How much research is "enough"?

[Gloves]

Hello all, I just wanted some input on what I'm doing

I'm planning on moving from chem major to a social science-like major that I'll enjoy a lot more and do better in. And yeah, it should really help my GPA and people skills too (chemistry is a very evil major unless you just love it - proof - http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-m...and-worst-college-majors-for-top-grades/1878/)

Anyway, I find that if you're not a science major the biology/chemistry professors won't invest time and effort into training you in the ways of research since it's apparent from your major that you won't go into research as a career. I understand it completely, but I don't want to have research as a weak part of my application because I wasn't published in a journal... I've worked at two labs for about a year, and I will see how long I stay in the current one (where I'm not doing any actual research, but just helping with PCRs and cleaning and whatnot)

Thanks if you can provide any insight. Just want to cover all my bases

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[songbird]

Hello all, I just wanted some input on what I'm doing

I'm planning on moving from chem major to a social science-like major that I'll enjoy a lot more and do better in. And yeah, it should really help my GPA and people skills too (chemistry is a very evil major unless you just love it - proof - http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-m...and-worst-college-majors-for-top-grades/1878/)

Anyway, I find that if you're not a science major the biology/chemistry professors won't invest time and effort into training you in the ways of research since it's apparent from your major that you won't go into research as a career. I understand it completely, but I don't want to have research as a weak part of my application because I wasn't published in a journal... I've worked at two labs for about a year, and I will see how long I stay in the current one (where I'm not doing any actual research, but just helping with PCRs and cleaning and whatnot)

Thanks if you can provide any insight. Just want to cover all my bases

I have completed a few research internships for undergraduates and one of the eligibility requirements was to be a science major, and so I'm assuming that many labs are going to want the same thing from you. That said, if you're currently working in a lab, you have clearly made some good decisions, and building on what you've learned in your current lab is going to help you move to the next level.

You could ask the lab you're in to allow you to learn some more lab techniques. You said that you were helping with PCR -- are you doing it on your own, or helping with set-up? If you're running PCR reactions on your own, you can use this to move to the next level, which basically means finding a lab where the PI is willing to let you gain the experience you desire.

Also, realize that the chances of you getting published in a journal with only one year of experience is not likely. If it happens, that's amazing, but realize that gaining a solid research experience is going to take some time. But choosing a PI that you can really communicate with is vital to that process. Hope that helps!

 

[TTigers70]

pretty unrelated but how did psych end up on the lowest 5 GPAs? Even across a wide band of schools I have friends attending, psych is the harder alternative to like criminal justice

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

Research is not a requirement for med school. There's no "good enough."

 

[NickNaylor]

Agreed that there's no good enough. Do it if you're interested; if you are, I would say do enough until you feel like you've done enough so that you can talk meaningfully about it. My research experience consists of two SURF programs and I think that was more than enough.

 

[littlealex]

If you're going to ask THIS forum, enough undergraduate research is when you finally receive your own NIH grant. Because then you can start doing real research.

In terms of actual world, if you're looking for a top20 school, research until you have a publication is usually a good guideline. For med school in general? More than a year of meaningful research is fine.

 

[ucsfstudents]

A publication, abstract submission, poster presentation, oral presentation, are all good goals to shoot for when conducting research. Conduct research in an area that interests you. It doesn't have to be in basic science.

 

[Narmerguy]

If you're going to ask THIS forum, enough undergraduate research is when you finally receive your own NIH grant. Because then you can start doing real research.

In terms of actual world, if you're looking for a top20 school, research until you have a publication is usually a good guideline. For med school in general? More than a year of meaningful research is fine.

No it's not. I would bet that the majority of students attending top 20 schools are not published. Publishing is not something that an undergrad has much control over (in as much as anyone ever has control over it). There are many other ways to have had a meaningful, top 20 competitive experience without the culmination of a publication at the end.

 

[wanderer]

For med school in general? More than a year of meaningful research is fine.

Even less than that is fine, imo.