Research with physics professor

[tracerspiff]

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Hello,

My physics professor apparently offers the chance to not do the traditional associated lab course for his physics class with him for the spring semester, and instead do some kind of research with him that ends in a presentation. This kind of research for just one semester - and kind of as part of a class - does this happen a lot?

Also, there is no chance of continuity - it's interesting but I already work in another lab and wouldn't be able to handle the commitment for semesters afterwards. But how would about 100 hours of research done over the course of a single semester look? As in, would it be looked down upon by admissions committees? I believe they prefer longitudinal research/accomplishing something, but also understanding the scientific process.

I am not interested in research as a career and I believe I have enough exposure from my lab to the scientific process. So would adding on this other research opportunity be "cost-efficient"?

I know the bottom line is if I'm interested, I should do it, but I am interested and trying to balance it against my other pursuits.

 

[DocFarnsworth]

Any chance to get a pub from it? I've personally never heard of a professor offering something like this. Seems like a good gig though if it's legit.


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[Fluffy123]

The problem is every med school requires physics I and II with lab. Whether this replaces the requirement is up in the air because it is nontraditional. That is a bigger concern more than anything.

 

[tracerspiff]

DocFarnsworth neither have I haha but it's interesting!

Fluffy123 - The way my physics class works is that there is a lecture and lab component where you sign up for times in both, but they are not actually separate classes. It just so happens that for this, the lab component becomes replaced with working in the professor's lab! I know that physics I and II need lab but my school combines the lab and lecture portions, so the course description just includes lab in it. The transcript notation should look identical, as far as I know -- but I'll ask and thanks for the word of caution!

 

[Dandine]

@tracerspiff Some schools (including my undergrad) do this for biology lab; they allow students to work with faculty instead of taking a traditional lab course for credit.

I would only do this if you'd prefer the environment of this faculty's lab (read: topic of research and work you'd be doing) rather than a lab course. Consider your schedule, however, and potentially overloading yourself. I'd ask the faculty for more info about the project just so you'd know what you'd be doing.

As far as med schools' perception, it would likely depend on the school. An adcom would give a better idea of how this looks.

Long story short, if it were me I wouldn't do it given the other lab commitments, but I know some people prefer working on a longer project rather than multiple smaller, "random" write-ups, so I'm curious about this as well.

 

[tracerspiff]

Dandine - Fair point, as the normal lab only takes like 3 hours a week and no out-of-class work, while the lab asks for at least 5 and preferably ten more hours a week...hm.

For the top 20 medical schools, I know that research is more or less essential - is the implication that you're meant to continue it at those schools, or just that the scientific process is important for being a physician and that's why they select for people who have done research? Or that your past accomplishments will become part of the school's prestige?

 

[booksandcigarettes]

On the condition that medical schools are fine with you substituting regular lab with this non-trad lab, I would nudge you towards the latter. I think that you would get a lot more out of a semester long project as opposed 5-6 short lab tasks. Particularly if you enjoy research and the scientific process, you'll find the it more enriching. I'm currently finishing up a PhD in physics, so I can't say there's no bias in my opinion 😉

Good luck!