What is "significant" research experience?

[younggun92]

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I will have logged about 1700 hours of lab research as a synthetic organic chemist but am only on 2 papers because I'm working on a loooong synthetic sequence for a new pharmaceutical. Is this still considered significant, for top-tier schools especially?

 

[mmmcdowe]

Yes

 

[BABSstudent]

I will have logged about 1700 hours of lab research as a synthetic organic chemist but am only on 2 papers because I'm working on a loooong synthetic sequence for a new pharmaceutical. Is this still considered significant, for top-tier schools especially?

Significant normally means a publication. This is especially true if you are one of the top authors on the paper.

 

[chillaxbro]

So what's the definition of significant research experience?
Publication? Poster presentation? X hours of research? X number of years?

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Significant normally means a publication. This is especially true if you are one of the top authors on the paper.

If that was the definition of significant research then almost no applicant would qualify.

Significant research usually means an independent project conducted over at least one academic year. Ideally you should have something to show for it. At least an undergrad poster or thesis.

 

[BABSstudent]

If that was the definition of significant research then almost no applicant would qualify.

Significant research usually means an independent project conducted over at least one academic year. Ideally you should have something to show for it. At least an undergrad poster or thesis.

I take significant as meaning it is super impressive or way above average. Having an independent project and doing a poster or thesis on it is impressive, but not significant. I think it qualifies as above average.

Granted, both will definitely help getting into medical school.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

I take significant as meaning it is super impressive or way above average. Having an independent project and doing a poster or thesis on it is impressive, but not significant. I think it qualifies as above average.

Granted, both will definitely help getting into medical school.

I'm using the term as medical schools use it. For example, virtually every MD/PhD program says it expects significant research experience from its applicants. However, even the top MSTPs admit plenty of people without publications. They do not, however, usually admit people with less than one to two years of research experience. As far as MD programs go, LizzyM works at a top 5 school and says that she estimates that less than 8% of their applicants have publications.

"Significant" just means "not trivial". A first author publication at the undergrad level is more than just significant, it's exceptional.

 

[Narmerguy]

I'm using the term as medical schools use it. For example, virtually every MD/PhD program says it expects significant research experience from its applicants. However, even the top MSTPs admit plenty of people without publications. They do not, however, usually admit people with less than one to two years of research experience. As far as MD programs go, LizzyM works at a top 5 school and says that she estimates that less than 8% of their applicants have publications.

"Significant" just means "not trivial". A first author publication at the undergrad level is more than just significant, it's exceptional.

Pretty much this. A lot of people have this weird perception that publications grow on trees or that you can just "work" your way to get one as an undergrad. Publications are typically not up to the undergrad, they depend on a lot of politics, luck, hard work, and circumstance.

 

[487806]

I will have logged about 1700 hours of lab research as a synthetic organic chemist but am only on 2 papers because I'm working on a loooong synthetic sequence for a new pharmaceutical. Is this still considered significant, for top-tier schools especially?

Yes it's significant.

Significant normally means a publication. This is especially true if you are one of the top authors on the paper.

Great sarcasm bro. 👍

I take significant as meaning it is super impressive or way above average. Having an independent project and doing a poster or thesis on it is impressive, but not significant. I think it qualifies as above average.

Granted, both will definitely help getting into medical school.

Okay... so you were actually being serious... . Darn, you're way more stricter than even the Top 20 medical schools.

Significant doesn't have to involve a publication. Significant in AMCAS means how exactly the activity shaped your passion for medicine (to put it simply).

 

[Cyphix]

Pretty much this. A lot of people have this weird perception that publications grow on trees or that you can just "work" your way to get one as an undergrad. Publications are typically not up to the undergrad, they depend on a lot of politics, luck, hard work, and circumstance.

Yes, yes, and yes.

 

[13132]

Yes it's significant.



Great sarcasm bro. 👍



Okay... so you were actually being serious... . Darn, you're way more stricter than even the Top 20 medical schools.

Significant doesn't have to involve a publication. Significant in AMCAS means how exactly the activity shaped your passion for medicine (to put it simply).

I don't think the research needs to tie back to medicine. I did nanochemistry research, and I think it was significant more for shaping me intellectually and making me develop an independent work ethic. It developed a skill set necessary to practice medicine, but it certainly wasn't related to medicine.

 

[487806]

I don't think the research needs to tie back to medicine. I did nanochemistry research, and I think it was significant more for shaping me intellectually and making me develop an independent work ethic.

Yup, that's a more accurate example of a significant activity. 😳

 

[CJ Med]

http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic903292.files/mdphdGuide.pdf

This spells out pretty clearly what is expected as far as research under the "research experience" heading. This is aimed at MD/PhD applicants and it makes it very clear that publications are not essential. I wish I could just copy/paste the relevant text, but the formatting is messed up.

 

[plumhill]

I take significant as meaning "how was the experience significant to you, the applicant." Even if you don't get a publication or poster out of it, if you can explain what you learned from the experience and how it's made you a better candidate/person/whatever, then thats good enough. Even at top 20 schools, publications are rare (and first-author publications even more so).