what counts as significant research

[polyploidy516]

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i would really like to know what exactly qualifies as significant research? is it the number of publications or how long one spends? As I have 2 publications even though I have spent about a year doing the research, I would like to know if this is still considered significant or if it wont be as it is only over 1 year as opposed to several?

Your thoughts would be appreciated as I am applying with a lower gpa and thus want to make sure that all other aspects of my app are as good as possible ( I have a 40 mcat). Would this experience be considered a major strength of my app even though its only for a year?

 

[mrh125]

significant research - spending an amount of time doing research (I'd say over 40 hrs total) that does something. You don't even need to be published you just have to put time in and be able to explain it in a meaningful way.

 

[bearded frog]

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[hoihaie]

If you have something concrete to show that you actually learned/gained from and contributed to the field of research, then I would say that is significant.

 

[polyploidy516]

i really appreciate your clarifications! I would really like to know if 1 year is considered competitive for research-focused schools ( basically the top 20)?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

significant research - spending an amount of time doing research (I'd say over 40 hrs total) that does something. You don't even need to be published you just have to put time in and be able to explain it in a meaningful way.

So 40.1 hours is significant? Lol.

 

[snowflakes]

How much did you contribute to the publications? Did you have a significant intellectual role in your lab (i.e. more than a lab tech)?

 

[mrh125]

So 40.1 hours is significant? Lol.

Sure why not? It's an arbitrary number meh. I did over a 100 w/ hours. As long as it's significant that's what makes a difference.

 

[NickNaylor]

I don't think time has anything to do with it. 40 hours is nothing. That's 5 full-time days of work. Not significant.

I would classify the following as significant:

-any sort of structured research program, particularly one that requires an application

-any work that takes place over the course of a semester/quarter or longer

-any work that ultimately results in dissemination, whether that be as an abstract, poster, lecture, or publication

-any work in which you had a notable degree of independence from asking a question to designing experiments to interpreting data

Simply being in a lab existing for 40 hours is not "significant" in my book. The real point is that you want to be able to talk about any research you took part in intelligently and as a scientist would - even if you didn't do any of the heavy lifting, so to speak.


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