If you did research...

[speranza]

Did you write about it in your personal statement? Is it important to do this? My pre-med advisor and others have said that it is, but I would have a hard time fitting it into my PS, as it doesn't directly relate to my topic/theme. I do have significant research experience and while it was important to me and I've thoroughly enjoyed it, it didn't really influence why I want to go to med school. So I don't really know why I should talk about it in my PS, esp since I'll be describing it in the activities section. Although adcoms might think that it was weird that I spent so much time doing research and didn't talk about it in my PS. What do you guys think?

Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Hoberto]

I didn't focus on it other than to say that my experience in reserach has shown how doctoring is what I want not straight research. I'm not sure there's any reason to focus on it unless you want to. Research is not doctoring. I would focus more on human contact, not bench work. Just my opinion, though.

 

[nockamura]

yeah, that's pretty much what I did. I did research because with my degree (BS in biology) that is obviously an option. What the experience taught me was that I did not want to become a researcher. I want more human contact and direct results for my work.

 

[MochaMD]

I just discussed my research experience in the activities portion of the AMCAS so I left it out in my PS.

 

[speranza]

*bump*

 

[C.P. Jones]

same here, discussed in activities/experience...no need to repeat in your PS

anyway, lots of people do research...i don't think it would make a PS stand out...I guess unless you cured some terrible disease

 

[Supadupafly]

I casually mentioned it in the PS, but saved the details for the experiences entry.

Your PS should read like a good story, not like a resume.

 

[QofQuimica]

I had the same problem, because I had a lot of research experiences (undergrad thesis, MS, and PhD, plus volunteer clinical research) and most of it was not medically related, except for the volunteer research I was doing. What I ended up doing was discussing that one research project in my PS since it is related to why I want to go to medical school, and making activities entries for my undergrad, MS, and PhD research, which were all in basic science. I guess this is my convoluted way of saying that I think what you're doing is fine. The PS should explain why you want to go to medical school, and there is plenty of room to discuss your research in the activities section. If I can compress my dissertation work into only 1325 characters, you can, too.

 

[zero2hero]

Only mentioned in the activities section. Unless it's something meaningful that you can spin into a good PS then dont bother putting it in your essay.

 

[jennben4]

If as you say, you spent "so much time doing research," then you should absolutely tackle this issue. At LEAST mention it in some kind of detail. Tell what you learned from it or, perhaps, what you learned that you didn't like about it (and therefore more toward med.). That's what I did. I learned a lot from the process of research. Use every experiece to its FULLEST. Explain what you did and how that helped re-affirm your desire to study medicine. Also, some interviewers will ONLY have your PS. You will grateful for puttting as much info in there as possible. Don't dwell on research if it wasn't a big deal to you, but still use it. If your interviewer is more reserach-based, you will be very thankful......

Did you write about it in your personal statement? Is it important to do this? My pre-med advisor and others have said that it is, but I would have a hard time fitting it into my PS, as it doesn't directly relate to my topic/theme. I do have significant research experience and while it was important to me and I've thoroughly enjoyed it, it didn't really influence why I want to go to med school. So I don't really know why I should talk about it in my PS, esp since I'll be describing it in the activities section. Although adcoms might think that it was weird that I spent so much time doing research and didn't talk about it in my PS. What do you guys think?

Thanks.

 

[flashMD]

I think it also depends on what kind of medical schools you are applying to. If you are shooting for "Top 10" research oriented medical schools, then you should probably make research more prominent. If however, you are shooting for schools with more of a primary care focus, you don't have to worry about including it as much.

Despite what some others on this board have said, research experience is important to admissions committees. My several research experiences were brought up in EVERY single interview I had. Either way, you need to decide how you want to present yourself as a candidate, but DEFINITELY at the very least include research and all relevant details in the activities section.

 

[sgopal2]

Relate the research you did to some clinical entity.

IE:

"The basic research I worked on relating to oxidized LDL in rats led me to gain a greater appreciation for the role of atherogenesis in humans..."

 

[IgweEmeka]

I didn't focus on it other than to say that my experience in reserach has shown how doctoring is what I want not straight research. I'm not sure there's any reason to focus on it unless you want to. Research is not doctoring. I would focus more on human contact, not bench work. Just my opinion, though.

Big big mistake man or woman. Adcoms definitely do not look well on someone saying they want more human contact and not bench work, even if you did not write it exactly like that in the PS. Try to be a little more sly about your desire to practice medicine, a lot of MDs do research and not just human contact. By you saying all you want is an MD, it can give a negative vibe as this impatient person who wants to make money real fast. Talk about research, but dont necessarily say my experience made me realize i don't want to do research. Instead talk about the research and praise it. They know you are not going for the MD-Phd so you don't have to worry about doing research for the rest of your life. remember you are selling yourself and not narrowing your chances.

 

[Hoberto]

I talked about my research in the activities section, not my PS. I can't avoid mentioning my research, kind of like Q, because of the amount I've done. It's obvious I must like it and have been successful from my app, I just don't want that to be the focus, that's all. For me, I felt it was important to point out that I am able and want to work with people on the clinical side not just do bench\science research, since my app screams get a PhD. I think each applicant needs to find out where their application is lacking and try to show the deficiencies as positives.

It really depends on the applicant, I guess. Like everyone has said, if it was a big deal for you mention it. I'm not sure that it should be the focus, though, unless the school is extremely research oriented. I really like sgopal's way of putting it. Shows that you did research and what you got out of it in one sentence.

Safeflower, have you decided what to do?

 

[UDbiochem]

Make sure clinical experiences comprise most of your PS... I did include my research experience casually however.

 

[speranza]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I think what I might do is mention my research experience very briefly, in the context of the clinical experience that's the focus of my essay, and say what I got out of it, perhaps relate it to the fact that one role of a physician is as an active learner and educator in his or her field.

 

[anomic]

I think it depends. Why is research important to you? For example, did you realize that research is something you enjoy in theory, but you want to be closer to patients? Did it give you skills that you could somehow use as a clinician (sp)?

If your research did not cause you in any way to want to become a doctor I suggest leave it out. Many many undergrades have done research so while impressive, it does not make you that unique. They can see from your EC's that you did research so why waste the space on the PS? The PS should not be a resume but a story about YOU.

 

[relema]

I mentioned my research for a couple of reasons in my PS. I wanted to explain why i took a year off after undergradbefore i applied. I was trying to explain that i was exploring other career fields and found out they were not what i wanted to do and explain that I am interested in infectious disease work( I do microbiology research on infectious diseases).