Covering Bases

[AlphaKeto]

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So I'm a junior (should be around 85 credits at the end of this semester) and I'm pretty much behind the curve when it comes to EC's and research. I do have some pretty good non-science volunteering and work history. I volunteered and eventually gained a position with an organization rebuilding and transitioning people after Katrina. I worked there for almost 2 years. Attempting to finish up by either summer or fall next year, depending on how many credits I need to finish up by summer. I'm should be starting a shadowing and clinical volunteer schedule soon. I could use some advice on how many hours i should do and what type of environment is best to get experience in. I have ZERO research experience as of now. I had some research that got taken away suddenly so I was left mid-semester with nothing. But I'm supposed to be starting research with either a scientist/surgeon at a local hospital or at a local university doing laser therapy research. And in the summer I should be in a research internship at my local state medical school. I'm also going to a Society of toxicology program, but not presenting since my research ended abruptly.

With my goal being an MD/PHD program. What do you all suggest I add to this? Should I join some clubs? I was told it's too late in the semester to start any research, but if anyone had any suggestions about getting something on paper this semester that would be great.

 

[stolen_biscuit]

I am not applying to PhD programs, but for just an MD, I think a year of research is common.

I would guess MD/PhD typically has way more research than that, including being published. So I'd be afraid you might not get that by application time.

Then again, I could be totally off-base. Just seems to make sense.

 

[TriagePreMed]

With my goal being an MD/PHD program. What do you all suggest I add to this? Should I join some clubs? I was told it's too late in the semester to start any research, but if anyone had any suggestions about getting something on paper this semester that would be great.

MD/Ph.D without a strong backbone of research (2+ years) will be hard to achieve. Joining clubs is meaningless. If you truly want to go into MD/Ph.D, you need research ASAP and probably spend a year after college getting more.

 

[Morsetlis]

A year of research is too common, but the assessment would also depend on the quality of research done and publications/posters/presentations made.

 

[TriagePreMed]

A year of research is too common, but the assessment would also depend on the quality of research done and publications/posters/presentations made.

I would challenge this at the undergraduate level. Any school knows that students are basically gambling when they get into a lab. An undergraduate is so low that you don't know if you'll ever get a publication or presentation. I think more important than anything is the commitment and a letter of recommendation from the PI.

 

[Morsetlis]

I would challenge this at the undergraduate level. Any school knows that students are basically gambling when they get into a lab. An undergraduate is so low that you don't know if you'll ever get a publication or presentation. I think more important than anything is the commitment and a letter of recommendation from the PI.

Yes but that's every premed at UC's.

How do you distinguish yourself from other MD/PhD candidates if they ALL have research?

 

[TriagePreMed]

Yes but that's every premed at UC's.

How do you distinguish yourself from other MD/PhD candidates if they ALL have research?

I see your point, but you have to keep in mind that many of these posters and publications are pure luck. I was in a summer research program with 30 other people at Cal. Out of all of them, I was the only one to get a publication. In my lab, nobody but graduate students have gotten a publication. Do I think I worked harder than anyone else? Nope. I just got lucky.

I know in many ways that's how it works in science, but at least at the graduate level you're in control of your research.

Now tell me, would you pass an otherwise good candidate just for not having a publication? Or would you take one over another one just for a poster presentation?

 

[Morsetlis]

I can't tell you what adcoms think, but conventional wisdom from program directors of residencies says: 1 PhD > 1 pub >>> 0 pub.

Seriously, I have attended so many "how to get a residency" lectures and browsed the Allo boards so often looking for these things...

Research, besides scores, interview, and clinical grades, are the most important things in evaluating the fitness of an applicant for any position.

Suppose you have average scores, interviews, and grades. What is the remaining objective thing that separates you from the rest of the pack? It doesn't matter if you research goats, monkeys, rats, or crazy humans. Research is research, and your interviewer most likely will not know / care about your specific area of research: they only know that you published, and that's a powerful accomplishment (let's just hope it wasn't only in an undergraduate journal).

 

[AlphaKeto]

Depending on the sucess I have with the research i have planned already, I may decide to do another semester of research to raise my chances. Time is an important factor to me though.

As far as clinical work what do you all suggest?

 

[TriagePreMed]

I can't tell you what adcoms think, but conventional wisdom from program directors of residencies says: 1 PhD > 1 pub >>> 0 pub.

Seriously, I have attended so many "how to get a residency" lectures and browsed the Allo boards so often looking for these things...

Research, besides scores, interview, and clinical grades, are the most important things in evaluating the fitness of an applicant for any position.

Suppose you have average scores, interviews, and grades. What is the remaining objective thing that separates you from the rest of the pack? It doesn't matter if you research goats, monkeys, rats, or crazy humans. Research is research, and your interviewer most likely will not know / care about your specific area of research: they only know that you published, and that's a powerful accomplishment (let's just hope it wasn't only in an undergraduate journal).

Residency is much different than applying to an MD/Ph.D program. At that point, I'd agree that more relies on publications and such.