Stressing about a dilemma

[Jpondys]

Hi all. I’m struggling with somewhat of a moral dilemma. Basically, I did some research with my mom/her non profit which ended up getting published. I wrote the introduction, discussion, and helped with data analysis etc and simple statistics. I am 3rd author. Side note we have different last names.

Anyway, I’m stressing that including it on activities will look really bad. For context I have 2+ other research experiences with over 3000 hrs and another publication, and so this isn’t my only research or pub. Regardless, I feel like I am getting conflicting advice.


Should I include on my pub list? And should I include the research experience as 1/15 activities?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[polymerization]

Having self-awareness about how you've benefited from nepotism is, oddly, very refreshing and endearing.

You said it, it is a moral dilemma. Admissions committees don't have the latitude to trace your entire ancestry, so they'll never know to even ask the question you're so anxious about. Do you do the right thing when nobody's watching? Do you think nobody's watching?

Ultimately the application is a test of integrity. You can put whatever you want on there—at your peril.

 

[LizzyM]

What is the dilemma? You did the work, the work was published, it should go on your CV (resume) forever.

Now, you aren't OBLIGATED to list everything you've ever done on the AMCAS application (there are only 15 slots) so you could omit this activity if you don't want to talk about it. I don't understand why it would look bad or if anyone would even notice (although you can also choose, or not, to list your mom's name, educational attainment and type of work she does in a section of the application about family background. ) If you didn't actually do the work and were listed like a ghost payroller, then that would look bad.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Basically, I did some research with my mom/her non profit which ended up getting published.

What type of research is this? (I agree you don't have to include everything, but I'm curious why this is a moral dilemma for you.)

 

[LunaOri]

I agree with LizzyM. You did the work, so there is no reason not to take the credit.

 

[Jpondys]

[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]" data-quote="Mr.Smile[emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]" data-source="post: 0" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

What type of research is this? (I agree you don't have to include everything, but I'm curious why this is a moral dilemma for you.)

It’s simple before after data and lifestyle medicine. Published in lower impact peer reviewed journal. I actually am interested in it I just feel a little torn

 

[Jpondys]

What is the dilemma? You did the work, the work was published, it should go on your CV (resume) forever.

Now, you aren't OBLIGATED to list everything you've ever done on the AMCAS application (there are only 15 slots) so you could omit this activity if you don't want to talk about it. I don't understand why it would look bad or if anyone would even notice (although you can also choose, or not, to list your mom's name, educational attainment and type of work she does in a section of the application about family background. ) If you didn't actually do the work and were listed like a ghost payroller, then that would look bad.

You are right. I guess it just feels weird putting my mom as a supervisor etc. obviously I will be transparent in interviews if asked and can explain the work very well. Either way I appreciate the response. Nerves just getting high as I try to work on activity section

 

[DO2015CA]

This is how nepotism works. It’s why people with doctor parents have the leg up, especially if they are in academics/research. You should include it because you did the work. If they ask how you got involved you can say it’s your mom. It’s not a moral dilemma imo. All fields take advantage of connections not just medicine. I am the first to go to college in my family so didn’t have these connections but I wouldn’t have blamed those that did…. Unless they didn’t do the actual work and were just bloating their CV

 

[Goro]

Hi all. I’m struggling with somewhat of a moral dilemma. Basically, I did some research with my mom/her non profit which ended up getting published. I wrote the introduction, discussion, and helped with data analysis etc and simple statistics. I am 3rd author. Side note we have different last names.

Anyway, I’m stressing that including it on activities will look really bad. For context I have 2+ other research experiences with over 3000 hrs and another publication, and so this isn’t my only research or pub. Regardless, I feel like I am getting conflicting advice.


Should I include on my pub list? And should I include the research experience as 1/15 activities?

Go ahead. You did the work, you should have this in your app.

You're not the first where this has happened.

Hell, I remember a story that the submitting PI put the name of her dog as a co-author on one paper. The dog's name was Galadriel...I don't know what last name she used.

The paper was published and when the journal later found out about this stunt, they banned the PI from ever publishing in their journal again!

 

[LizzyM]

You are right. I guess it just feels weird putting my mom as a supervisor etc. obviously I will be transparent in interviews if asked and can explain the work very well. Either way I appreciate the response. Nerves just getting high as I try to work on activity section

Were there any other authors or just the two of you?

 

[Jpondys]

Were there any other authors or just the two of you?

There were 5 other authors, including a corresponding author who is not at all related, she is the first author!

 

[LizzyM]

There were 5 other authors, including a corresponding author who is not at all related, she is the first author!

List the corresponding author as your contact. Easy peasy. Also, many journals will list the role of each author in the paper so it is obvious that this was not merely an honorary authorship.

 

[Jpondys]

[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]]" data-quote="LizzyM" data-source="post: 0" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

List the corresponding author as your contact. Easy peasy. Also, many journals will list the role of each author in the paper so it is obvious that this was not merely an honorary authorship.

Not to beat a dead horse, but I feel like what’s genuine is to put my mother as contact- I don’t want to seem like I’m hiding something. Either way I appreciate your advice!

 

[LizzyM]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I feel like what’s genuine is to put my mother as contact- I don’t want to seem like I’m hiding something. Either way I appreciate your advice!

Well, rather than a dead horse, you'd be a stubborn mule. The corresponding author is the correct contact.