Research

[bor0000]

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What could a predental student do research in to impress the dental schools? obviously not math/physics?

 

[trypmo]

Well, in my experience, DS adcoms are pretty dang impressed with math/physics research. At least it makes you stand out in the crowd and shows you have half a brain or so. 🙂

 

[bor0000]

thanks. so i think i should try to do biophysics research! i.e. i noticed a professor in 1 of our depts is doing this thing with lasers(tweezers). otherwise, if i just do pure math, im afraid i wont be able to answer the question "how is your research relevant to dentistry?"

but i plan to do research only starting next summer(after my junior year). And i wonder if i should email that professor and ask him if i could do anything/take appropriate courses so that i could later have chances to do research in his lab, or it's a bad tone to bother professors like this? and im afraid if i cant do research in his lab, i'll be really messed up, because i dont have enough physics or biology to be doing any research in any other labs that i looked at.

 

[heyitscyndi]

I think that by being involved in any type of research would look good. Just by being involved with the scientific process shows that you have the critical thinking skills necessary to be successful and that you can handle school work plus other time consuming work.

When I was first interested in doing research I talked to the professors about it a semester before I actually started. It showed them that I was interested and gave them an opportunity to get to know me better before I joined the team. So I would definately get in touch with those teachers if I were you. I also checked back with them a couple times throughout the semester just to let them know that I was still interested. The lab that I work in has nothing to do with dentistry, but it is cool to conduct experiments and collect and interpret data that there aren't "correct" answers to (like in a chemistry class for example).

 

[EyeAmCommi]

Working in a research lab setting might expose you to some things relevant to dental research. Simply handling pipetmans and PCR machines gives you a jump start where as working in an office somewhere doing math related things might not. But then again research is research, it fills in one category of the application regardless.

 

[Pikeyman]

What could a predental student do research in to impress the dental schools? obviously not math/physics?

I'm sorry but is it just me or does this question bring up a picture in your mind of some poser asking some dude how to impress girls?

Just do whatever you are interested in and get awesome in it. I know it's a cliche but just be yourself.

Oh, by the way, it goes the same way for dating, too.

Just remember: there are people that go for hooters and those for big asses. If everyone went for hooters, women with big asses would be extinct by now. I know it's a terrible analogy but I think it works to a certain degree.

For women with big asses and hooters:
Please call: "1-800-expriencenow" and ask for Pikeyman.

 

[DDS2BE]

it does not make absolutely any difference what kind of research you have participated in or done as long as you can answer ADCOM's research related question and show enthusiasm towards your research.

Having done a research is a plus, especially for those applying to research-oriented schools.

 

[trypmo]

thanks. so i think i should try to do biophysics research! i.e. i noticed a professor in 1 of our depts is doing this thing with lasers(tweezers). otherwise, if i just do pure math, im afraid i wont be able to answer the question "how is your research relevant to dentistry?"

but i plan to do research only starting next summer(after my junior year). And i wonder if i should email that professor and ask him if i could do anything/take appropriate courses so that i could later have chances to do research in his lab, or it's a bad tone to bother professors like this? and im afraid if i cant do research in his lab, i'll be really messed up, because i dont have enough physics or biology to be doing any research in any other labs that i looked at.

Is your background mainly math? Laser tweezers are awesome and fun, especially when applied to biological materials, so if you've got a shot at working in that lab it might be really enjoyable.

As far as approaching the prof, my opinion is that asking what kinds of classes would make you a good candidate for research in their lab would be a big plus: it shows you're thinking ahead, you have a more-than-fleeting interest, and that you're willing to "do your homework" (even literally!) on the research subject you'd be approaching there.

A drop-by visit (or better, an appointment to see them) would probably make a better impression on the prof than just an email, though, and it gives the prof an opportunity to show you their lab if they're so inclined. I've seen people taken on for research right away in situations like that (not something one should count on, but it's possible).

Best of luck! PM me if you'd like to talk shop about lasers 🙂

 

[bor0000]

Thank you! Actually i'm not even sure what i want to do research in and what classes to take next year. I may concentrate in math but not sure if i could handle all the math... And i did research in some physiology during my freshman year, it was all right, but not to my taste.

That professor i mentioned taught my gen chem class in freshman year. And he mentioned the laser tweezers back then. I could pm you his research lab page if you want. Because i dont know anything about it... He also teaches an optics class in the physics dept. All that i know is that he's doing biology and physics, and it seemed interesting. But in fact, it is i think mostly physics. And i certainly dont want to do any research this year, but only next summer. I dont know if i ask him questions and he'll think that im really into research, but in fact im not. I am just curious. I am really also curious what courses are necessary but also sufficient in order to do undergrad physics research? Is just the quantum mechanics sequence necessary and sufficient? Or even more useful is to take various other courses instead, like optics, electrodynamics? What if i want to do reserach in something like neuroscience instead? My background in biology is also rather weak, because i havent taken upper level courses in any depts yet, though i may this year, just dont know in what subject.