Do what I'm interested in or get published?

[phonyreal98]

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So I just talked to the PI in my lab and he gave me several options for the projects I could work on in the coming months. One of these options involves a long project which may not be published by the time I graduate, and the other involves a project which has a good chance of being finished and possibly published by the time I graduate (on which I would have my name if I were to become involved in this project). However, my interests lie in the project that may not be published by the time I graduate. What would you guys do in this situation?

To be clear though, I'm generally interested in both projects...just one moreso than the other.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

one thing to consider is that publications are NEVER a sure thing, unless you're in a blockbuster lab. submission processes can sometimes take years, so take that possibility with a grain of salt. i can say for sure that the more you're interested in a project, the more you'll enjoy it, be invested in it, and develop a greater passion for the topic which will surely show through

 

[drizzt3117]

I'd just do a project that will get published, personally.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I'd just do a project that will get published, personally.

👍

 

[Frazier]

Get your name in a book[let].

 

[bonsaitree1]

Take the project that will get you published.

 

[punkedoutriffs]

Take the project that will get you published.

+1

Think about it this way. A publication will buff up your applications, which gives you a better chance to go to the school of your choice (logically, a more competitive one, or one you think you will like & do well at). This will serve you towards matching into a better residency, etc., etc.

All in all, getting a publication earlier on means sacrificing doing what you're interested in in the short term for a better chance to do more of what you're interested in in the long term (and you'll be more involved too).

 

[JJMrK]

Get published.

 

[Squeal]

Get published.

I agree.

 

[DrFLAGATORS]

get published son

 

[oaklandguy]

start gaining interest in getting publicized lol. I would love to get published personally.

 

[alibai3ah]

How did u gauge the likelihood of getting published? I mean how do you know one is a good chance and one is not? I would not necessarily do the published one, unless I knew with a fair amount of certainty that you would indeed get pubilshed......

EDIT: I just reread your post, you seem sure. Go with the publication then....

 

[phonyreal98]

How did u gauge the likelihood of getting published? I mean how do you know one is a good chance and one is not? I would not necessarily do the published one, unless I knew with a fair amount of certainty that you would indeed get pubilshed......

EDIT: I just reread your post, you seem sure. Go with the publication then....

Well I'm not 100% sure, I've just been told that there is a good chance this project will be finished and published by the time I graduate undergrad (moreso than the one I'm more interested in)...I think I'm going to go for the one that is more likely to be published...as I will be running the experiment and writing up the results rather than just being a cog in the wheel for another study.

 

[ShinyDome19]

if the project that likely to produce a paper doesnt interest you all that much and just the idea of putting out a paper is your main interest, then I would say do the other project. Reason being, if you take on a project your more interested in, you'll probably pay more attention to the details of everything going on...be interested in what the data means and how it all fits together in the big picture. Even though you may not get a publication out of it, you will be able to hold a detailed conversation with an interviewer at some later point.

If you take the project with the greater chance of publication on, and it fails to get published (which most projects do)...and you havent really paid attention to everything...you have nothing to really talk about in interviews in the end.

But, if you have interest in the paper producing project's topic, then go for it.