Does getting published help?

[KatieJune]

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Hi!

I'm wondering if getting published helps at all in the med school process. I'm having a hard time knowing which experiences to write down on my amcas application since I have too many. My name is on paper (in the micro field), but I'm not the first author. I'm working on another paper, where I will be first author, but I won't be submitted until after I submit my amcas application...is it better to just focus on my volunteer/work experiences or should I add this publication even though I'm not first author....Thanks!

 

[BassDominator]

I would definitely put it on the application.

 

[CalBeE]

If you're not first author, but second, third or so, DO put it in your AMCAS.

 

[KatieJune]

I'm 4th author (out of 6)...does that make a difference?

 

[CalBeE]

I'm 4th author (out of 6)...does that make a difference?

Put it in anyway, unless you have something else that's really nice to put on AMCAS.

 

[docmemi]

i would put in 100% for sure, even the one you plan on submitting after amcas (of course put the correct date and let them know you plan on submitting it later, make sure you mention you are the first author).

good job and good luck.

 

[mcjay]

It really, really helps!! How many people do you think actually get published before medical school, not many.

 

[Jonathanamine]

i'm the primary author...and on about 4 waitlists if that means anything 🙂

 

[speedbird001]

Whenever you're the author of any publication, I would definitely put it down even if it's not first author. As some have said, not everyone who's worked in a research lab has had the opportunity to get their names published. And plus, you must have done a lot to get to this point, so you deserve all the credit that you get. It's especially a plus when your application reaches those med schools that are very research-oriented.

 

[AD2020]

I would not only put in the article that you are 4th author for, I would explain that you are 1st author in a paper that will be published. That way, once you are getting interviews, you can talk about the progress of the paper (whether it was accepted by a good journal, etc.). It definitely would help. Good luck 👍

 

[Iridium]

It could never hurt... as a side note, what percentage of applicants would you think has their name on a journal. Anybody wanna take a stab at some percentages?

 

[UCdannyLA]

Less than 5%?

I'm guessing maybe like 3-4% of applicants have had their names published?

I've been at Rutgers and UCLA...and have made a lot of pre-med friends...and hardly any have been published....

hmm.

 

[Dr. N]

Less than 5%?

I'm guessing maybe like 3-4% of applicants have had their names published?

I've been at Rutgers and UCLA...and have made a lot of pre-med friends...and hardly any have been published....

hmm.

I complitly agree with this. I am senoir at molecular bio department and during my last class, which is the most upper division class you can take as undergrad, professor did little poll: who had at least one semester of lab research experience. There are 77 students in my class, only 7 said that they had at least 1 semester of research. Now how many of them do you think got published??? 😕 I don't think more than 1.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

I have a poster session for my research tomorrow. I get to stand around for three hours. But, hey, the poster looks good. Both in person, and on a resume!

God, writing posters is hard. I can't imagine having to write a whole article. Stress from start to finish. I was in the lab from 3pm to 1:30 am Sunday getting this thing finished.

 

[Eraserhead]

I have a poster session for my research tomorrow. I get to stand around for three hours. But, hey, the poster looks good. Both in person, and on a resume!

God, writing posters is hard. I can't imagine having to write a whole article. Stress from start to finish. I was in the lab from 3pm to 1:30 am Sunday getting this thing finished.

Seriously, and standing next to the poster and talking about your research is a notable challenge I think. I listed posters along with the conference I presented them at on my AMCAS application. Put everything on there!!!

 

[southbelle]

Less than 5%?

I'm guessing maybe like 3-4% of applicants have had their names published?

I've been at Rutgers and UCLA...and have made a lot of pre-med friends...and hardly any have been published....

hmm.

Are we talking about primary authorships or co-authorships? If it's the latter, it's way more than 3-4%.

 

[Eraserhead]

Are we talking about primary authorships or co-authorships? If it's the latter, it's way more than 3-4%.

Even for first author, if you include clinical research, even 5% or more is reasonable I think... ALOT of applicants have publications... you guys forget just how many journals there are! Not all of these are amazing though, but they are publications nonetheless.

 

[southbelle]

Even for first author, if you include clinical research, even 5% or more is reasonable I think... ALOT of applicants have publications... you guys forget just how many journals there are! Not all of these are amazing though, but they are publications nonetheless.

Agreed. I'd say that the total % counting scientific research(clinical doesn't count) for any type of authorship is probably 20-25% or so of accepted applicants. Most of these are student third or fourth author publications, and 95% of even the non-primary publications involve research that meant little.

The number of applicants that are even a relavant coauthor on meaningful scientific research is tremendously small. So small as to where it would be best just to give a total# rather than use a percentage. Even most of the students who go to top ten mstp programs don't have this.

 

[Eraserhead]

Agreed. I'd say that the total % counting scientific research(clinical doesn't count) for any type of authorship is probably 20-25% or so of accepted applicants. Most of these are student third or fourth author publications, and 95% of even the non-primary publications involve research that meant little.

The number of applicants that are even a relavant coauthor on meaningful scientific research is tremendously small. So small as to where it would be best just to give a total# rather than use a percentage. Even most of the students who go to top ten mstp programs don't have this.

Wow, I've spent almost two years doing research that "doesn't count." Oh well, at least I got paid.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

You do posters, it counts. So long as the school you are interviewing with asks you about it, your mission is accomplished.

