Hey all,
So I always hear about "research" being a strong plus on one's application to D-School, and I wonder if "research" means specifically biomedical research in a lab, or if it also can include health policy research.
I personally don't feel attracted to the "lab scene" whatsoever. I like my pre-dent science classes (even orgo!), and I do very well in them, but the thought of spending hours in a windowless lab cleaning vials and running TLC plates and performing PCR reactions endlessly strikes me as a waste of time, since I have no interest in spening the years of research it takes to develop a new genetic medicine or discover a new chemical pathway or whatever (I just wanna be a great doctor, darn it!) I also figure I'll learn more biomedical science in the first two years of D-school than I ever wanted to know, so I'd rather spend my precious undergrad years doing something else.
BUUUT I do wanna get into a good d-school, and I know research is important. I'm a Health Science and Policy major, and I'm doing research this year studying medical leadership and its responses to health care reform. It's interesting, and I have a fairly prominent position on the research team (I work directly with the project head herself). My question is whether they counts as "research" in the eyes of the admissions departments. It's not biomedical, but it is health-related and policy is just as important (if not more important) than the biomedical research because biomedical knowledge is nothing without proper policy to enforce it. But that's my opinion. Is it their's too?
I know people say to "do whatever interests me", and it's not necessary to do research. I've heard that argument, but frankly, what "interests me" is to get into a great d-school. I'll do whatever I gotta do. I just want to know if what I'm currently doing research-wise qualifies. My grades are good (sci gpa 3.8, cum >3.8), and I'm a good test taker. Is the research good enough, or should i bite the bullet and ask my orgo professor for a lab placement?
So I always hear about "research" being a strong plus on one's application to D-School, and I wonder if "research" means specifically biomedical research in a lab, or if it also can include health policy research.
I personally don't feel attracted to the "lab scene" whatsoever. I like my pre-dent science classes (even orgo!), and I do very well in them, but the thought of spending hours in a windowless lab cleaning vials and running TLC plates and performing PCR reactions endlessly strikes me as a waste of time, since I have no interest in spening the years of research it takes to develop a new genetic medicine or discover a new chemical pathway or whatever (I just wanna be a great doctor, darn it!) I also figure I'll learn more biomedical science in the first two years of D-school than I ever wanted to know, so I'd rather spend my precious undergrad years doing something else.
BUUUT I do wanna get into a good d-school, and I know research is important. I'm a Health Science and Policy major, and I'm doing research this year studying medical leadership and its responses to health care reform. It's interesting, and I have a fairly prominent position on the research team (I work directly with the project head herself). My question is whether they counts as "research" in the eyes of the admissions departments. It's not biomedical, but it is health-related and policy is just as important (if not more important) than the biomedical research because biomedical knowledge is nothing without proper policy to enforce it. But that's my opinion. Is it their's too?
I know people say to "do whatever interests me", and it's not necessary to do research. I've heard that argument, but frankly, what "interests me" is to get into a great d-school. I'll do whatever I gotta do. I just want to know if what I'm currently doing research-wise qualifies. My grades are good (sci gpa 3.8, cum >3.8), and I'm a good test taker. Is the research good enough, or should i bite the bullet and ask my orgo professor for a lab placement?
