Publications as a premed

[knight3w]

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I have a few publications as a premed including publications in PNAS, Nature and Science with a NEJM on the way (I kid you not, seriously it was a crazy fluke). I also have a first author paper in a small time journal.

Can anyone tell me what this will mean for applying to residency? I am starting medical school in the fall and I am curious about what my publication record will mean. Do I need straight honor's? Should I continue research or move on to international service projects? What advice to the readers have for this poster and this poster's new medical school path?

Thanks.

 

[soeagerun2or]

What do you want to do and how much did you contribute to these projects?

 

[IHeartNerds]

This is highly variable. Some specialties want research/pubs in their field (ortho comes to mind). Many super-competitive residencies have lots of students who got publications in UG, as well as in medical school. Although pubs are great, and you sound accomplished, being say the 7th author on a gigantic list in a Nature paper is not as impressive to many program directors (this is not my opinion, this is what I've heard from them) as first authorship.

End verdict? I think you have a great start but this is not the end-all-be-all to a residency application. Clinical grades will be looked at way more than anything else, regardless of your publications. Step I will be weighted heavily as well.

 

[Law2Doc]

End verdict? I think you have a great start but this is not the end-all-be-all to a residency application.

Agree. This will be helpful and you will absolutely list them when you apply. But residencies tend to value more recent publications more, so you'd want to continue some research while in med school if you find you have the time. A well targeted peer reviewed publication in a specific specialty done later in med school probably outweighs a better journal publication done a few years before med school.

As the prior poster indicated, doing well in the core clinical rotations (3rd year) and on Step 1 will be the major determination of your residency options.

 

[giantaxon]

deleted deleted deleted

 

[knight3w]

What do you want to do and how much did you contribute to these projects?

I contributed quite a big but my position on the list didn't always represent it. Of course my first author paper was totally my own work.

I am not sure exactly what I want to go into but I expect it will be something specialized like ophtho, rad onc, radiology...

Thanks.

 

[soeagerun2or]

I contributed quite a big but my position on the list didn't always represent it. Of course my first author paper was totally my own work.

I am not sure exactly what I want to go into but I expect it will be something specialized like ophtho, rad onc, radiology...

Thanks.

Use your successful track record to secure a position with a clinical investigator in the field you are most interested in (or the most competitive) who can introduce you to the players and write meaningful letters on your behalf. Unfortuneately, if you sit around for 4 years and don't continue publishing you'll look like you got lucky as an undergrad.

 

[njbmd]

I contributed quite a big but my position on the list didn't always represent it. Of course my first author paper was totally my own work.

I am not sure exactly what I want to go into but I expect it will be something specialized like ophtho, rad onc, radiology...

Thanks.

Your publications will not mean much unless you have the medical school grades/board scores to be competitive for those specialties. If you are not in the top 25% of your class (easier said than done) no publication/research pre-med or otherwise is going to do much for you.

Wait and see where you are in three years (toward the end of year 3) then think about specialties.

 

[angry energy]

you are a grade A tool for asking this. and if you truly don't know, then youre a grade A *****.

yes, those publications will help significantly. class standing is overrated. kill your board exams (or at minimum 240) and any field is open to you (tho perhaps not at the location to your liking).

1. boards
2. letters of recc
3. research

most important things for competitive specialties. you have 3. work on 1 and 2. good luck.

 

[knight3w]

you are a grade A tool for asking this. and if you truly don't know, then youre a grade A *****.

yes, those publications will help significantly. class standing is overrated. kill your board exams (or at minimum 240) and any field is open to you (tho perhaps not at the location to your liking).

1. boards
2. letters of recc
3. research

most important things for competitive specialties. you have 3. work on 1 and 2. good luck.

Thanks for your opinion. I'll just ignore the personal attacks and credit that to your angry energy.

 

[angry energy]

good boy. you'll do well in caustic fields. kudos, and keep up the strong work.

 

[illixir]

It'll help but I would think after boards and clinical grades/recs are considered, pubs you get during med school related to your chosen specialty will mean more than the undergrad pubs.

 

[HEADintheCLOUDS]

Probably not help you, but not hurt you either. During premed I actually published many articles, first author, in more reputable journals and i have found out it doesnt really matter as much as med school research does!

 

[Scintillation]

I would just skip med school and go directly into the match with papers like those.

 

[knight3w]

I would just skip med school and go directly into the match with papers like those.

Perfect. Do you think somewhere would give me an honorary medical degree?

Actually, I just had a big manuscript accepted in the past week and I am super stoked. Its probably better for my ego than it is for anything else but it is nice for the ego.

I know I am super lucky but this is a situation where my hard work met an opportunity. I do plan on continuing research in medical school. I was just trying to gauge how much this would help.

Thanks.

 

[nekrogg]

I would just skip med school and go directly into the match with papers like those.

really, dont be angry cause the OP worked harder than you did in undergrad.


To the OP: I would do some research in the field you are interested in as as other said, many fields desire such. While undergrad research helps, sometimes i get the feeling that residency people look at is as almost a past life. Pretty much, dont slack off 🙂.

 

[knight3w]

really, dont be angry cause the OP worked harder than you did in undergrad.


To the OP: I would do some research in the field you are interested in as as other said, many fields desire such. While undergrad research helps, sometimes i get the feeling that residency people look at is as almost a past life. Pretty much, dont slack off 🙂.

Well actually the pubs were during a few years that I took off after undergrad and before starting medical school. I was ready to rock these years however after undergrad.