Wet lab vs. Dry Lab work In medical school

[uphillBattle]

I'm not too interested in wet lab based work but a lot of people are saying that that's the way to go for good residencies.

I think its bull how I'm supposed to do work I may not even be interested in. I'm far more interested in data analysis/mechanics/more traditional engineering based work.

Any advice from more advanced students?

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[DermViser]

You don't do wet lab work unless you're an MD/Phd or have oodles of time. You do clinical research, esp. if you're going for something competitive.

 

[JTR+HL]

Does the topic of your research matter or the specific field it pertains to?

 

[HatWobble]

"Should we give this guy a residency interview, Bob?"
"Well, look at his research experience... does it look like his lab had sinks?"
"Let's see... no, looks bone dry in there."
*throws application in trash*

 

[sakata8242]

Maybe if you're looking to do a Path or IM residency with a research emphasis, wet lab work might look good. Otherwise it's a waste of time, unless that's what you're really interested in doing. You won't get anything meaningful done in a month long research rotation in a wet lab anyway. It would benefit you more if you do a project you like, and get some kind of recognition at a national meeting or a publication out of it. But again it really is field dependent. I went anesthesiology through the MSTP pathway. Only 2 programs explicitly were interested in my research background because they were trying to push resident research.

 

[NickNaylor]

Does the topic of your research matter or the specific field it pertains to?

The advice that I've seen here and that I've been given by faculty at our institution is that research > no research, and speciality-specific research > any research. So, if you know without a doubt what you're going into and can get some work in that field done, then that would probably be helpful. For the most competitive fields this may be a de facto requirement but I got nothing but wishy washy answers when I would try and ask for clarification.

 

[Tipp]

The advice that I've seen here and that I've been given by faculty at our institution is that research > no research, and speciality-specific research > any research. So, if you know without a doubt what you're going into and can get some work in that field done, then that would probably be helpful. For the most competitive fields this may be a de facto requirement but I got nothing but wishy washy answers when I would try and ask for clarification.

If you don't know which field you want to go into, is basic science research in a broad area that can be relevant to many fields (maybe studying inflammation, for instance) more beneficial than taking any clinical research opportunity that comes along just for the sake of publishing quickly? Obviously, this assumes an eventual publication in the basic science lab, but probably not as many/easily obtained as the clinical research.

 

[Kahreek]

if you want data analasys, you'll be fine regardless. If you want engineering and are good at it, you might go ahead and just teach people who work at rads/ and other technical specialties.
I mean if you are creative enough I am sure you can find plenty of subjects who could use some mathematical/physics analysis, given the amount of technologic devices medicine uses today. Hell something about hydrodynamics in a plasmapheresis machine for example.

 

[ChEMD]

I'm not too interested in wet lab based work but a lot of people are saying that that's the way to go for good residencies.

I think its bull how I'm supposed to do work I may not even be interested in. I'm far more interested in data analysis/mechanics/more traditional engineering based work.

Any advice from more advanced students?

I think you're misinterpreting what people say. The reason that basic science research is more "impressive" than clinical research is because it generally takes much more work to publish a basic science paper than to publish a clinical one. But no one ever said you have to do basic science. I'd be willing to bet the vast majority of people in medical school do clinical research, if they do any at all.

 

[JJMrK]

Typically people classify into basic science vs clinical research. It's possible to do basic science, but you'll have to be dedicated (go in on weekends, after studying, 1st summer, after clinic on light rotations, etc), take a year off, or both to get something meaningful accomplished. Go with a well established lab with a productive history; you don't want to be running endless experiments, you want undergrads for that.

Clinical research is good, but very common and will not really stand out (IMO) unless you have a significant number of publications. TBH, I would actually classify "engineering" or "mechanics" as basic science research, not clinical research. Hence the reason that the term basic science might be preferred over "wet lab."

Bottom line: Just get out there and publish some stuff.

 

[DermViser]

The advice that I've seen here and that I've been given by faculty at our institution is that research > no research, and speciality-specific research > any research. So, if you know without a doubt what you're going into and can get some work in that field done, then that would probably be helpful. For the most competitive fields this may be a de facto requirement but I got nothing but wishy washy answers when I would try and ask for clarification.

If you don't know specialty you want to do by the end of first semester of MS-1, then you're behind the game.

 

[tco]

I'm not too interested in wet lab based work but a lot of people are saying that that's the way to go for good residencies.

I think its bull how I'm supposed to do work I may not even be interested in. I'm far more interested in data analysis/mechanics/more traditional engineering based work.

Any advice from more advanced students?

You should try to find an attending involved in research in a field that you enjoy, and ask them about hopping into whatever they already have cooking. That's the best way to get your foot in the door. If you show some promise, they might throw you an original project within a short amount of time. That's how I went about it, anyway.

This is also providing that you're a medical student. I'm not sure the rules about doing chart reviews otherwise. I'm sure if you were included in the original IRB it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[cs24]

I'm not too interested in wet lab based work but a lot of people are saying that that's the way to go for good residencies.

