How to regard soon-to-be submitted manuscripts?

[installation2020]

Hello! Hope you're doing well.

It's almost time to apply, but it's going to be a nail-biter as to whether a few manuscripts I am on will be submitted by June 1st.

Should I or my recommenders mention that our manuscripts slated to be submitted in the early summer? Especially because on at least one of these manuscripts, I will be first author.

Thanks in advance for your help.

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[sourpatch fetish]

Just put "submitted" or "submitted to <insert journal name." You aren't gonna be able to submit the primary on AMCAS before June 1st anyways.

 

[CheGuevaraMD]

I suppose it depends on the field, but to me, submitted manuscripts don’t count for much other than effort. There’s no guarantee they will ever be reviewed well or accepted (other than at a pseudo-predatory journal). Committees will know that you’ve tried, but not how good you are, if that makes sense.

 

[wondervisions]

I suppose it depends on the field, but to me, submitted manuscripts don’t count for much other than effort. There’s no guarantee they will ever be reviewed well or accepted (other than at a pseudo-predatory journal). Committees will know that you’ve tried, but not how good you are, if that makes sense.

I assume OP is applying to medical school? In which case I disagree somewhat- simply submitting a manuscript to a journal means that you have successfully completed a project and brought it to the point that it can be written up. Furthermore, the PI and coauthor(s) signed off on the content of the work, showing that they view it as having merit.

I would try to at least get it up as a preprint ASAP.

 

[installation2020]

@wondervisions @CheGuevaraMD

To clarify, I am applying for MD/PhD, hence why I feel like it's even more important for my research to have reached the manuscript submission phase. My PIs are also well-known in the field. Thank you to all of you!

 

[salmon98]

I was an applicant in the 20-21 cycle. Fully agree with wondervisions. At an interview, an MSTP program director at a top school told me he considered “published” = “submitted” = PI stating it will be submitted soon. He told me for people at our stage, the difference between these statuses is only due to luck. So, definitely have your PI mention these papers in their letter regardless of whether they are submitted.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I mean, I submitted to Nature...

That being said, your PI should definitely play up your accomplishments...