensive projects, however, and the data will not be ready to publish in the near future. I contributed (albeit very little) to a project that has just been published, and my name is on the paper. Is it appropriate to send this to a school that deferred making a decision on my application post-interview? The paper is on a very interesting topic, but I do not want to be dishonest and convey the idea that I was a major contributor.

The school is a New England MD school that is rather competitive, as measured by volume of applicants and barriers to entry. Any help is appreciated. Any thoughts @Goro , @gyngyn , and @LizzyM ?

 

[tiedyeddog]

Hi, everyone. Long time lurker here, but now it's time to get serious.

I have spent my gap year applying to medical school and working in a research lab. I am involved in a number of major projects, and I have done almost all of the bench work myself. They are long and intensive projects, however, and the data will not be ready to publish in the near future. I contributed (albeit very little) to a project that has just been published, and my name is on the paper. Is it appropriate to send this to a school that deferred making a decision on my application post-interview? The paper is on a very interesting topic, but I do not want to be dishonest and convey the idea that I was a major contributor.

The school is a New England MD school that is rather competitive, as measured by volume of applicants and barriers to entry. Any help is appreciated. Any thoughts @Goro , @gyngyn , and @LizzyM ?

Eh, as long as this is your sole update and previously you told them it was in the works and is published, it would be ok.

If it was accepted before your interview or if you already did an update then I would say forget about it.

 

[itsogre]

Sure, update the school, even if you're a minor author. Since you're deferred, definitely update the school, and describe your responsibilities and what you learned about the scientific process from that experience.

also a lot of junior scientists/pre-meds tend to overestimate their contribution to research. It's not about the benchwork you performed (anyone can do that). Who designed the experiments and funded the research, and is intellectually responsible for the research? Make sure you don't overstate your actual contribution to the research process. That's always a turn-off. Rather describe what the research experience taught you.

 

[Goro]

As long as the school welcomes updates, this is something I feel can't hurt.

Hi, everyone. Long time lurker here, but now it's time to get serious.

I have spent my gap year applying to medical school and working in a research lab. I am involved in a number of major projects, and I have done almost all of the bench work myself. They are long and intensive projects, however, and the data will not be ready to publish in the near future. I contributed (albeit very little) to a project that has just been published, and my name is on the paper. Is it appropriate to send this to a school that deferred making a decision on my application post-interview? The paper is on a very interesting topic, but I do not want to be dishonest and convey the idea that I was a major contributor.

The school is a New England MD school that is rather competitive, as measured by volume of applicants and barriers to entry. Any help is appreciated. Any thoughts @Goro , @gyngyn , and @LizzyM ?

 

[efle]

Sure, update the school, even if you're a minor author. Since you're deferred, definitely update the school, and describe your responsibilities and what you learned about the scientific process from that experience.

also a lot of junior scientists/pre-meds tend to overestimate their contribution to research. It's not about the benchwork you performed (anyone can do that). Who designed the experiments and funded the research, and is intellectually responsible for the research? Make sure you don't overstate your actual contribution to the research process. That's always a turn-off. Rather describe what the research experience taught you.

You say this like its common for premeds to be writing grant proposals and designing experiments!

 

[medic86]

You say this like its common for premeds to be writing grant proposals and designing experiments!

Hah.

If you read SDN enough, that's definitely what it seems. 😛

 

[itsogre]

You say this like its common for premeds to be writing grant proposals and designing experiments!

everyone talks smack on interview days about their incredible research experience when all they likely did was pour acrylamide gels.

 

[efle]

everyone talks smack on interview days about their incredible research experience when all they likely did was pour acrylamide gels.

Gotta wonder how much adcoms suspect ibterviewees to be embellishing their experiences like that

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

I got an acknowledgement in a published paper, as I contributed some original art work to the paper. Does this get put in as a "publication"?

I'm finally getting my name on a paper for the data I produced and analyzed over the past year as part of a larger research team, so I know that is significant enough.

But art is my hobby that I was able to bring to my lab work. Worth mentioning in my ECs??

 

[LenTrexler]

Gotta wonder how much adcoms suspect ibterviewees to be embellishing their experiences like that

I'm wondering the same thing.