Is my Research Significant?

[getAsordietrying]

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I've just recently been involved in a clinical research lab whose studies are almost entirely pushed by sponsors. While it is amazing and I get to see a lot of interactions between patients and medical personnel and I envision myself doing clinical research in medical school, the only downside is that I'm not doing any research and there isn't really any opportunity to demonstrate myself as at least getting mentioned on a publication. This is because the studies are multi-clinical and multi-institutional, and as far as I know, only the PIs get their named on the studies along with the respective facilities involved in the studies, not even the coordinators who supervise the study are mentioned anywhere.

I'll be taking two gap years and I thought I could move up and possibly help make in-house research supervisions if I do get promoted to certain positions, but even then I don't think I would have demonstrated my ability to do research? I really enjoy clinical research and I know my other option is to be a lab-rat in one of my professor's labs on campus.

 

[Ayahuasca]

So what exactly do you do in your position right now?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

If you're not involved with the research at all, why would it be significant research experience? FWIW, the importance of research experience is grossly overstated by premeds. Private schools consider it only of medium importance while public schools consider it of low importance. Unless you're going to be applying to a powerhouse school for research, it isn't a big deal.

 

[JJRousseau]

If you're not involved with the research at all, why would it be significant research experience? FWIW, the importance of research experience is grossly overstated by premeds. Private schools consider it only of medium importance while public schools consider it of low importance. Unless you're going to be applying to a powerhouse school for research, it isn't a big deal.

Unless you write a personal statement all about wanting to be an academic physician, then no matter where you apply it'd be pretty weird to have no research experience of any kind I would think.


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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Unless you write a personal statement all about wanting to be an academic physician, then no matter where you apply it'd be pretty weird to have no research experience of any kind I would think.


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😕
Well yeah, but I didn't think it needed to be said that if you tailor your app around becoming an academic physician, you should probably have at least some research.

Edit: even if you want to be involved in clinical research later, you don't need research to get into med school. You can try out research in med school to see if you like it if you haven't had the opportunity before. If you're trying to apply to research powerhouses, you should try to have at least some good research experience.

 

[getAsordietrying]

So what exactly do you do in your position right now?

Recording data in the study through intervals, tracking patient progress and activities through logs, running test samples, some menial tasks. I mostly follow the script if that makes sense.

I really do enjoy the study, and IIRC most of all labs on campus won't consider me to have a spot in a publication unless I put in 15-20 hrs a week, which is a tad too much given everything else I do outside of research. I've seen some consensus reach among attending medical school students that clinical research is preferred over basic science research, but it is something I enjoy doing as well to prepare me for doing research in medical school.

FYI I'm not a top applicant and thus will be applying to very few top 10s and a handful of top 20's. I don't plan on going into academic medicine.

 

[efle]

I envision myself doing clinical research in medical school

I really enjoy clinical research

I'm not doing any research

will be applying to very few top 10s and a handful of top 20's. I don't plan on going into academic medicine.

This isn't making a whole lot of sense to me

 

[dontdoittheyrelying]

the only downside is that I'm not doing any research and there isn't really any opportunity to demonstrate myself as at least getting mentioned on a publication.

Don't worry. If you get admitted, you aren't going to be research active anyways. You'll be a derm or a radiologist, practicing "lifestyle medicine."

 

[getAsordietrying]

This isn't making a whole lot of sense to me

LOL what I'm getting at is I'm doing bench research as a research assistant, I am not playing a role in the design of the project. Think of it as being a lab rat for a professor doing all the b___ work but in a much better scenario.

Don't worry. If you get admitted, you aren't going to be research active anyways. You'll be a derm or a radiologist, practicing "lifestyle medicine."

I want to be a surgeon, have been hearing that research involvement is highly valued in some of the more selective specialties.

 

[breezy1245]

I want to be a surgeon, have been hearing that research involvement is highly valued in some of the more selective specialties.

It's not as valued as it was before. Missions trips and global health is more important now.

 

[getAsordietrying]

It's not as valued as it was before. Missions trips and global health is more important now.

Not sure if this is a troll post due to April Fools, have looked into it deeply and have seen one of the determining qualities for one to match into a residency such as ortho is research, which seemed to be the 4th or fifth most important factor I saw medical students, or those who have recently started practicing, denote after class rank, step 1 and step 2 scores.

 

[breezy1245]

Not sure if this is a troll post due to April Fools, have looked into it deeply and have seen one of the determining qualities for one to match into a residency such as ortho is research, which seemed to be the 4th or fifth most important factor I saw medical students, or those who have recently started practicing, denote after class rank, step 1 and step 2 scores.

I personally know 3 program directors and they all have told me that the NRMP data that you're citing is flawed and biased since not all of them take the survey. They are looking for more experience outside of the academic setting. But believe what you will. It's your career.

 

[Podstar]

LOL what I'm getting at is I'm doing bench research as a research assistant, I am not playing a role in the design of the project. Think of it as being a lab rat for a professor doing all the b___ work but in a much better scenario.

Welcome to research as an undergrad (bench and ***** work), very few find themselves in positions to be churning out publications; make that even a single publication. More importantly work to understand why you want to pursue clinical research and be able to explain how your assistant position now paved this path. If you have been there a while and been doing good work, maybe ask your boss for some bigger responsibilities.

 

[getAsordietrying]

I personally know 3 program directors and they all have told me that the NRMP data that you're citing is flawed and biased since not all of them take the survey. They are looking for more experience outside of the academic setting. But believe what you will. It's your career.

Ah that makes sense, I apologize for my ignorance and thank you for your feedback. Yeah it's a long way to go until then but I'll keep that in mind.

 

[libertyyne]

It's not as valued as it was before. Missions trips and global health is more important now.