Research Importance

[HappEness]

I have one semester of research experience in a stem cell GI lab. I was just a research assistant, helping out with PCRs, cryosectioning, and staining. I did not get on a publication nor lead a research project. I am an incoming junior applying for medical school next June (2018). Should I be involved in more research or is one semester of research enough to successfully get into med school (assuming grades and MCAT are 93+ percentile, recs are good, and interview goes smoothly)? I am just looking for a "safe" option. Also, how much would it help me to get a paper published? (Is it viewed favorably or too common?)

Thank you all for your help. Just a little background, I am a first generation college student at UC Berkeley.

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[Catalystik]

I have one semester of research experience in a stem cell GI lab. I was just a research assistant, helping out with PCRs, cryosectioning, and staining. I did not get on a publication nor lead a research project. I am an incoming junior applying for medical school next June (2018). Should I be involved in more research or is one semester of research enough to successfully get into med school (assuming grades and MCAT are 93+ percentile, recs are good, and interview goes smoothly)? I am just looking for a "safe" option. Also, how much would it help me to get a paper published? (Is it viewed favorably or too common?)

For general application purposes, the research you have is fine, assuming you've gained an understanding of the scientific method as it relates to your project. If you aim to get into one of the highly-selective, research-oriented top schools, another 1.5 years of research would be helpful. Of course, you won't know if you're a reasonable candidate for one of those until you get an MCAT score. Publications aren't as important as having creative control over a research project in which you are involved, but they are looked on favorably.

 

[DameJulie]

More and more students are getting engaged in research now, at my school they became one of the most popular EC.