Does research type matter?

[narutoverse13]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hello! I'm about to start my sophomore year of college, and I'm going to be an assistant in a Psych lab that examines psycho-social interactions. I find this topic to be very interesting, but to get in to medical school, does it matter what type of research one does (e.g., psych research vs natural science research like micro)? Thanks for your help!

 

[Goro]

As long as you're learning something about the scientific method, Adcom don't care if it's Psych research, Physics research or cataloging clams off of Fiji.

 

[getdown]

No. as long as you can talk intelligently about the paper/research and not seem the only reason you got on the paper was for printing it.

 

[narutoverse13]

As long as you're learning something about the scientific method, Adcom don't care if it's Psych research, Physics research or cataloging clams off of Fiji.

Thanks for your help Dr. Goro!

 

[narutoverse13]

No. as long as you can talk intelligently about the paper/research and not seem the only reason you got on the paper was for printing it.

Thank you!

 

[Lawpy]

Hello! I'm about to start my sophomore year of college, and I'm going to be an assistant in a Psych lab that examines psycho-social interactions. I find this topic to be very interesting, but to get in to medical school, does it matter what type of research one does (e.g., psych research vs natural science research like micro)? Thanks for your help!

On an unrelated note, have you read Naruto Gaiden?

As long as you're learning something about the scientific method, Adcom don't care if it's Psych research, Physics research or cataloging clams off of Fiji.

This is important, but I heard some adcoms having slight preference for medical related research, since well, it ties into medical school easily. But by no means is it necessary.

 

[narutoverse13]

On an unrelated note, have you read Naruto Gaiden?
I have 🙂. I'm a huge Naruto fan ever since I was 13 (hence the 13 at the end of my username) and One Piece as well.


This is important, but I heard some adcoms having slight preference for medical related research, since well, it ties into medical school easily. But by no means is it necessary.

 

[Lawpy]

I have 🙂. I'm a huge Naruto fan ever since I was 13 (hence the 13 at the end of my username) and One Piece as well.

Awesome! Always glad to see more "Big 3" Shonen fans around here! I'm a major Naruto and OP fan as well, the latter being the source of my username (Law + Chopper).

 

[SpartanWolverine]

I absolutely agree with others that the idea of undergraduate research is to make you a better scientist through exposure to literature and the scientific process.

Of course, if you want to continue research into medical school, it behooves you to work in a field that easily translates from undergrad to medical school. For example, I worked in behavioral neurosci for a few years then cog neurosci for a few years after that -- and my current (medical school) work in neuroimaging methods is certainly not an easy jump -- but I have found all my work to be interesting and exciting, so that has been my primary driving force.

However, one thing that has translated and developed over time is my ability to think as a scientist and quickly read and understand literature.

So, no. It doesn't matter. Work in a lab where you think you will be able to do and learn the most. 🙂

 

[Goro]

I'd need to hear it from the wise @gyngyn or @mimelim to beleive it!!

This is important, but I heard some adcoms having slight preference for medical related research, since well, it ties into medical school easily. But by no means is it necessary.

 

[gyngyn]

I'd need to hear it from the wise @gyngyn or @mimelim to beleive it!!

Any hypothesis driven research is good.
Psych, sociology, econ, population, all good.

 

[NorwegianRepresentative]

Any hypothesis driven resaerch is good.
Psych, sociology, econ, population, all good.

Would "research" surrounding medical device development be considered? I received funding through the undergraduate research fund and am able to relate a hypothesis, but I don't know if it would be viewed poorly since it is not usually the first thought of research under the traditional sense.

 

[Goro]

Product development is one thing, but seeing if it actually works is kosher.

Would "research" surrounding medical device development be considered? I received funding through the undergraduate research fund and am able to relate a hypothesis, but I don't know if it would be viewed poorly since it is not usually the first thought of research under the traditional sense.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

As long as you're learning something about the scientific method, Adcom don't care if it's Psych research, Physics research or cataloging clams off of Fiji.

On a side note, I was wondering how AdComs look at a undergrad thesis? I'm about to start one and it's making me excited

 

[Goro]

At my school, we never pay attention to these. It's part of your coursework. BUT, as I'm at a DO school, research experience is much less of an issue compared to other ECs.

