What exactly is research?

[ScholarStud]

Hey guys I'm super confused about what this super important topic is exactly... I was hoping someone could help me out. I'm an incoming freshman next year. woot woot!

Basically I ask professors around the University to get in on a research program and they will let me in if they think I can contribute to the process? What do we do as a research team? Will I be in a lab with other students playing with test tubes? lol

And what are the specifics of research? Does it HAVE to be science? As an Economics major I fear I won't stand a good chance at coming off as genuinely interested in Biology or Chemistry. Is it possible to do research in Economics?

A lot of questions but I'd love to be pointed in the right direction. Thanks!

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[Mac Blade]

What you will do will depend greatly on the exact field in which you wish to participate. First, examine your options through your universities website, and then find an interesting lab. Read the description of their research, and that will give a good indication of what you might possibly be doing.

In general, I'll say that your experience will vary greatly depending on your PI. If they're really interested in teaching someone who's passionate about their field (like my PI), they'll likely spend a lot of time teaching you not only protocols, but how to think scientifically. If your PI is looking for a scut monkey, you might be doing a lot of B.S. work.

 

[SBR249]

Basically I ask professors around the University to get in on a research program and they will let me in if they think I can contribute to the process?

You contact professors who have labs at the university and ask if they have open positions for undergraduates in their lab. Ideally, you'd also do a bit of research on what they do in their labs by reading a few of their papers. This would allow you to show interest as well as figure out what interests you.

What do we do as a research team? Will I be in a lab with other students playing with test tubes?

You will usually work under someone in the lab, likely another graduate student or postdoc. If it's a new or small lab, you might also work with the PI (the professor) directly. They will ask you to perform experimental protocols such as PCR, growing cells/bacteria, microscopy, synthesize polymers, etc etc. You usually don't just sit around and "play with test tubes." Everything has a purpose.

And what are the specifics of research?

Define specifics. Are you talking about the techniques? The projects? Day to day life?

Does it HAVE to be science? As an Economics major I fear I won't stand a good chance at coming off as genuinely interested in Biology or Chemistry. Is it possible to do research in Economics?

So you are not genuinely interested in biology or chemistry? If so, why are you posting in the premed forum? I really don't think economics research is going to cut it for med schools. Social science research maybe, but economics could be quite a big stretch.

 

[Wile]

I'm an incoming freshman as well and I'm wondering how you go about becoming a first author on a publication? Is this something that you have to start, like your own research? or is this something that can be done under a professor? Sorry if this seems like a stupid question, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to research and publications in college

 

[Chelslen]

I wish I was familiar with how to go about it.. I'd feel a bit intimidated going around asking random professors if I could help out in their research lab..

luckily for me I guess, its a bit different at my school.

In the honors program at my school they have this thing called CURO, the center for undergraduate research opportunities. Its supposed to be just for students in the honors program, and there's this online database where you can look up all the research projects going on in any particular field (I looked up biomedical sciences) at the time. It lists them by the professor's last name and then gives you a full description, what prerequisites the professor wants you to have before joining, and if you can get class credit or not.

pretty easy to get going on that at my school (if you're in the honors program).
i actually just got a response back from a professor saying he has an opening for me in his research lab... meeting with him tuesday to discuss! so excited.

 

[V5RED]

So you are not genuinely interested in biology or chemistry? If so, why are you posting in the premed forum? I really don't think economics research is going to cut it for med schools. Social science research maybe, but economics could be quite a big stretch.

I have yet to meet a pre-med with anything but hate for chemistry (except for myself since it is my major), so the idea that disliking chemistry or biology precludes one from an interest in medicine seems very false to me.

As far as economics research not mattering on an application, maybe if the student wanted to get an MD/phD he would be better served doing a more science-y research. If he is looking for an MD, economics research makes him stand out more than the typical pre med.

 

[Mac Blade]

So you are not genuinely interested in biology or chemistry? If so, why are you posting in the premed forum? I really don't think economics research is going to cut it for med schools. Social science research maybe, but economics could be quite a big stretch.

I disagree with this line of reasoning. Do the research you want, and you can still list it as an activity on AMCAS. You'll do better to explain research you were passionate about as opposed to research you did just to satisfy some type of unwritten requirement. Sure, you won't likely get into an MD/Ph.D program doing Econ research, but as an incoming freshman I don't think you should be limiting out any possibilities. You might find two years from now that your true passion is in economics and you'd like to pursue that career field. You'd surely regret throwing away a year on Bio research if that ends up being the case.

 

[smarts1]

Generally, even if you have research experience, you'll be doing crap work for at least a year (ie making solutions, cleaning beakers etc). If you're lucky, they will let you do actual research.

 

[shaggy alfresco]

I'm an incoming freshman as well and I'm wondering how you go about becoming a first author on a publication? Is this something that you have to start, like your own research? or is this something that can be done under a professor? Sorry if this seems like a stupid question, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to research and publications in college

You won't be a first author on a publication. Likely you won't even be on any publication at all as any author. First author publications are very exceedingly rare, even a very small percentage of md/phd students have them. For that you need to be involved in conception, planning, execution and writing of a science project and for the most part, the time commitment that is required (close to full time for many months) is beyond most students - and that is assuming they've worked for a PI long enough so that they are allowed to do such a thing and assuming you are knowledgable enough about the field to be able to formulate such questions. If you work in a lab and help grad students with their stuff, you can do things like present posters and such, and maybe get your name on a publication eventually as one of the authors (but that is not common even for mdphd students) - how much work you need to do to be listed as an author varies from lab to lab.

