Does the focus of your research matter?

[RedSoldier]

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Hi SDN,

I currently do biofuels research in a chemistry lab. My PI has a variety of projects however, some of which are medically relevant and funded by NIH. I was wondering if I ought to switch to another project, despite being happy with my current one, in order to appeal more to medical schools? Do they care what sort of research you do? I've heard that they don't, but I don't want to get slammed on an interview about my apparently marginal academic interest in medicine. I don't know. Someone reassure me haha.

 

[bonsaitree1]

Hi SDN,

I currently do biofuels research in a chemistry lab. My PI has a variety of projects however, some of which are medically relevant and funded by NIH. I was wondering if I ought to switch to another project, despite being happy with my current one, in order to appeal more to medical schools? Do they care what sort of research you do? I've heard that they don't, but I don't want to get slammed on an interview about my apparently marginal academic interest in medicine. I don't know. Someone reassure me haha.

No, focus of your research really shouldn't matter. What research shows is that you have an intellectual curiosity and have the independence to come up with a protocol, a hypothesis and carry it out.

Obviously it'd be nicer to have something medically related, so you can talk about how it links to all your interests in medicine, but it's not worth switching to another project and starting all over again.

Maybe trying to spin your biofuel project in a medically relevant way or taking up a smaller project on the side would be useful!

 

[HumbleMD]

Focus doesn't really matter. What does is if you've accomplished something with it, ie published/poster presentations. What REALLY counts is that you can eloquently explain it in 2-3 sentences during an interview when they ask about it, and that it sounds interesting.

Interviewers are looking for a scientific curiosity, and a general interest in research. I did inorganic chemistry - few real-life applications let alone medically relevant, and it was fine.