Intro thread & A question

[TheShankster]

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Hi,

My name is Shashank and i'm a freshman at the university of FL. I have a question about the things med schools are looking for because I have this great opportunity to do research with the Ob/Gyn department of the hospital but the times they want me to do research will cause problems with my extracurriculars. On a side note, I am one of those people who has to study material pretty in depth to fully grasp it, so if I start this research, while continuing my EC's (2 clubs so far), then i'll pretty much have to give up my social life.

Questions: (just for sake of clarity)
1. listed above - ec's or research? or both and less social life (and social life meaning occasional trip to the club or party - once a month...)

2. i do research every summer so should i even think about research during the undergrad school years?

3. what kind of ec's and about how many should I think about joining to stay with the competition?

4. is publication important with doing undergrad research? even as a co-author...do med schools get impressed by it?


Thanks for all of the help...I am genuinely happy that there is a forum just for students like me all over the world...it helps (me at least) to know that others are in the "epic struggle" too and there are ppl here to help.

Also, I searched for my topic so I woudln't be spamming but i found nothing under "research or extracurricualrs"...

Sorry...my rant is over.

Thanks for all of the help and I look forward to getting to know you all in my time here.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

1. RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH... I think you get the point. EC's like club activities are kind of like window dressing. Only do them if you feel like it. But research, on the other hand, opens major doors. You get LORs from researchers, you pique the interest of research-heavy schools, plus you get to check whether or not a research career is for you.

2. I'd do research until you feel you have a grasp on whether you like it or not. If you like it, there's no need to stop. If you don't like it, do something you find more interesting.

3. Basically, schools are looking for three things:
a) Clinical experience - a must have. This proves you're not naive about your career choice and, potentially, yields an LOR or two.

b) Research experience. There's a difference between knowing what food is and eating. Knowing how science works and doing science are two different things. Learn!

c) Character development. Show that you have interests - SCUBA dive, learn to fly, study abroad, DON'T JUST SIT THERE!!! I can't stress this enough! This should be fun!

4. Show SOMETHING for your work. Be it a strong LOR, a poster presentation, a powerpoint presentation, or a publication, it doesn't matter. Just make sure they know you weren't sitting around autoclaving.

MAKE SURE YOU ENJOY THIS PROCESS. Never, ever, ever, ever do something just so it looks good. The stuff I listed above is a whole smorgasboard of different things. Pick and choose. Do what you're best at - anything else is a waste of time and material.

Have a beer once in a while. Or twice in a while, even.

 

[TheShankster]

Thanks a bunch dude.

Sorry, but shoul've mentioned this earlier, I actually have two opportunities; one is lab research in the Ob/Gyn dept. and the other is like a Clinical Study of the success of special diets in AIDS patiends (mainly children)...i've got a pretty decent amount of lab research experience (which is why i've got these chances now as a Freshman)

so is lab research better than clinical research in this case in terms of med school acceptance?

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

About the same. Do whichever is more fun, builds better bridges, or is more convenient.

Don't stress out too much.

 

[TheShankster]

Alrite...Thanks for the quick reply. 🙂

 

[DeepCowboy]

I would say getting your name somewhere on the author list of a publication would help for the rest of your life and I have read in other forums that it can help a lot on your residency apps depending on your specialty of course. I know that's 8 or 9 years away for you, but it never hurts to be ahead of the game.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

ERAS applications specifically ask for publications during MEDICAL SCHOOL, similar to how AMCAS doesn't care if you cured cancer during high school.

 

[DeepCowboy]

OK, thanks

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

Upon further review, it appears that what I just said is not entirely accurate.

People in the Residency Forums say that publications in undergrad count "for something" during residency selection, but not nearly as much as stuff done during medical school.