Waitlist Updates: Abstract and Manuscripts?

[SirCardiac]

I know that unless a research paper is published and searchable on PubMed, it doesn't really hold any weight. I had a case report and abstract submitted with my name as a co-author recently but nothing further. Since waitlist movement is happening now, how can I update schools about this? Do I send a copy of the abstract or manuscript? Is this frowned upon? I want to update schools regarding my current accomplishments but I also cannot guarantee anything. Especially if the case report or paper ultimately gets turned down, I don't want schools to use this against me. Please advise.

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[Lawpy]

I know that unless a research paper is published and searchable on PubMed, it doesn't really hold any weight. I had a case report and abstract submitted with my name as a co-author recently but nothing further. Since waitlist movement is happening now, how can I update schools about this? Do I send a copy of the abstract or manuscript? Is this frowned upon? I want to update schools regarding my current accomplishments but I also cannot guarantee anything. Especially if the case report or paper ultimately gets turned down, I don't want schools to use this against me. Please advise.

This is what @Goro had said in the past on a related topic

You really think that the Admissions dean is going to run screaming to the Adcom saying "We have to accept this kid!!! They just submitted a paper!!!!!!"

I could write something in crayon on a brown paper bag, send it to Nature, and it's also a "manuscript in submission".

He's right. Anyone can submit a manuscript. It's much more difficult to get that manuscript accepted and published.

 

[cactusman]

This is what @Goro had said in the past on a related topic

You really think that the Admissions dean is going to run screaming to the Adcom saying "We have to accept this kid!!! They just submitted a paper!!!!!!"

I could write something in crayon on a brown paper bag, send it to Nature, and it's also a "manuscript in submission".

He's right. Anyone can submit a manuscript. It's much more difficult to get that manuscript accepted and published.

Yeah, but my brown paper bag was pretty unique. I don't think Nature sees such innovative research often.

 

[boogiecousins94]

what if you work in a lab at a very well regarded institution that publishes quite often and never really gets rejected? Obviously I know only submitted means nothing, but if you like work in a well known lab at like Penn or something (I don't work there, I work somewhere else well regarded) that publishes all the time and you put submitted manuscript on your primary, what are the chances an adcom would look on pubmed to see if it was accepted (assuming you apply in June and they look a few months later like august/september)?

Also idk how to word that without it sounding like a humble brag I'm just curious is you were to put a submitted manuscript and you work in a well known lab would an adcom look to see if it ended up on pubmed when they look at your app?

 

[Shirafune]

what if you work in a lab at a very well regarded institution that publishes quite often and never really gets rejected? Obviously I know only submitted means nothing, but if you like work in a well known lab at like Penn or something (I don't work there, I work somewhere else well regarded) that publishes all the time and you put submitted manuscript on your primary, what are the chances an adcom would look on pubmed to see if it was accepted (assuming you apply in June and they look a few months later like august/september)?

Also idk how to word that without it sounding like a humble brag I'm just curious is you were to put a submitted manuscript and you work in a well known lab would an adcom look to see if it ended up on pubmed when they look at your app?

Your well-known lab may not be well-known to the screener reading your application. Most won't care if it's submitted but doesn't pan out to a pub 6 months down the line. All faculty know how long it can take to get something published.

Put it on your primary, but don't think overthink it.

 

[Goro]

Your well-known lab may not be well-known to the screener reading your application. Most won't care if it's submitted but doesn't pan out to a pub 6 months down the line. All faculty know how long it can take to get something published.

Put it on your primary, but don't think overthink it.

This.

 

[ohiowannabedoc]

I had a similar question. I am currently hoping to get off waitlist status and very recently received co-author credit for a paper (it was accepted last week by the journal and is currently "in-press"). Would this provide any edge to at least getting a better spot on the waitlist? Also, I've submitted some abstracts for conferences/poster sessions this summer that have been accepted. Would adcoms really care about this or should I not even bother sending an update including this information? Any help is appreciated.

 

[Shirafune]

I had a similar question. I am currently hoping to get off waitlist status and very recently received co-author credit for a paper (it was accepted last week by the journal and is currently "in-press"). Would this provide any edge to at least getting a better spot on the waitlist? Also, I've submitted some abstracts for conferences/poster sessions this summer that have been accepted. Would adcoms really care about this or should I not even bother sending an update including this information? Any help is appreciated.

Yes, update schools with accepted publications (and abstracts/poster sessions).

 

[aldol16]

I could write something in crayon on a brown paper bag, send it to Nature, and it's also a "manuscript in submission".

He's right. Anyone can submit a manuscript. It's much more difficult to get that manuscript accepted and published.

You obviously haven't heard of a direct submission to PNAS with a prearranged editor or a contributed PNAS paper

There are also submission fees which discourage just anybody from submitting a paper and wasting editors' precious time (although they're fairly low).

Also (not that I have a better way of doing it), judging the scientific validity of a work by whether it is accepted by any particular journal for publication can be misleading. When we peer review papers, we review not only its scientific foundation and logic but also whether that paper is suitable for the quality of the journal we are reviewing for and whether it makes the impact that the journal is aiming for. So for example, you could run a clinical trial on a drug and find it cures brain cancer. You've done all the statistical analyses and have all the data in order - it's scientifically valid. You decide that since you've read about Nature and Science so much on SDN, you want to submit to one of those journals. The most likely response you will get is probably that your work is scientifically sound but you should submit to a more field-specific journal. It's still good science.