In my opinion, anyway. I'm not part of any admissions committee.

 

[southbelle]

Wow, I've spent almost two years doing research that "doesn't count." Oh well, at least I got paid.

You know what I mean. Schools that are interested in research are a lot more interested in bench research than clinical research.

 

[Eraserhead]

You know what I mean. Schools that are interested in research are a lot more interested in bench research than clinical research.

I think they are interested in anything that brings in $$$ aren't they?

 

[UCLAstudent]

Can someone explain what a "poster" is? A doctor I worked with last summer doing clinical research wrote me a letter of recommendation for medical school. He gave me a copy, and, in it, he mentioned that he hoped I would return this summer and he mentioned something about a poster. Thanks. 👍

 

[Eraserhead]

Can someone explain what a "poster" is? A doctor I worked with last summer doing clinical research wrote me a letter of recommendation for medical school. He gave me a copy, and, in it, he mentioned that he hoped I would return this summer and he mentioned something about a poster. Thanks. 👍

A poster- a research poster with an intro, methods, results, conclusions schema... and probably some graphs/photos/etc. Typically presented at a conference of some sort, whether small or large scale.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

When you conduct research, and have some results, you can compile your data in the form of a poster (the kind you hang on a wall). The poster has multiple panels, such as "Introduction", "Methods", "Figure 1", "Summary and Conclusions", etc. The researcher, along with many others, gather during things like seminars or meetings and put up their posters and stand by them. Other scientists will often browse the posters and ask the researchers questions. Awards are often given for having the "best" poster. This can be very prestigious.

Making a poster is not easy.

 

[UCLAstudent]

Thanks for the responses. I'm actually kind of flattered that the doctor wants me to do that! 😀

 

[Eraserhead]

Thanks for the responses. I'm actually kind of flattered that the doctor wants me to do that! 😀

Its a great learning experience and a great accomplishment. You should be! And, its much easier than publishing a paper!

 

[Bluemirage]

Does a Masters Degree Thesis that is copyrighted and then published in a University Thesis Archive Collection count as being published?? Will this be an advantage in my application even though it is not medical/science related research ? (it was a thesis on marketing) Thanks in advance for any comments

 

[Eraserhead]

Nothing is given a numerical value... well maybe at some schools... but who knows. Either way, research experience is impressive and this is more impressive than saying you did research for a semester and having nothing to show for it. IMO, its equivalent to getting published in a non-prestigious journal.

I think schools are impressed when you have experienced the whole research endevour from start to finish, regardless of the subject matter.

 

[E.A. Poe]

To OP:

Publications will help tip the scales to you when you're being compared to other applicants with similar GPA and MCAT stats. Volunteering is also important. Put on only the most important EC's. Important, though, is that you must be able to talk intelligently about anything in the paper even if you worked on only a small part. Know it inside and out, be honest about what you contributed, and put it on your AMCAS.

Good luck.

 

[Eraserhead]

To OP:

Publications will help tip the scales to you when you're being compared to other applicants with similar GPA and MCAT stats. Volunteering is also important. Put on only the most important EC's. Important, though, is that you must be able to talk intelligently about anything in the paper even if you worked on only a small part. Know it inside and out, be honest about what you contributed, and put it on your AMCAS.

Good luck.

You should know it all inside and out... especially if you are first author. I was not prepared for one grilling that I had at a school I won't be attending. Most schools just wanted to get to know me though, and the thoughts about my research that were at the top of my head, so don't worry too much about memorizing studies or anything. Only the anal academic physicians who want to mess with you will grill you hard.

 

[chickenpotpie]

Can someone explain what a "poster" is? A doctor I worked with last summer doing clinical research wrote me a letter of recommendation for medical school. He gave me a copy, and, in it, he mentioned that he hoped I would return this summer and he mentioned something about a poster. Thanks. 👍

it's kinda like doing a poster for a science fair. i remember i did this really cool one on perfect pitch.

 

[CalBeE]

I did a Poster presentation once and it was fun. I mean you do need to know about the research, because you may get asked why you did blah blah and if you had considered blah blah...but then only people in the very specific field you work on will know everything you talk about...most of the time people just nod their heads and move on to the next poster.

Poster preparation requires much work...the writing process you do resembles writing a short version of a paper...however, what you write's not peer reviewed as in a journal, so you need not do additional expt or rewrite parts of the stuff to do the presentation.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

My mentor was "hard" on me. Me and another undergraduate did all the actual procedures and wrote the rough draft of the poster. It wasn't a huge project, but it was important and did produce real results. All my mentor did was guide us through the initial rough draft and edit. Plus, he grilled us on the poster today, so when we present it tomorrow it should be child's play. Hopefully.

 

[musiclink213]

this thread got me thinking. if i help rewrite the premed handbook (its all the time i spent browsing on SDN that i guess makes me knowledgable enough to help rewrite my school's premed handbook?) and it gets published by my school and redistributed to all the future students interested in pursuing medicine, and my name is on that book, does that count for anything?

 

[missmod]

What about if you're only in the "acknowledgements" section...

Worth mentioning when you are on a waitlist..?? Or would this only decrease the perceived value of your research?

 

[bigdan]

Group-
What about non-scientific articles?
I've done some work on best practices in rehabilitation and reimbursement systems, but nothing at a lab...

dc