Wise @gyngyn, what say you?

If you get a publication out of it, all the better.

On a side note, I was wondering how AdComs look at a undergrad thesis? I'm about to start one and it's making me excited

 

[SpartanWolverine]

On a side note, I was wondering how AdComs look at a undergrad thesis? I'm about to start one and it's making me excited

Undergrad theses are nice but not all that meaningful IMO.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

At my school, we never pay attention to these. It's part of your coursework. BUT, as I'm at a DO school, research experience is much less of an issue compared to other ECs.

Wise @gyngyn, what say you?

If you get a publication out of it, all the better.

Undergrad theses are nice but not all that meaningful IMO.

There's a significant chance of it turning into a publication. I def understand the DO difference, but I've always wanted to do one. It seemed like a good way to wrap up my undergrad coursework and etc. And I hear from others that it does get noticed to some extent. Maybe if I were to list it on the AMCAS boxes?

 

[avgn]

There's a significant chance of it turning into a publication. I def understand the DO difference, but I've always wanted to do one. It seemed like a good way to wrap up my undergrad coursework and etc. And I hear from others that it does get noticed to some extent. Maybe if I were to list it on the AMCAS boxes?

It's entirely dependent on the particular person/interviewer if they care. Undergrad theses are usually the students' first foray into designing their own project, so it often doesn't get to a level of publication or anything of note by graduation. Thus it's up to whether someone notices it and cares to bring it up.

One of my 15 slots was my senior thesis work. If you thought it was formative, definitely put it down. My work was certainly unique but I'm not expecting people to take a lot of notice in it since it's quite boring to most medical folks haha

 

[mimelim]

On an unrelated note, have you read Naruto Gaiden?



This is important, but I heard some adcoms having slight preference for medical related research, since well, it ties into medical school easily. But by no means is it necessary.

I'd need to hear it from the wise @gyngyn or @mimelim to beleive it!!

People like applicants that are doing similar things to them. You are far more likely to find adcoms involved with medical research than other branches of research. Thus, you will find adcoms that have a 'preference' for it over something else. However, the more seasoned the adcoms and the more dedicated they are to the admissions process, in my experience, they are much more likely to have a similar attitude to @gyngyn.

From a logic standpoint, the content of one's research is going to be unrelated to everything they do from this point forward, so why should it matter? The skills they develop, the understanding of scientific methodology and hypothesis testing, that will translate into whatever they do in the future.

 

[GrapesofRath]

On a related note I have a follow up question

You'll often hear about how research experience is a de-facto requirement for top 20 medical school research powerhouses. You'll often hear @Goro talk about how without research experience your chances at those big name schools is basically zilch. I get that any form of hypothesis driven research can suffice for the sake of medical school admission in general but when talking specifically about medical research powerhouse big names, to have a shot there in that specific case does that mean medically related research or will the ecology or psychology hypothesis driven research @gyngyn was talking about still fit that requirement that Goro often states as being needed to have a shot at the big names?

 

[evansh]

What about non-hypothesis driven research, such as writing review-style articles? I do healthcare and pharmaceutical research for an investment company. Essentially my job is to write annual-review style articles on the current state of treatment regimens--hepatitis C and diabetes for example--and figure out what investigational therapies in the current developmental pipeline show a lot of promise, based mostly on analysis of pre-clinical and clinical studies. I also make brief market forecasts to try and figure out how each compound will perform financially.

There's obviously no bench-work or direct hypothesis testing, but it does require the ability to analyze large bodies of clinical and biochemical research.

 

[Goro]

Book work is not the same.

What about non-hypothesis driven research, such as writing review-style articles? I do healthcare and pharmaceutical research for an investment company. Essentially my job is to write annual-review style articles on the current state of treatment regimens--hepatitis C and diabetes for example--and figure out what investigational therapies in the current developmental pipeline show a lot of promise, based mostly on analysis of pre-clinical and clinical studies. I also make brief market forecasts to try and figure out how each compound will perform financially.

There's obviously no bench-work or direct hypothesis testing, but it does require the ability to analyze large bodies of clinical and biochemical research.

 

[deleted706076]

the latter being the source of my username (Law + Chopper).

How did I not see that until now...