Publication Inquiry

[PrinceElvis97]

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Hello Everyone,

I was fortunate to join a lab last year where I was placed on a project that was near termination. I mainly assisted with the writing of the publication- specifically researching and writing the appropriate background information and analyzing the data and results in the discussion portion. Does this seem unorthodox or subpar because I wasn’t involved in the lab work? Can I expect this to look like valuable research experience because I did learn to apply the scientific method.

Also, we submitted the paper to our peer reviewed medical school journal and It was accepted and I was the first author. Does this look alright to you all? Will it be looked at favorably?
@Catalystik @LizzyM @gonnif @Goro

Thanks for your help!

 

[907914]

Hello Everyone,

I was fortunate to join a lab last year where I was placed on a project that was near termination. I mainly assisted with the writing of the publication- specifically researching and writing the appropriate background information and analyzing the data and results in the discussion portion. Is this fine for me to put on my app?

Also, we submitted the paper to our peer reviewed medical school journal and It was accepted and I was the first author. Does this look alright to you all?
@Catalystik @LizzyM @gonnif @Goro

Thanks for your help!

If you can speak confidently about the contents of the publication, your timing matters not in the slightest. A pub is a pub is a pub

 

[Goro]

Hello Everyone,

I was fortunate to join a lab last year where I was placed on a project that was near termination. I mainly assisted with the writing of the publication- specifically researching and writing the appropriate background information and analyzing the data and results in the discussion portion. Does this seem unorthodox or subpar? Can I expect this to look like valuable research experience because I did learn to apply the scientific method.

Also, we submitted the paper to our peer reviewed medical school journal and It was accepted and I was the first author. Does this look alright to you all? Will it be looked at favorably?
@Catalystik @LizzyM @gonnif @Goro

Thanks for your help!

This is great.

 

[PrinceElvis97]

If you can speak confidently about the contents of the publication, your timing matters not in the slightest. A pub is a pub is a pub

Thank you for your response! I am just worried because even though I did assist with background research and data analysis in the publication. I wasn’t actually involved with the wet lab/ clinical portion. So I’m worried if this seems unorthodox because the pi recognized my statistical skills and recruited me to help directly with the publication.

 

[907914]

Thank you for your response! I am just worried because even though I did assist with background research and data analysis in the publication. I wasn’t actually involved with the wet lab/ clinical portion. So I’m worried if this seems unorthodox because the pi recognized my statistical skills and recruited me to help directly with the publication.

A publication is a publication. Go in with confidence when you talk about it. Doing the statistics is just as important as the wet lab. Without terminal analysis, it is just raw data. Your contribution was vital to this publication. Don’t downplay it. Own it.

 

[Catalystik]

I was fortunate to join a lab last year where I was placed on a project that was near termination. I mainly assisted with the writing of the publication- specifically researching and writing the appropriate background information and analyzing the data and results in the discussion portion. Does this seem unorthodox or subpar because I wasn’t involved in the lab work? Can I expect this to look like valuable research experience because I did learn to apply the scientific method.

Also, we submitted the paper to our peer reviewed medical school journal and It was accepted and I was the first author. Does this look alright to you all? Will it be looked at favorably?
@Catalystik @LizzyM @gonnif @Goro

My lab's statistician is always listed as an author. I doubt he has as thorough an understanding of our projects as you do for yours. I think you'll "look" fine.

 

[PrinceElvis97]

My lab's statistician is always listed as an author. I doubt he has as thorough an understanding of our projects as you do for yours. I think you'll "look" fine.

1. A concern I have is that my research experience won't be valued because I wasn't involved with the lab work component that most people have. I basically came in and assisted with analyzing the data, and writing the publication.

2. I was hoping to get your take on this.... I published as a first author in my medical school journal, so not necessarily a science journal per se. However, it went through a council of doctors and scientist reviewers who had to accept it. All though not on Pubmed, if you type my name you would locate the paper online. Would you still view this favorably? Is it still considered as a valued publication?

Sorry if I sound repetitive. I appreciate your response.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

"peer reviewed- medical school journal" meaning it's distributed within your school only?

 

[PrinceElvis97]

"peer reviewed- medical school journal" meaning it's distributed within your school only?

Meaning that in order to be published it was passed through a council of doctors/ scientists who had to review it and accept it. The journal- specific to our medical school- is a database that is available online and is available to be viewed by everyone.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Meaning that in order to be published it was passed through a council of doctors/ scientists who had to review it and accept it. The journal is a database that is available online and is available to be viewed by everyone.

great. I don't think publications needs to be in science magazines. Lot of medical research is very targeted.

 

[Catalystik]

1. A concern I have is that my research experience won't be valued because I wasn't involved with the lab work component that most people have. I basically came in and assisted with analyzing the data, and writing the publication.

2. I was hoping to get your take on this.... I published as a first author in my medical school journal, so not necessarily a science journal per se. However, it went through a council of doctors and scientist reviewers who had to accept it. All though not on Pubmed, if you type my name you would locate the paper online. Would you still view this favorably? Is it still considered as a valued publication?

Sorry if I sound repetitive. I appreciate your response.

1) The point of getting involved in research prior to med school application is to gain an understanding of the scientific method. Some applicants get involved in years' long projects at the beginning and never see all the results, the data analysis, or conclusions. Are their contributions to be less valued? Of course not. Research is a team sport. Just be honest about your role in the project. That you were recruited to do data analysis speaks well of you, so mention that, too.

2) That you have any science pub, and first-author at that, still carries some weight. Publications in campus journals don't carry the same luster as those in regional or national journals. Peer review is generally assumed to be less rigorous. Adcomms won't know what your paper went through prior to gain an acceptance or that it's available through a database unless you tell them. On the application, perhaps you could also include a link to the site where it can be found, for any med school adcomm member interested in looking it up.

Are you barred from submitting the manuscript to a noncampus journal? Would your PI agree to it?

 

[Hopefulpremed123]

I think the wise @gonnif can also include his opinion on the matter here!

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

1) The point of getting involved in research prior to med school application is to gain an understanding of the scientific method. Some applicants get involved in years' long projects at the beginning and never see all the results, the data analysis, or conclusions. Are their contributions to be less valued? Of course not. Research is a team sport. Just be honest about your role in the project. That you were recruited to do data analysis speaks well of you, so mention that, too.

2) That you have any science pub, and first-author at that, still carries some weight. Publications in campus journals don't carry the same luster as those in regional or national journals. Peer review is generally assumed to be less rigorous. Adcomms won't know what your paper went through prior to gain an acceptance or that it's available through a database unless you tell them. On the application, perhaps you could also include a link to the site where it can be found, for any med school adcomm member interested in looking it up.

Are you barred from submitting the manuscript to a noncampus journal? Would your PI agree to it?

If there are multiple authors, aren't the roles described?

 

[LizzyM]

This doesn't sound as if it has really been published but merely peer reviewed and deposited in an online database of work done at the school. Was this done as a requirement for your degree? Are you prohibited from submitting it for publication in a peer-reviewed journal outside of your school, one that would appear in PubMed?

Having bench research experience is not required; having skills as a data analyst are valuable and may serve you well in years to come.