 

[ScholarStud]

Thanks so much for all the answers!

SBR-249; I agree medical schools probably look for research in the sciences, but I was under the impression that they mainly look at research as sign of passion for learning, regardless of the subject.

Mac Blade- Are you saying that I will NOT get into a medical school with research in economics? It is true I am not exactly passionate about biology, but I feel medicine is the right choice for me... Would it be wise to think about an alternate major?

Does anyone know for sure if a medical school would look down on research in an non-science field?

 

[mauberley]

Research is not even strictly necessary unless you intend on applying to a research-focused school. Keep that in mind.

 

[ScholarStud]

Research is not even strictly necessary unless you intend on applying to a research-focused school. Keep that in mind.

Mauberley- You're right. I'm shooting for a top 20 medical school. I'm dreaming big :0

 

[SarahBellum1]

I think it really just depends on what undergrad you are attending and what professor/PI you will be working with. At a smaller school, I would think it is much easier to find a research opportunity than at larger institutions. I go to a tiny liberal arts & sciences school, and the way it works here is you approach a professor (after looking up their research interests online) that you want to work with and ask them if they have any openings in their lab. Or, the professors will sometimes come up and ask you themselves. For my neuroscience major, it is required that we do "independent undergraduate research"...so that makes it easier for me, lol. I don't start until next semester, but it is my impression that I will actually be designing (for the most part) and carry out my own experiment under the supervision of the professor. We have to review lots of literature, write the research proposal and help design the experiment, set everything up, record data, do all the statistical testing, etc. Not just the crap-work that the prof doesn't want to do. So, as I said earlier, it just depends.

Also--it doesn't matter if your research is science or medically related or not. Do what interests YOU.

 

[Wile]

You won't be a first author on a publication. Likely you won't even be on any publication at all as any author. First author publications are very exceedingly rare, even a very small percentage of md/phd students have them. For that you need to be involved in conception, planning, execution and writing of a science project and for the most part, the time commitment that is required (close to full time for many months) is beyond most students - and that is assuming they've worked for a PI long enough so that they are allowed to do such a thing and assuming you are knowledgable enough about the field to be able to formulate such questions. If you work in a lab and help grad students with their stuff, you can do things like present posters and such, and maybe get your name on a publication eventually as one of the authors (but that is not common even for mdphd students) - how much work you need to do to be listed as an author varies from lab to lab.

Thanks for the info, I guess I was under the impression that it was something one should accomplish before applying to med school.

Research is not even strictly necessary unless you intend on applying to a research-focused school. Keep that in mind.

How do you decipher between what is a research-focused school and what isn't?

 

[ScholarStud]

Also--it doesn't matter if your research is science or medically related or not. Do what interests YOU.

Sweet! Thanks, Sarah! This is what I was looking for.

 

[Mac Blade]

Mac Blade- Are you saying that I will NOT get into a medical school with research in economics? It is true I am not exactly passionate about biology, but I feel medicine is the right choice for me... Would it be wise to think about an alternate major?

No, I'm saying if Economics is your passion, do research in it. What I was pointing out is: though you feel confident that medicine is in your future, you haven't even set foot on a college campus yet. Doing what you love covers all bases. If you end up following medicine, you'll stand out and have something cool to talk about in interviews. If you end up diverging (and there's nothing wrong with that, as an incoming college freshman, you're far from tied to medicine) you will already have experience doing something you love.
If you do Bio research just because you think it will improve your resume, it will probably show in your written description of the activity as well as your descriptions of it during interviews. Adcoms would rather see people who really care about what they do and truly learn and grow from it, not those just checking items off of a list.

 

[SarahBellum1]

Obviously, science-related research would be more relevant for medical school, but they aren't going to tell you that your research in economics doesn't count for anything. I'd think they would view it as refreshing and unique...?

 

[ScholarStud]

No, I'm saying if Economics is your passion, do research in it. What I was pointing out is: though you feel confident that medicine is in your future, you haven't even set foot on a college campus yet. Doing what you love covers all bases. If you end up following medicine, you'll stand out and have something cool to talk about in interviews. If you end up diverging (and there's nothing wrong with that, as an incoming college freshman, you're far from tied to medicine) you will already have experience doing something you love.
If you do Bio research just because you think it will improve your resume, it will probably show in your written description of the activity as well as your descriptions of it during interviews. Adcoms would rather see people who really care about what they do and truly learn and grow from it, not those just checking items off of a list.

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it, this advice is golden.

 

[ScholarStud]

Obviously, science-related research would be more relevant for medical school, but they aren't going to tell you that your research in economics doesn't count for anything. I'd think they would view it as refreshing and unique...?

I hope so

 

[mauberley]

How do you decipher between what is a research-focused school and what isn't?

It can be inferred from reading schools' mission statements (easily found in the MSAR) and their research funding rankings in the US News & World Report.