Significance of case report research and help with meaningful experiences

[premed613]

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I recently shadowed a doctor and assisted him with research. I was fortunate to write up a case report for him as first author and it has been recently submitted. I was wondering if this was considered something significant, since theres a good chance it will be published? Should I push off submitting my app 4-6 weeks which is when I'll hear back about acceptance? Is this considered a significant publication which will help my application or case reports are not so impressive? I did not spend hundreds of hours on it like academic research I've done at my school but it taught me a lot about the process and how it is important to have research in order to help improve the future of medicine... Can I write about this as a most meaningful experience if its only been like a total of ~70 hours including shadowing?

Is there any advice you have in regards to application writing? I am trying to follow guidelines instructed on SDN but I am still inexperienced. What should I address in most meaningful experience essays? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[premed613]

bump

 

[stgt9202]

I believe that you should submit your app and once you have the case report published, you can send that as an update to schools. That way it will keep your file active and show adcoms that you are interested enough in their schools to send them an update. And a case report is still significant! I don't think it is as significant as a publication on bench work or clinical research that occurred over a year long period, but it still shows that you've taken a role in something and got something accomplished.
Now how to put it on your AMCAS....I think that if you cannot find other experiences that would fill up the 3 most meaningful experiences spot, you may use this as that...but it would be more thoughtful and mature to read about a meaningful experience where you've spent a significant amount of time on, like 6 months+. just my 2cents

 

[Goro]

This is important IF published. Publications by pre-meds are uncommon. But I don't recommend delaying just for the hope that it's accepted. For schools that accept updates, send an update that it's "in Press".


I fear that you'll appear extremely superficial and one-dimensional if you use this as one of the most significant events in your life. You can do better.
Can I write about this as a most meaningful experience if its only been like a total of ~70 hours including shadowing?

One thing that you wan tot avoid is appearing to have an extremely sheltered life.
What should I address in most meaningful experience essays? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.[/QUOTE]

 

[seeinghowitgoes]

Agree with the above that a case report is nice because not many pre-meds have any type of pub, but can't imagine it's going to be a deal breaker either way so don't delay submitting.

Also just want to clarify one point - a case report is not research. You may have searched the literature to write a case report, but it was not hypothesis driven and you didn't do it in a systematic way (I.e. a systematic review) that would warrant selling it as research. I say this as a PSA only because If I read an app in which somebody trying to sell a case report as teaching them the importance of research I would question whether they understand what research is. Case reports are nice because they can provide you a chance to learn about a topic, prove your interest in clinical medicine and reading the literature, and improve writing abilities, but again they teach very little about research. In my opinion, overselling experiences, purposefully or not, is dangerous. If I ever see it from an interview (and I have a couple times) I absolutely bring it up to the admissions committee that somebody is either naive or trying to inflate their experiences.