How does non-hard science research effect med school possibilities?

[lunatoons291]

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Hello everyone!

Background: I am a non-traditional student interested in pursuing plastic surgery as a career. I studied and worked as a makeup artist for several years and felt unfulfilled intellectually, and returned to school as a premed. I am a community college student and am transferring to Columbia University in the fall.

At community college I have spearheaded research on implicit biases and perceptions linked with certain facial features. As I want to become a plastic surgeon, I think this is very pertinent to my career. I have also done extensive research into ethnic plastic surgery. I would like to continue to pursue my innovative and previously unexplored topic at my four year. The basic study I did at CC is up for publication and has been received well. However, I am wondering if I should instead focus on getting attached to biological or physiological research now that the college I'm transferring to a college with the resources for this research.

I suppose it comes down to: is research experience at all good enough if it is well done, innovative, pertinent to your field of study, and well received, or should it be specifically within biology or chemistry?

 

[lunatoons291]

Bump

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I would think hard science research is looked at better than non-science research (I have both and definitely enjoyed my non-bench stuff significantly more).

However, keep in mind that research experience is of low importance to public med schools and only of medium importance to private schools. Unless you're applying to research powerhouses, MSTP, or crafting your app around research, it is not really all that necessary, and an experience you can talk passionately about is always better than something you did to check a box.

 

[Endoxifen]

Congratulations on transferring to Columbia! Firstly, any publication is impressive. Very few applicants have any publications, so your paper being published is very impressive. As to the type of the research, I've been repeatedly told that bench papers are regarded more favorably. However, you may be able to find an interesting compromise. Have you considered neuroscience? You'd still be able to study subtle human interaction, but it would be closer to hard science. Being Columbia, I'm sure they have an excellent neuro research program. Good luck!

 

[lunatoons291]

Thanks for the insight! I was thinking cognitive science/neuroscience for my major. I simply don't find bio or Chem research as interesting as what I'm doing, nor as pertinent to my career at this point. My goal is NYU for med school so if anyone has any insight as to their perception in this type of research that would be awesome