Qualifying experience

[Ariadne]

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After the reading the 'What are my chances' thread, I'm curious if some of the things I've done will be considered as relevant research experience for an MD/PhD program.

I've worked as a clinical research assistant (paid, not volunteer) for two different medical schools over the past several years. In each setting, I was/am involved in the data collection/execution parts of large clinical research and investigational drug studies. While I haven't been involved in planning the studies or analyzing the data, I do actually work with patients doing interviews, etc.

Will this be regarded as research experience?

 

[dmblue]

After the reading the 'What are my chances' thread, I'm curious if some of the things I've done will be considered as relevant research experience for an MD/PhD program.

I've worked as a clinical research assistant (paid, not volunteer) for two different medical schools over the past several years. In each setting, I was/am involved in the data collection/execution parts of large clinical research and investigational drug studies. While I haven't been involved in planning the studies or analyzing the data, I do actually work with patients doing interviews, etc.

Will this be regarded as research experience?

I think so, but it probably won't be viewed as favorably as more independent research where you do analysis etc.

I may be wrong though

 

[imbored]

After the reading the 'What are my chances' thread, I'm curious if some of the things I've done will be considered as relevant research experience for an MD/PhD program.

I've worked as a clinical research assistant (paid, not volunteer) for two different medical schools over the past several years. In each setting, I was/am involved in the data collection/execution parts of large clinical research and investigational drug studies. While I haven't been involved in planning the studies or analyzing the data, I do actually work with patients doing interviews, etc.

Will this be regarded as research experience?

I feel like it is technically regarded as research experience, but not very strong. It would be best for you to have a more intellectual role on the project (like the analysis and interpretations) rather than just interviewing. This would be better not just for the admissions process, but will also be good for you to have a better sense of what true research is going to be like.

 

[itsallthesame]

Also some schools will have a preference towards people with wet lab experience. Not all, and nothing is a hard fast rule, but many programs want people with a commitment to and proven skills in basic science research.

 

[Ariadne]

Also some schools will have a preference towards people with wet lab experience. Not all, and nothing is a hard fast rule, but many programs want people with a commitment to and proven skills in basic science research.

I also have wet lab experience.

Basically, I'm trying to gauge where in the "has research experience" spectrum I fit into. Although I haven't been involved with analysis/interpretations for the clinical-based work, I've gained a lot of insight into what it is to work with human subjects (i.e. HIPPA, dealing with self-report data, etc.), which also seems like an important aspect of research. But I wasn't sure if MD/PhD programs would see it that way...

 

[imbored]

I also have wet lab experience.

Basically, I'm trying to gauge where in the "has research experience" spectrum I fit into. Although I haven't been involved with analysis/interpretations for the clinical-based work, I've gained a lot of insight into what it is to work with human subjects (i.e. HIPPA, dealing with self-report data, etc.), which also seems like an important aspect of research. But I wasn't sure if MD/PhD programs would see it that way...

I think these things are relatively minor compared to an intellectual contribution. They want to be sure that you can handle an independent project, since that is what you will be doing during your graduate school years and in your career. Indeed, the majority of successful MD-Phd applicants were able to participate in an independent project of some sort before they applied.