How to split up EXP hours

[HowIMetYourPet]

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Okay guys, I'm at a cross-roads....

I'm having a horrific time figuring out how to input all of my hours...I would LOVE some advice...

I am employed at a hospital in a research lab and have been for four years. I've been on a specific project since January that will be leading to publication. Some of this research involves mouse and rat work, under the supervision of a vet tech from animal services.

The way I have it right now, I have my 4 years of lab work in the employment section, the hours I've spent on the project under research, and I'm going to add the animal work to vet exp. Is this how you guys would do it? Or would you add all four years as research experience, because although it wasn't leading to publication, or one specific project, it was four solid years IN research....

Also, I have a lot of dog training/grooming experience (show dogs) and would you guys split the hours that were paid (from clients) from the hours spent on my own dogs(unpaid), or would you lump them together? I'm already separating the training from the grooming, which is also separate from the general care, and the shows themselves, just so I have more room to describe the duties.....as there are a ton of them!!

Advice would be appreciated!!!

 

[Lab Vet]

I called VMCAS about the 'research' section of the application just last week. To be included in the 'research' section, the experience MUST include work that led to a publication. The jury is still out at VMCAS as to what actually defines a publication (a first-authored, peer-reviewed, primary literature paper; a review article; a published abstract? The list could go on and on; there is a HUGE difference in the quality of publications between various sources). The representative that I spoke to at VMCAS has promised to call me when a final decision has been reached as to this point.

That being said, if you have research experience (AND it relates to animals AND it was supervised by a PhD/DVM/MD or other 'health professional') but DID NOT lead to a publication, it should be included under veterinary experience, not research experience. If said experience did lead to a publication, it should be listed under research experience. It should only be listed under employment experience if it did not relate to animals and was not supervised by a health professional.

 

[TheComfyCat]

Did they say anything about unpaid research not related to animals that doesn't lead to a publication?

 

[Lab Vet]

If it's unpaid...it's not employment. If no publication is associated with it...it's not research (at least not according to VMCAS). If it's not related to animals/not supervised by a health professional....it's not veterinary experience. Good question. I don't know how to categorize this one. Did you conduct research in a human behavioral psychology lab, or something of the sort? The only two categories left are 'honors/awards' and 'community activities.' What exactly did you do for this experience? Would it fit under 'community activity' by any stretch of the imagination? I think that you'll need to call VMCAS on this one. I'm stumped.

 

[TheComfyCat]

I work with a professor on a couple of restoration ecology projects. I plan to work on my own project next year, but at this point I'm only working with him on his research. I guess I'll have to talk to VMCAS and see what they have to say.

My professor will eventually publish something regarding the projects we're working on, but I won't be involved in that. I'll probably have graduated by that point.

 

[Lab Vet]

Oh wow...Ecology. Man, that's really tough to see where that discipline fits in the jigsaw. As far as the VMCAS course listings go, 'Ecology' is described as an 'Other Life Science.' I have many friends from graduate school who conducted research in this arena. It's the publication aspect of the VMCAS rubric that makes the experience category hard to define. Give them a call. I found the representative with whom I spoke to be very helpful. Wish that I could be of more assistance 🙁

 

[TheComfyCat]

No, worries, thanks for your help! I'll give them a call this week and see what they have to say.

They seem to split up their courses a bit strangely. Physio, genetics, ecology, and evolution are all listed in "other life sciences." Oops, I didn't notice that before. I have to fix my genetics, physio, and evolutionary biology classes I guess.

 

[allykd]

I called VMCAS about the 'research' section of the application just last week...

I've been putting off calling about this and am so pleased I read this thread; I hate phone calls. Thanks Lab Vet!

 

[JoAnna423]

Just an FYI....while it is important to adhere to all the "rules" of VMCAS and what qualifies as what, you want to make sure that your VMCAS has "flow". At least to me, looking at my VMCAS section by section as I filled it in looked a lot different than printing it all out and seeing how it looked as one large document (and how I believe the adcoms would see it?) I tried to make sure my formatting and style was consistent, and that I used the personal statement/explanation section effectively. Make sure your VMCAS best represents you and don't get too obsessive about what to classify stuff as.

 

[WolvesDragon55]

Hmmm... when I was at VMRCVM with an admissions counselor, she told me that I could include some of the extensive lab projects that I had done in the research area. They were definitely not published since they were part of the lab for a class. Since VMCAS doesn't have the "rules" stated that it must be published, does that mean I wouldn't technically be wrong if I put it in there?

 

[dalmatiandoc17]

Hmmm... when I was at VMRCVM with an admissions counselor, she told me that I could include some of the extensive lab projects that I had done in the research area. They were definitely not published since they were part of the lab for a class. Since VMCAS doesn't have the "rules" stated that it must be published, does that mean I wouldn't technically be wrong if I put it in there?

I was planning on ignoring that "rule" as well. If it's not stated in the rules I don't see how anyone but those who bothered to call would know that only published research goes there. I also talked to an NCSU adcom member who said any research should go in that area, with or without publication.

 

[Lab Vet]

Since VMCAS doesn't have the "rules" stated that it must be published, does that mean I wouldn't technically be wrong if I put it in there?

Directly from the 2013-1014 VMCAS application (Research section):

"Research should include any published research and/or publications. Please include any published research experiences in this section, even if they were also veterinary experiences."

When I spoke with the representative at VMCAS, I expressed my disagreement that the 'research' category should only include experiences that resulted in published work (regardless of how VMCAS is defining a publication). This is especially unjust to folks who worked in a corporate environment. One could have worked in pharma for years- that work is proprietary. It will never be published, at least not in a traditional, academic sense.

Your call as to whether or not you want to include research that didn't result in a publication, but in my mind the instructions from VMCAS are pretty clear.

 

[WulfpackChica]

Also, check with the schools you are applying to. Basically that is what VMCAS told me.

 

[allykd]

I also emailed VMCAS about this since I work in a semi-corporate environment and even though I work on a ton of publishable projects, I don't always end up with my name on them. They essentially told me that I can put my experience under vet experience (I work with mice) or research depending on where I feel I need the most hours. They also mentioned that I could check with the schools that I am applying to to see where they would prefer I list those hours.

 

[WolvesDragon55]

Yeah I found the directly stated part almost right after I posted on here. And then felt really dumb. I ended up putting it under "Classroom Experience," since I suppose that that is where it technically falls. Sorry for the confusion!