Presenting Research and Residency Applications

[PabsMD]

Hello all,

I am a rising M2 and have been doing research this summer. I have been given the option of presenting the poster of an abstract that I am the first author on at a conference in Germany this fall.

However, I will be responsible for covering most of the cost of this trip and it is rather expensive given my med school income (i.e. none whatsoever). Also, I need to miss a week of school next semester for the conference.

This research will most likely not be published in any journal, so my question is how to balance the pros and cons of the experience in light of putting the experience on my CV and eventually using it on residency applications. Is presenting but not publishing impressive enough to warrant the time, effort, and money?

Thanks!

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[kdburton]

Hello all,

I am a rising M2 and have been doing research this summer. I have been given the option of presenting the poster of an abstract that I am the first author on at a conference in Germany this fall.

However, I will be responsible for covering most of the cost of this trip and it is rather expensive given my med school income (i.e. none whatsoever). Also, I need to miss a week of school next semester for the conference.

This research will most likely not be published in any journal, so my question is how to balance the pros and cons of the experience in light of putting the experience on my CV and eventually using it on residency applications. Is presenting but not publishing impressive enough to warrant the time, effort, and money?

Thanks!

Is a journal sponsoring the event? I've heard that if your research is picked to be presented at a conference then the sponsoring journal will publish your abstract, so maybe you'll actually get something published in a journal after all?

 

[PabsMD]

Is a journal sponsoring the event? I've heard that if your research is picked to be presented at a conference then the sponsoring journal will publish your abstract, so maybe you'll actually get something published in a journal after all?

That may be a possibility. The conference is The International Society for Neuroimaging in Psychiatry (ISNIP) and the EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Society (ECNS) and ECNS has its own journal.

Thanks for the thought; I'll have to ask my PI.

 

[soeagerun2or]

If you submit the abstract and it is peer reviewed and accepted for the conference you may list it under the "abstracts" section of a CV without attending the conference. Even if the abstracts from the conference are published in the journal, it does not count as a "publication." For that you would have to write a paper (original research, review, or case report/series) and have it accepted to the journal.

Regardless of whether or not you choose to submit to and/or attend the conference, you may list the experience under the "research experience" section of a CV.

 

[Blade28]

Agree with the above posts.

Having an abstract accepted by a meeting is great! Presenting a poster is also a great opportunity to work on your presentation skills (in addition to beefing up your CV).

Most large regional/national/international conferences are "tied in" to a journal - in fact, with many of these meetings one of the conditions of submitting an abstract for consideration is that if said abstract is indeed accepted, you're obligated to submit a paper to their journal by a certain date (often around the time of the meeting). There's no guarantee, of course, that the paper will be accepted, but they get "first dibs" (so to speak) on your research before you can submit it anywhere else.

So check with your PI and make sure a paper submission isn't also required! And check to see if there are any affiliated journals.

You sure your med school won't reimburse any of the costs of traveling to this conference? Many schools will partially pay for the trip (airfare and hotel) if you're presenting.

 

[PabsMD]

You sure your med school won't reimburse any of the costs of traveling to this conference? Many schools will partially pay for the trip (airfare and hotel) if you're presenting.

The department where I am working this summer does not have extra funds. I suppose I could ask the Student Affairs office if they sponsor student research. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Blade28]

The department where I am working this summer does not have extra funds. I suppose I could ask the Student Affairs office if they sponsor student research. Thanks for the suggestion!

Usually the med school itself (not the Department of Psychiatry, or whoever you're going through) will sponsor trips to conferences (if you're presenting).

Best of luck!

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I wouldn't go if you have to pay for it yourself. A presentation is hardly worth that trouble.

 

[PabsMD]

Usually the med school itself (not the Department of Psychiatry, or whoever you're going through) will sponsor trips to conferences (if you're presenting).

Best of luck!

Thanks Blade. Apparently the school cannot help with international travel (I attend a state university). Thanks so much for the suggestion.

 

[Blade28]

Thanks Blade. Apparently the school cannot help with international travel (I attend a state university). Thanks so much for the suggestion.

Ah...that's too bad.