Does this count as Research?

[Lifeblood_20]

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I currently work as a "research assistant" at a cardiology lab - I mostly do mouse husbandry duties and genotyping mice. I'm definitely involved, however indirectly, in the creation of new knowledge, but I'm not involved in a specific project. I get paid decently for my work but the downside to that is I don't have too much say in what I get to do.

Would this count as research or just a regular job?

 

[aldol16]

You're assisting in research, so you're doing research. The label doesn't mean much - it's what you write in the blurb on the application that matters. Just be realistic about your role.

 

[Seldon]

I currently work as a "research assistant" at a cardiology lab - I mostly do mouse husbandry duties and genotyping mice. I'm definitely involved, however indirectly, in the creation of new knowledge, but I'm not involved in a specific project. I get paid decently for my work but the downside to that is I don't have too much say in what I get to do.

Would this count as research or just a regular job?

Definitely research. However, if you're interested in getting more involved, I would talk to your PI to see if you can contribute in a more intellectual way.

 

[Goro]

Animal tech = a job. You are not testing any hypotheses.

I currently work as a "research assistant" at a cardiology lab - I mostly do mouse husbandry duties and genotyping mice. I'm definitely involved, however indirectly, in the creation of new knowledge, but I'm not involved in a specific project. I get paid decently for my work but the downside to that is I don't have too much say in what I get to do.

Would this count as research or just a regular job?

 

[Lifeblood_20]

Animal tech = a job. You are not testing any hypotheses.

Nope I'm not.

 

[Lawpy]

Animal tech = a job. You are not testing any hypotheses.

Nope I'm not.

wait so to clarify, you don't consider OP's responsibilities to be research because she's not testing any hypotheses or contributing to intellectual work?

 

[Doctor-S]

I currently work as a "research assistant" at a cardiology lab - I mostly do mouse husbandry duties and genotyping mice. I'm definitely involved, however indirectly, in the creation of new knowledge, but I'm not involved in a specific project. I get paid decently for my work but the downside to that is I don't have too much say in what I get to do.

Would this count as research or just a regular job?

@Flying Penguin can you elaborate on the above highlighted passage please?

 

[Lifeblood_20]

@Flying Penguin can you elaborate on the above highlighted passage please?

The lab is studying the effects of certain genes and so they breed mice and perform experiments on mice with desired genotypes. I do the genotyping part to determine which mice have them.

 

[aldol16]

wait so to clarify, you don't consider OP's responsibilities to be research because she's not testing any hypotheses or contributing to intellectual work?

If that were the bar for "research," the vast majority of pre-meds aren't doing research.

 

[flapjack3d]

I dont think this counts. You are not investigating a hypothesis. This is still valuable experience, but it's more like a regular job that happens to require a lab coat.

 

[Lawpy]

If that were the bar for "research," the vast majority of pre-meds aren't doing research.

This also explains why the MSAR research statistics are so heavily exaggerated.

 

[Goro]

She's support staff...that's not DOING research. She no more a research than someone who makes media or washes glassware.

wait so to clarify, you don't consider OP's responsibilities to be research because she's not testing any hypotheses or contributing to intellectual work?

 

[Lawpy]

She's support staff...that's not DOING research. She no more a research than someone who makes media or washes glassware.

That's the academic definition of research which I definitely agree. But I'm confused because applicants do in fact misrepresent media making/glassware washing as research and somehow many schools don't have a problem with that. True, hypothesis-driven and productive research is rare and commonly seen in research powerhouses and MD/PhD programs.

 

[Goro]

Embellishers typically get rejected after they screw up the "tell about your research" question during interviews.

That's the academic definition of research which I definitely agree. But I'm confused because applicants do in fact misrepresent media making/glassware washing as research and somehow many schools don't have a problem with that. True, hypothesis-driven and productive research is rare and commonly seen in research powerhouses and MD/PhD programs.

 

[Lifeblood_20]

She's support staff...that's not DOING research. She no more a research than someone who makes media or washes glassware.

I agree. I did learn a lot through this job but I feel like I have reached the point of diminishing return. I never mean to embellish what I do; I was confused because some of my friends do similar things and they call it "research." I guess it's time for me to move on. Baby steps.

