publications and matching

[spencerxd]

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I'm currently applying to medical schools and had a questions about undergrad publications. will they also help you when you're trying to match into your residency? Or is it more like residency programs won't care what you did in undergrad and only want to see your pubs from medical school?

Thank you.

 

[scrubswannabe]

I had a similar question before and really undergrad publications can't hurt. What you do in medical school obviously matters more, but if you can show that you've been on the right track and have been serious for even longer, I don't see how that can hurt you when it comes to matching. Good luck.

 

[fantasty]

Agreed, (assuming of course the publications are related to biomedicine)

 

[ZagDoc]

Agreed, (assuming of course the publications are related to biomedicine)

Exactly, relevancy is key. Residencies won't care if you helped research the effects of heavy metals on the development of snails.

 

[Law2Doc]

What you do in medical school obviously matters more,

I think you don't want to gloss over this portion of your statement. A big factor in valuing publications/research is how recent. You can be extensively published in undergrad and it still won't count as much as that one publication you just had in second year. But sure, everything counts a little, so you still list it.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Exactly, relevancy is key. Residencies won't care if you helped research the effects of heavy metals on the development of snails.

Yes they will. Publishing any peer reviewed paper is reflective of an abilities such as analysis and independent thinking which many programs find attractive.

 

[IllKeepDigging]

there are several medical students that have previous masters or doctorate degrees. there are also students that have taken a year or two off just to work as a research assistant. all of these students earn publications BEFORE medical school, which they are going to use when applying for residency. so it seems like a publication earned during undergraduate would count just as much.

 

[Law2Doc]

which they are going to use when applying for residency. so it seems like a publication earned during undergraduate would count just as much.

The fact that they are going to use them doesn't mean they count as much. I have made inquiries on this and have actually been advised they don't.

 

[Anka]

If you do no research in medical school, your undergrad publications are going to look old. But if you continue publishing through medical school (even if it's case reports, case series, etc.) it looks like you have a longer track record than if you had just started publishing in med school. Also, there are things that even if you do as an undergrad make you stand out -- first authored publications in well-respected journals, etc. There's also the chance that you go into a field that's related to what you published as an undergrad, in which case they'll be relevant

Anka

 

[Tired]

If you do no research in medical school, your undergrad publications are going to look old. But if you continue publishing through medical school (even if it's case reports, case series, etc.) it looks like you have a longer track record than if you had just started publishing in med school. Also, there are things that even if you do as an undergrad make you stand out -- first authored publications in well-respected journals, etc. There's also the chance that you go into a field that's related to what you published as an undergrad, in which case they'll be relevant

This is an excellent post that everyone should take seriously.

During my interviews, nothing seemed to make a bigger impact on my interviewers than when I said, "I have a track record of doing research for the last 7 years, including X number of peer-reviewed papers. Many of them were simple retrospective studies, but each project improved my understanding of how to conduct quality research and write effective papers. I believe that, as a resident in your program, I am in a great position to make significant contributions to any research projects you are conducting, as well as starting some of my own."

 

[RxnMan]

This is an excellent post that everyone should take seriously.

During my interviews, nothing seemed to make a bigger impact on my interviewers than when I said, "I have a track record of doing research for the last 7 years, including X number of peer-reviewed papers. Many of them were simple retrospective studies, but each project improved my understanding of how to conduct quality research and write effective papers. I believe that, as a resident in your program, I am in a great position to make significant contributions to any research projects you are conducting, as well as starting some of my own."

*RxnMan shamelessly copies this down for future reference*

With respect to the other posters: to my understanding, ERAS has unlimited slots for extracurriculars. If you have old pubs from ugrad/grad, then put them down. It won't hurt. You've got space for everything. Can you say something like what Tired did above? Probably not. Will interviewers ask why you stopped doing research? Sure, but you could have had other priorities - grades, clubs, mission work, etc. - so it's not a negative, but be ready for questions. If you list every possible thing you've written - HS book reviews, webpages, etc - you've gone too far and is CV inflation.

I wouldn't put anything down that I can't defend. For example, the effects of heavy metals in snails - If some PD sees that in my app and asks about it, I better have a reason for putting it there (e.g. it boils down to toxicology, which is something I have an interest in, etc.) Checking a box just to say you did is useless.

The idea on any application is telling your story and selling yourself to the interviewer. Pubs, or any EC for that matter, are just the evidence.

 

[Tired]

The idea on any application is telling your story and selling yourself to the interviewer. Pubs, or any EC for that matter, are just the evidence.

Exactly! And don't forget to come up with some short verbal summaries to use in your interviews. Everyone knows that the "Why should we take you?" or "How have these activities influenced your desire to be a physician?" questions are coming. Yet too many people haven't taken the time to prepare a short answer explaining these things, and end up sounding dumb, despite an impressive CV.

 

[soeagerun2or]

You can be extensively published in undergrad and it still won't count as much as that one publication you just had in second year.

This notion is untrue.

 

[Law2Doc]

This notion is untrue.

I got this from the horse's mouth (a person who makes residency decisions). I certainly wouldn't mind if it was untrue -- that would work better for me as well.

 

[Blade28]

Agreed, it can't hurt. List 'em.