Importance of publications for MD/PhD programs?

[unitofpain]

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Hello,

I am currently a rising freshman at Stanford University- I realize this is a bit premature, but I am truly dedicated in getting into the top MD/PhD schools in the country (specifically, Harvard). I have heard that publications are important in MD/PhD admissions, but exactly how so? And how many before they no longer help? Currently, I have 7 underpreparation/submitted/accepted publications; 1 first author, 4 second author, 1 3rd author, and 1 4th author. Two have been accepted: one into Organic Letters (3rd author) and another into JACS (second author). My first author paper will likely get into either JACS or a higher level journal, and another paper (2nd author) might get into PNAS. I realize I have a couple years left before I apply to med school, so here is where I need some advice: should I continue to focus on research and produce more publications, or should I focus instead on other paramaters like MCAT/Volunteer/Shadowing?

Thank you

 

[tiedyeddog]

Hello,

I am currently a rising freshman at Stanford University- I realize this is a bit premature, but I am truly dedicated in getting into the top MD/PhD schools in the country (specifically, Harvard). I have heard that publications are important in MD/PhD admissions, but exactly how so? And how many before they no longer help? Currently, I have 7 underpreparation/submitted/accepted publications; 1 first author, 4 second author, 1 3rd author, and 1 4th author. Two have been accepted: one into Organic Letters (3rd author) and another into JACS (second author). My first author paper will likely get into either JACS or a higher level journal, and another paper (2nd author) might get into PNAS. I realize I have a couple years left before I apply to med school, so here is where I need some advice: should I continue to focus on research and produce more publications, or should I focus instead on other paramaters like MCAT/Volunteer/Shadowing?

Thank you

There is a subforum for MD/PhD students. Do a search first, however. This question is asked frequently.

Being published can help but not being published is not really a big deal. Apparently most MD/PhD matriculants do not have any form of published research. You have a **** to of published work so you're good to that extent. It is super important you can talk clearly about your research to PhDs and MD/PhDs at your interviews, more so than actually being published.

In general, the MCAT is a pretty huge factor in MD/PhD admissions. 36+ is what you need to be competitive (assuming your GPA is great) at MSTP programs.

Volunteering and shadowing is pretty unimportant for MSTP hopefuls. Shadowing a clinician or two could help but doing an excessive amount of shadowing (on the scale of 60,70,80 or more hours) will not help at all.... Research, MCAT, and GPA are the three important criteria for admission, everything else is just gravy.....

Don't set your sights on a school, set your sights on particular labs. Saying you want to only attend Harvard is pointless. Does Harvard have a lab you're interested in? Just my $.02

 

[URHere]

In MD/PhD world, publications are like icing on a cake - very nice but not completely necessary. However, it is necessary for applicants to show an in-depth, long-term interest in research. Although you already have many publications on the way, if you choose to drop your research time for too long of a period to focus on other things, it may look as if "do research, get published" was just a checkbox on your admissions checklist, and you may raise some eyebrows. My advice would be to continue with your research. Publications do not need to be your only goal - you should also focus on learning new lab techniques, spearheading more of your own projects, and diving into presenting your work in other forms (conferences, poster presentations, etc).

As for other factors like clinical work and volunteering, the above poster is mostly right - not having spades of them will not sink your application the same way it would sink an MD-only app. However, some schools may value volunteering or clinical experience very strongly for its MD/PhD applicants, and if you don't have that experience, you aren't going to make the cut at those schools. You should be sure to devote some of your free time to non-research causes to make you a more well-rounded, interesting, and (hopefully) happier candidate.

As for your ultimate goals - aim for any school you like, but be aware that you will have to attend medical school, and work in a lab at whichever school you choose. If you dislike the curriculum or the research environment, name won't really mean very much in the end.

 

[unitofpain]

thanks for the replies, your opinions are basically what i have suspected all along, that publications aren't really all that important, but rather demonstration of true passion for research. I was hesitant about attending a conference, but now I will definitely give a talk at a major conference in Jan. As to the school, I guess I've just assumed that harvard md/phd students would be working with the greatest minds in the world/have the most resources and thus would be the most enjoyable experience, but i see now that I will also have to consider where my particular interests lie in context of harvard's strengths.

 

[IHeartNerds]

As to the school, I guess I've just assumed that harvard md/phd students would be working with the greatest minds in the world/have the most resources and thus would be the most enjoyable experience, but i see now that I will also have to consider where my particular interests lie in context of harvard's strengths.

thinking that one school in boston has the "greatest minds" in every single field is pretty naive. saying such things will get you attacked here, quickly. best to keep it quiet 😎

md/phd programs vary a ton and you should look for one that matches your proposed phd concentration -- hopkins, columbia, penn for neurosci, nyu for parasitology, etc...

 

[sully677]

As to the school, I guess I've just assumed that harvard md/phd students would be working with the greatest minds in the world/have the most resources and thus would be the most enjoyable experience, but i see now that I will also have to consider where my particular interests lie in context of harvard's strengths.

Not a wise comment. First of all, do NOT set your sights on one school. They might not even have the type of program you are interested in pursuing. Harvard has the name, but that does not mean they rule the medical/academia world.

 

[fly1346]

what I'm wondering is how are you only a freshmen yet have 7 'almost' publications??? I'm still trying to get one, care to enlighten me?

 

[sully677]

I'm a junior, been researching for 1.5 years, and almost have two pubs (but I spent all last fall researching). Doesn't add up to me either.

 

[swimchick]

I've been involved in research for 7 years and I just got my 8th publication.

7 publications before college...that's intense.

 

[Beta Cell]

I'm a junior, been researching for 1.5 years, and almost have two pubs (but I spent all last fall researching). Doesn't add up to me either.

When I was 10, I had 365 first author papers. One for each day I was 9.

 

[unitofpain]

well while I agree that other schools besides harvard may have strengths in specific fields, there is a reason that harvard is consistently ranked #1 in medical research isn't there?
and to the snide remarks now sneaking onto this thread:
i have worked in my lab since i was 14 (freshman year in high school), all summers 40 hours a week and part-time during school year 20 hours a week. To be honest though, all of my publications have occurred in the last year (mostly luck). Also, I suppose I am in a relatively uncommon field so most of the projects I work on tend to be novel.

 

[sully677]

well while I agree that other schools besides harvard may have strengths in specific fields, there is a reason that harvard is consistently ranked #1 in medical research isn't there?

While I would love to get into Harvard next year, it is a great school. Don't get me wrong, but for example CalTech has the number 1 Chem grad program in the world...and I'm sure MIT triumphs in several areas as well. Harvard probably gets a boost because of the "name."

 

[unitofpain]

neither MIT nor Caltech have a medical school

 

[witness23]

harvard has its md/phd hst program connected to mit

and i think some of the UCs or maybe USC is connected to Caltech through their MD/PhD program


i have no clue what that has to do anything. but publishing isnt too important. BUT, you should take your research seriously. you should be committed to the lab. and if you have been working there since 14, you will outlast people and you should be able to produce publishable date by the time you apply to med schools. congrats on your work thus far. I hope you consider other sides of research (from the PI perspective) to make sure this is what you want to do. Well, you should consider everything in life, as you are so young.

 

[dmblue]

Publications aren't necessary.

Also...you sound like a troll