 

[efle]

To be fair the MSAR category is "research/lab" and I'd characterize this activity under that. It's working in a lab.

I would view this as distinct from doing an independent project under PI supervision though.

 

[Lawpy]

To be far the MSAR category is "research/lab" and I'd characterize this activity under that. It's working in a lab.

I would view this as distinct from doing an independent project under PI supervision though.

Embellishers typically get rejected after they screw up the "tell about your research" question during interviews.

but adcoms/interviewers can spot the applicants who misrepresent their lab work as research and reject them based on their poor interview/essay responses.

 

[efle]

I think SDN overestimates how easy it is to catch someone exaggerating their volunteerism, research involvement, involvement in clubs, etc.

 

[Lifeblood_20]

I think SDN overestimates how easy it is to catch someone exaggerating their volunteerism, research involvement, involvement in clubs, etc.

Well it is not easy to draw the line between what's embellishment and what's not... After all it's not the place to be too humble

 

[Goro]

And your experience on an admission committee is exactly what?????

A colleague of mine once asked someone "what does PAGE mean"? after a candidate mentioned that she ran PAGE gels and did westerns.

I think SDN overestimates how easy it is to catch someone exaggerating their volunteerism, research involvement, involvement in clubs, etc.

 

[efle]

And your experience on an admission committee is exactly what?????

A colleague of mine once asked someone "what does PAGE mean"? after a candidate mentioned that she ran PAGE gels and did westerns.

How do you know that for every one caught, ten aren't getting past?

 

[LizzyM]

AMCAS leaves it up to you whether you label this "employment" or "research". We see applicants all the time who are doing these routine tasks, sometimes as undergrads for 10 hours/wk and they call it "research" and frankly, we're ok with that. We classify it as "low level" with higher level being hypothesis generation and testing, and presentation and publication of results being the highest level. It isn't a big deal and we don't think of it as exaggeration.

 

[Goro]

We're getting into hypotheticals now.

How do you know that for every one caught, ten aren't getting past?

 

[efle]

We're getting into hypotheticals now.

I can think of several concrete examples among my friends. All headed to MD schools, too.

 

[efle]

Obviously I haven't sat on your side of the table and tried to grill an undergrad about their methods. But I had a fair number of interviewers at research powerhouses and didn't feel like any pushed hard to make sure I knew what I was talking about. Maybe you just suss out frauds better than most

 

[LizzyM]

Obviously I haven't sat on your side of the table and tried to grill an undergrad about their methods. But I had a fair number of interviewers at research powerhouses and didn't feel like any pushed hard to make sure I knew what I was talking about. Maybe you just suss out frauds better than most

I usually use the "tell me about your research" question to judge how well the applicant speaks including grammar, syntax, accent, enunciation, vocabulary and the ability to explain complex ideas in a simple manner and with enthusiasm.

 

[mehc012]

And your experience on an admission committee is exactly what?????

A colleague of mine once asked someone "what does PAGE mean"? after a candidate mentioned that she ran PAGE gels and did westerns.

And they're an idiot if they claimed those things without at least a quick Google search...or at least couldn't softshoe out of it with an (admittedly embarrassing) "well you know, I never actually looked up the acronym". There are plenty of things that I do that I've forgotten the actual full name for (my med school in particular loves strange abbreviations).

 

[Lifeblood_20]

AMCAS leaves it up to you whether you label this "employment" or "research". We see applicants all the time who are doing these routine tasks, sometimes as undergrads for 10 hours/wk and they call it "research" and frankly, we're ok with that. We classify it as "low level" with higher level being hypothesis generation and testing, and presentation and publication of results being the highest level. It isn't a big deal and we don't think of it as exaggeration.

This is probably the best answer I could have asked for; thank you very much.

 

[flapjack3d]

To be clear, there's no reason you shouldn't classify this as research. Can't hurt you. Doesn't mean every school is going to treat it the same as real research experience.

 

[Lifeblood_20]

To be clear, there's no reason you shouldn't classify this as research. Can't hurt you. Doesn't mean every school is going to treat it the same as real research experience.

I understand. I'm just starting out so I'm not too concerned about what to put it -- I will do my best to work my way up the research ladder.