does TYPE of research matter?

[premedicine555]

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I recently emailed a bunch of professors and received a response saying she needed someone to help her w/ "literature reviews with other students and maintaining new insect colonies". She's a Professor of Entomology, Cell Biology & Neuroscience focusing on entmology involving viral DNA and all that jazz... it seems interesting, but is this the typical research some premeds do, or is it more HUMAN-based?

thanks 🙂

 

[red10]

I recently emailed a bunch of professors and received a response saying she needed someone to help her w/ "literature reviews with other students and maintaining new insect colonies". She's a Professor of Entomology, Cell Biology & Neuroscience focusing on entmology involving viral DNA and all that jazz... it seems interesting, but is this the typical research some premeds do, or is it more HUMAN-based?

thanks 🙂

if it interests you then do it. I don't think there is a typical type of research (other than bio in general) that pre meds do. Even if there was, would you rather blend into the crowd or stand out when you go to apply?

 

[apumic]

That's fine for now. Human clinical research would obviously be ideal, but some people do history research and are given credit for doing research. You're likely to learn quite a bit from that research experience, so I'd take it and just keep your eyes and ears open for other, more valuable, research opportunities and plan on committing a minimum of 9-12 months to the current project (any less is definitely a red flag and/or reduces the potential value of the experience and wastes the PI's time training you, etc.).

 

[armybound]

research is research. do something that interests you

 

[red10]

That's fine for now. Human clinical research would obviously be ideal, but some people do history research and are given credit for doing research. You're likely to learn quite a bit from that research experience, so I'd take it and just keep your eyes and ears open for other, more valuable, research opportunities and plan on committing a minimum of 9-12 months to the current project (any less is definitely a red flag and/or reduces the potential value of the experience and wastes the PI's time training you, etc.).

unless you want to do an MD/PhD, Human clinical research isn't necessarily more valuable than the project the OP mentioned. Med schools want you to be exposed to the process of research, and they want you to be able to think like a scientist, what you're studying isn't that important unless you're looking for a PhD too or want to do clinical research in med school.

 

[Nomdeplume]

I don't think the type of research matters significantly either.

I recommend choosing anything science-related (biological sciences, chemistry, physics or engineering) that you find genuinely interesting and exciting. The theory is that if you really enjoy doing the work and learning about the problem, it will come through in your application and/or interview and prove more valuable than the nature of the research itself, to within reason.

Also, I don't mean to say that humanities, social science or other research isn't good; I think all types of research can be a great experience. I do suspect, however, that science-related research may be slightly more preferable to some adcoms.

So, if you think the insect-related research is cool, do it!

 

[Tots]

That research isn't that atypical, if you'll enjoy it do it!

 

[Cardiac]

That's fine for now. Human clinical research would obviously be ideal, but some people do history research and are given credit for doing research. You're likely to learn quite a bit from that research experience, so I'd take it and just keep your eyes and ears open for other, more valuable, research opportunities and plan on committing a minimum of 9-12 months to the current project (any less is definitely a red flag and/or reduces the potential value of the experience and wastes the PI's time training you, etc.).

That's fine for always, if you really like it. You don't ever need to do clinical research, unless you want to do an md/phd in that type of clinical research. You can do basic science research for md/phd as well, so don't think you ever have to do clinical unless you like to do it. That said, only go into this lab if you like it and are interested in the work. You will be absolutely miserable if you don't.

 

[FuturaDocta]

It doesn't matter what you research. If you like it then you will find it easier to spend more time on. Research only really looks good on your application if you spend a good amount of time on the subject. Plus, if you like it, then you will have fun all the while. Don't go into something just to fluff your app. 😉

 

[BBender716]

It doesn't matter what you research. If you like it then you will find it easier to spend more time on. Research only really looks good on your application if you spend a good amount of time on the subject. Plus, if you like it, then you will have fun all the while. Don't go into something just to fluff your app. 😉

I did economic research. Just got an interview invite at Case, a school extremely focused on research and even had a prompt on their secondary about it. This pretty much convinced me that type of research does not matter as much as the quality and your role.

 

[jackson1]

What do you guys think about doing research in a psychology department?

Is it better for your research correspond with your major, or does it not matter?

i did psychology research and it doesnt seem to have hurt me at all so far. my interviewers seem kind of interested in it just because its atypical for a pre-med, so i say go with whatever interests you and never do anything just to try and please an adcom because you can never know what they truly want🙂

 

[jackson1]

Awesome to hear, grats. What kind of research did you do?

aw thanks! the research i did looks at children's emotional development...we saw kids when they were 2 and 5 and had them do a bunch of different emotion eliciting tasks. it was fun🙂

 

[JonathanMD]

Yeah, if I had the choice between the type of research I'd choose in order:

1) Clinical Medically Related Research
2) Human Related Research
3) Any Research

I was kind of bummed out that I couldn't get into either the Breast Cancer research or Stem Cell (mice) research that was going on in my school, but I don't think it mattered much in the end. I still got accepted.

I ended up doing 1 semester of some photosynthesis related research and 3 semesters of coral reef/climate change research.

I figure, at the undergraduate level, you're just skimming the surface regardless of what you're actually studying. You're most likely to learn about the process of "real research" more than anything, no matter what you're doing.

 

[insane]

I do research on supercritical fluids, thats in thermo/pchem, not even related to medicine but its interesting so i do it.

 

[JonathanMD]

I'm a little bit uncertain about the distinction between 1 and 2. What are some examples of research for both?

I'm not sure if I'm using the correct terminology.

The Mice Stem Cell research is a good example of what I was thinking for Human related research. The data itself doesn't have anything to do with humans, but if the research continues, future studies may find its finding useful for humans.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

I doubt medical schools are looking to see if you've done research that is "most important 🙄" in adding to the human knowledge base. I think they want to see if you can do more than just memorize facts. Can you take what you've learned and apply it to a novel situation. Can you pose an intelligent question and form an intelligent procedure to answer that question? This can be done with any subject whether it be biology, history, cognitive neuroscience, child development, or psychology. Hope that gives you a broadened perspective on this issue.

Also, when it comes to aiding, collecting urine samples from people in an AIDS medicine trial is no more "advanced" then helping an history professor collect journal articles or taking care of insects. Help is help. 😉

 

[JonathanMD]

I doubt medical schools are looking to see if you've done research that is "most important 🙄" in adding to the human knowledge base. I think they want to see if you can do more than just memorize facts. Can you take what you've learned and apply it to a novel situation. Can you pose an intelligent question and form an intelligent procedure to answer that question? This can be done with any subject whether it be biology, history, cognitive neuroscience, child development, or psychology. Hope that gives you a broadened perspective on this issue.

Also, when it comes to aiding, collecting urine samples from people in an AIDS medicine trial is no more "advanced" then helping an history professor collect journal articles or taking care of insects. Help is help. 😉

That's true and of course, I agree.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'd be more interested in the research personally and it would show in my work, to my research professor if I ever wanted to get a LoR, and from any interviewer who could ask any amount of questions that I'd be happy to answer.

And who knows, maybe there would be some information that I'd be able to pick up later on in life--precisely because it's medically related.

 

[Quantum Mecha]

is there any distinction between paid research vs. unpaid research?