Research Question - Paper or no paper

[Funke]

I'm in the midst of choosing a summer research project, and I currently have two. One is with a sociologist on a public health topic that could possible produce a paper published in a sociology journal (only possibly). The other is a cancer genetics project with a pathologist doing PCRs all summer and finding lower detection rates. This project does not sound like it is going to lead to a paper.

Which one would be better to do? I have no idea what specialty I'll be going for, only that I want to be a competitive applicant with research under my belt. I'm also wondering if the sociology/public health paper would count as legitimate research for residency applications if it's not published in a medical journal.

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[HelpPleaseMD]

paper. pubic health is health! there is a huge push for quality improvement projects in medicine. you will likely learn more translatable skills working with the sociologist rather than doing PCR all summer.

 

[.hematoma.]

I'm in the midst of choosing a summer research project, and I currently have two. One is with a sociologist on a public health topic that could possible produce a paper published in a sociology journal (only possibly). The other is a cancer genetics project with a pathologist doing PCRs all summer and finding lower detection rates. This project does not sound like it is going to lead to a paper.

Which one would be better to do? I have no idea what specialty I'll be going for, only that I want to be a competitive applicant with research under my belt. I'm also wondering if the sociology/public health paper would count as legitimate research for residency applications if it's not published in a medical journal.

I'd go for the pub any day, but of course if you like the work. If you don't like it, it'll show, and the pub may be even harder to get.

 

[Salt Salt]

I think the short length of the project would make me choose the more accessible option with the less steep learning curve (sociology/public health). Of course, if it's pubs you're interested in, there may be tactful ways to get info about the likelihood of a pub... Better than guesswork.


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[ru4real1666]

+1 for publication.

 

[LilySmith]

What did you choose?