I think its bull how I'm supposed to do work I may not even be interested in. I'm far more interested in data analysis/mechanics/more traditional engineering based work.

Any advice from more advanced students?

Are you still a premed? Do whatever sort of research you want. Residencies won't care much about your premed research, whether its in a wet lab or engineering.

 

[JTR+HL]

Are you still a premed? Do whatever sort of research you want. Residencies won't care much about your premed research, whether its in a wet lab or engineering.

Is this true? Nothing counts before med school?

 

[NickNaylor]

Is this true? Nothing counts before med school?

I'm planning on listing my pubs from college on my ERAS. Sure, I doubt it'll be all that relevant and I doubt anyone will ask me about it, but these things can still "count" if only for being CV fodder.

 

[JJMrK]

I talked to a guy for 20 minutes about a pub from undergrad during a residency interview. It happens, and they "count." They are less likely to be in your field of choice, though, and so are usually less relevant.

 

[cs24]

Is this true? Nothing counts before med school?

Oh I don't mean it doesn't count, just that it doesn't really matter what kind of research you do, in part because its so unlikely to be related to the residency your interested in. Having that experience with the general research process is great, but they will probably care much more about the research you do in medical school, especially if it relates towards the field you are applying for.

 

[cs24]

If you don't know specialty you want to do by the end of first semester of MS-1, then you're behind the game.

Consider me screwed

 

[DermViser]

Consider me screwed

I was being sarcastic, of course.

 

[cs24]

I was being sarcastic, of course.

I figured, but there be premeds trolling this thread..

 

[evilbooyaa]

I knew people who knew they wanted to be a neurosurgeon since the first day of undergrad. They did research in NSG even before getting into medical school. It definitely helped them get into a sweet residency.

I don't know what a dry lab is.

If you're looking for something short/quick, then do clinical research. At least in RadOnc, basic science research and publications are generally seen as more powerful as they take more time and thus show a greater commitment to the field (at least that's what I've been told).

 

[ss883]

Personally I think 10 clinical papers looks better than 1 basic science paper and in the time it takes to do one basic science paper you could theoretically write like 30 clinical papers. Just my two cents. I know a lot people don't agree with this

 

[JJMrK]

Personally I think 10 clinical papers looks better than 1 basic science paper and in the time it takes to do one basic science paper you could theoretically write like 30 clinical papers. Just my two cents. I know a lot people don't agree with this

I agree that 10 publications on a CV is much more impressive than 1. But 1-2 basic science + 3-4 clinical projects looks even better, IMO. That's probably the high end of reasonable as a med student, although I'm sure some have done more.

 

[JTR+HL]

Doing basic science in med school sounds intimidating to me. Or is it just me?

 

[CarlosDanger]

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[DermViser]

Lets say I have a first author basic science paper published before med school in a field unrelated to the residency field I apply for. Would that help my residency app, or would it be too far removed and unrelated?

Depends on the topic. If it's on the repercussions of tweeting a picture of your schlong, then probably not. Although it might help with Urology.

 

[CarlosDanger]

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[JJMrK]

Lets say I have a first author basic science paper published before med school in a field unrelated to the residency field I apply for. Would that help my residency app, or would it be too far removed and unrelated?

Yes. Programs can use your research to assess your dedication to the field, but residents who know how to publish are pretty valuable to attendings with many ideas and limited time.

 

[DrEnderW]

I don't know what a dry lab is.

I believe it consists of a laptop, desk, and a Keurig. If the later is supplied and restocked by grant funding it becomes a dry lab and not a "room."

 

[I_Cant_tell_you]

Doing basic science in med school sounds intimidating to me. Or is it just me?

I see your title says "accepted", so I'm assuming that's up to date. I just finished first year, have had minimal lab experience and I'm currently doing some work in inflammation. You'll be surprised at how much you know after first year and how much you will be able to apply to your work. I'm having a great time. My PI gave me the option to continue a summer student's work and probably get on a paper, which I'm doing, but in addition to that I've come up lots of original publishable ideas. Almost all of them have already been done (which is frustrating, but inevitable in research), but I think I just found something over the weekend that looks promising.

I don't even want to do research after this summer, but it's a nice break from school work. I was originally just doing it to make some money.

 

[JTR+HL]

I see your title says "accepted", so I'm assuming that's up to date.

It is up to date indeed. Starting in Aug. I do not doubt you will be able to contribute and get some work done. But whether the amount of information you can generation during medical school can lead to publication is my major concern. I have been involved in basic research quite extensively and it just feels like there is not ample time(sufficient, but nonetheless) or focus to have a quality publication in medical school. And I think, perhaps if someone is lucky enough to pick up a already well established project, and everything works smoothly, otherwise it is a risky game.

 

[Kangal]

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[Kangal]

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[uphillBattle]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I have already been accepted and was deciding where to focus my research efforts in school.