Poster session: worth it?

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Mazelia

Enginerd
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It was just announced that there's going to be an undergraduate poster session at my school right at the end of the quarter. I'm graduating in June and heading off to Case's MSTP shortly thereafter. I have never participated in a poster session or presented research at a conference (nor am I published).

If I whipped up a poster based on my senior capstone research, it seems like the primary benefit would be being able to participate in a very low-stress poster session. Am I correct in assuming that this is more about the experience than the addition to my CV? And do you think it's worth the effort (recall: it's spring quarter of my senior year, so effort is hard to come by) to get this experience?

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1. Poster sessions may boost a CV of an undergrad going into med school/MSTP, but not beyond. You won't have any poster sessions on your CV when applying to residencies, or if you do they will be of minimal importance. If you are already accepted, it won't help. I personally hate poster sessions as they are full of feigned interest, but that's just me.

2. It's the end of your senior year. Go out and get drunk and enjoy life while you have a break.

Hope this helps,
G
 
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Thank you both for telling me what I wanted to hear!
 
I definitely agree with the above...any undergraduate or university departmental poster session I've presented in has been pretty much a total waste of time. You'd probably spend several hours putting together your poster, and then stand around for a couple hours during the session, possibly only presenting it to a few people (who typically wind up being other members of your lab group that come by to show support).

For poster sessions at national meetings, you don't usually need to practice that much beforehand...you wind up getting your practice while presenting it several times over that day. Thus, I wouldn't worry about getting the experience now.
 
It was just announced that there's going to be an undergraduate poster session at my school right at the end of the quarter. I'm graduating in June and heading off to Case's MSTP shortly thereafter. I have never participated in a poster session or presented research at a conference (nor am I published).

If I whipped up a poster based on my senior capstone research, it seems like the primary benefit would be being able to participate in a very low-stress poster session. Am I correct in assuming that this is more about the experience than the addition to my CV? And do you think it's worth the effort (recall: it's spring quarter of my senior year, so effort is hard to come by) to get this experience?
I think if you really wanted to do it, it certainly couldn't hurt. But it sounds like you sort of think you ought to want to do it, not that you actually want to do it. :p I basically agree with the others--it's not necessary unless your PI wants you to participate. In that case, it's worth doing it to make him/her happy.

Good luck with school next year. :)
 
I normally enjoy poster sessions because 1) many people could bring interesting points 2) it's practise for your oral presentation skills and this will be very important in your career 3) you will have the opportunity to socialize and have fun especially if it's low-stress. :shrug:

If you're really busy and worked out right now, I guess it's not necessary to do it. Otherwise, I think it's good experience. Nothing revolutionary, but it's not worthless.
 
It's much more legit to put a poster on your resume if it was presented at a national conference and the abstract was published in a supplement to a journal. School or department poster sessions should not go on a resume.
 
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