Preferred Research?

[looseygoosey]

I am very new to SDN so im sure this question has been answered before. Do MSTP programs prefer applicants with medically related research or does any research using the scientific method prepare students for Medical research adequately enough?

I have 3 years of lab experience: a summer in a Plant virology lab, 2 years (including one intense summer) with a Chemical Engineering Lab-I am in the editing stage of a 1st-authored pub, and this summer I am a research intern for a major biotech company in the Bay Area. However, none of these three experiences dealt with projects that have direct medical applications. Fortunately, I have had complete creative control over all of my projects so I have a good idea how frustrating/rewarding PhD level research can be.

Will MSTP's ask me straight out if any of my research has medical applications?

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Nuel]

Originally posted by looseygoosey
I am very new to SDN so im sure this question has been answered before. Do MSTP programs prefer applicants with medically related research or does any research using the scientific method prepare students for Medical research adequately enough?

I have 3 years of lab experience: a summer in a Plant virology lab, 2 years (including one intense summer) with a Chemical Engineering Lab-I am in the editing stage of a 1st-authored pub, and this summer I am a research intern for a major biotech company in the Bay Area. However, none of these three experiences dealt with projects that have direct medical applications. Fortunately, I have had complete creative control over all of my projects so I have a good idea how frustrating/rewarding PhD level research can be.

Will MSTP's ask me straight out if any of my research has medical applications?

Thanks

First of all a disclaimer: I am no MSTP, just an undergrad, but I will answer your question to the best of my knowledge.
Any research is good, mostly scientific. You don't need to do medically related research; if you do, it is all well and good, but it won't make any significant difference relative to research that has medical implications. Bear in mind that lots of research do exist that won't have any medical significance until much later.
What adcomms want to see is how knowledgeable you are about your research, the role you played, not just washing test-tubes and making solutions without knowing the reasons for making those solutions, and from you are saying you I safely presume you know what you did and why u did it (or them?).
And I also understand what you mean by fustration in research; I guess I just overcame one major one that has plagued me for the past one week . Good luck

 

[wgu]

Can you think of ways to expand your ChemE work to medical fields?

 

[looseygoosey]

Originally posted by wgu
Can you think of ways to expand your ChemE work to medical fields?

My ChemE work has an indirect role in medicine. Our lab is working on a new method of rDNA protein synthesis, which hopefully will drastically reduce costs of protein pharmaceutical production. So, I guess I can spin that somehow.

Thanks for the advice! One other quick question related to research. When schools, such as WashU, ask for applicants to provide information for each research experience, can research conducted in private industry be included? or do MSTPs only look at research in an academic/NIH setting?

 

[surge]

The research doesn't have to be directly medically relevant, nor does it have to be in the area you want to do your PhD in. What they are looking are people who know how to think scientifically and ask the right questions. But, as mentioned, you should always be able to answer questions about your research, including "why should we care?"

The work done in industy is absolutely acceptable as far as the MSTPs are concerned, but be careful that you're not breaking any confidentiality agreements with your company.