What research do medical schools prefer?

[eonxblue]

Do medical schools prefer applicants who were involved with clinical research, or lab research? Does it really matter?

Do medical schools prefer applicants who were involved with lab research in the sciences, or research in the social sciences?

The first question is the important one. The second one is just out of curiosity. Thank you.

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[TexasPhysician]

They care about publications.....whatever will most likely get you one, go with that.

 

[pathophys17]

They don't care whether it's clinical or lab research. If you're thinking of doing research as an MD, though, they usually are more involved with clinical/translational than basic science research. They also don't care whether it's sciences or social sciences. Whatever you're interested in & think you'll enjoy....

 

[eonxblue]

They care about publications.....whatever will most likely get you one, go with that.

Haha, of course. I always wondered though, is it too obnoxious to flat-out tell a Professor or Primary Investigator that you want to one day publish? Like in an interview setting, for example.

 

[iA-MD2013]

Haha, of course. I always wondered though, is it too obnoxious to flat-out tell a Professor or Primary Investigator that you want to one day publish? Like in an interview setting, for example.

Yeah...don't do that.

 

[redlight]

the research itself isn't important; what you've gained from it is, though. apparently research enables you to think differently and become more of a critical thinker and more of a problem solver.

w/ that said, clinical research is more relevant to the average physician than say biophysics research. i also think it is rarer for premeds to have clinical research for some reason, but don't quote me.

publications are nice, but nowhere near necessary even if you have aspirations of being a researcher as part of your career. however, you will get more points (as in your experience will be counted as more significant) if you publish, speak at conferences, etc.

 

[eonxblue]

Yeah...don't do that.

HAHA Got it.

 

[iA-MD2013]

HAHA Got it.

😉

the research itself isn't important; what you've gained from it is, though. apparently research enables you to think differently and become more of a critical thinker and more of a problem solver.

w/ that said, clinical research is more relevant to the average physician than say biophysics research. i also think it is rarer for premeds to have clinical research for some reason, but don't quote me.

publications are nice, but nowhere near necessary even if you have aspirations of being a researcher as part of your career. however, you will get more points (as in your experience will be counted as more significant) if you publish, speak at conferences, etc.

Agreed. The most important thing is how you present your research during your interview day. The more interested you are in it, the more interesting it'll sound, and the better your research looks. It doesn't matter what kind of research you do as long as you enjoy it. Publications are secondary (unless you're thinking of MD/PhD) but still great to have. Unfortunately, it's very hard to predict in which lab you're likely to get a publication. The earlier you join a research lab, the longer you'll be working on your project(s) and the more likely you are to pop out a publication.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Haha, of course. I always wondered though, is it too obnoxious to flat-out tell a Professor or Primary Investigator that you want to one day publish? Like in an interview setting, for example.

Only if you word it like that. Be honest. Tell them you are interested in research (give your reasoning), and that for your professional career it would be helpful to learn how to write-up a professional paper for publication. If they say no or that there is a good chance they won't write anything, leave. I'd be very upfront. If they already have 5 students ahead of you on the publication list, it may not be worth it.

Being honest, I wouldn't start doing research without politely bringing up the publication topic and hearing a response that pleases you.

 

[TexasPhysician]

😉

Agreed. The most important thing is how you present your research during your interview day. The more interested you are in it, the more interesting it'll sound, and the better your research looks. It doesn't matter what kind of research you do as long as you enjoy it. Publications are secondary (unless you're thinking of MD/PhD) but still great to have. Unfortunately, it's very hard to predict in which lab you're likely to get a publication. The earlier you join a research lab, the longer you'll be working on your project(s) and the more likely you are to pop out a publication.

Also very important if you want an academic post, forensic career (expert witness type deal), etc.

 

[Naijaba]

Hi eonxblue,

I went to the American Physician Scientists Associations Regional Meeting two years in a row. Both times they had the director of admissions for MD/PhD programs (USC and Northwestern I remember distinctively). The USC director mentioned that hard science research (specifically chemistry laboratories) is preferred as clinical research is easier to adapt to if you've had significant hospital experience, while wet lab experience takes time and practice to perfect. Although, I don't know if this applies to straight MD programs. Also, they clearly stated that a publication is far more meaningful that years of unqualified research. I believe it provides adcomms with the immediate assurance that your research was of high quality without your needing to justify its value.

 

[bnleong]

Well I think they'd me more interested in medically related research.
i.e. cancer, neurobiology research as opposed to ecology, evolution, or marine biology.

just pick something that has the potentially to treat a disease that your interested in. I'm doing research in schizophrenia right now and not only do I enjoy it, med schools will like it. (hopefully)

 

[justdoit31]

I don't think they care at all what kind of research it is.... I did my research in the humanities (a project called "Holocaust History and Public Memory") and traveled to Europe for my research before doing a website and presenting the research at the USHMM in Washington DC... all my interviewers asked about it and seemed happy that I did something I was so interested in.

So go for what you are interested in- it will come across when you explain it in your interviews.

Now for medical school it looks like I will be spending summers doing research at Emory which will be medically related- only because i couldn't get another grant to do more Holocaust research 😉

 

[tennisball80]

Is there a website that can apply to all of those research programs ? Where do you guys find which schools offer research or not ?

 

[DOquestions]

I did two independent research projects in college. I had to write a manuscript for both course grades. I once had a job interviewer that said the independent research projects I did in college was not research. I wanted to giver her the middle finger so bad. I made the study protocol, I collected the data, I analyzed the data, I wrote a manuscript, I developed the study..I did everything myself...all I had was a mentor to help answer questions if I ever had any and to give the final ok on everything. I spent countless hours on my research projects and my mentor maybe spent 10 minutes.

I also did a summer internship where I genotyped patients.