What Type of Research?

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pedssurgtobe

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Is there a certain type of research that looks better on applications? I know a lot of people do hard sciences research, but I want to possibly have direct contact with people through research so I have been looking at opportunities with public health, nutrition in schools, etc. Is this type of research looked down upon or is it on the same playing field of somebody that is doing research on some type of disease or cell? Thanks!

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I've been doing social science research with my boss (an MD) for a little over a year. An adcom was much more impressed by this than my antimicrobial orange-peel research that I did solo.

I think it's going to be very dependent on a number of things.
 
Definitely don't do a specific type of research just because you think it will appeal to admins. If you're interested in public health, epidemiology, or anything else, try to pursue those interests. The level of passion and pursuit really shine through at interviews, and you'll look a lot better talking excitedly and in depth about non-basic science research of interest than about a hard science field that you didn't really care for. :) Just make sure you have some way to tie it in to your goals of being an MD.
 
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I did neuro-imaging research for over a year and presented a poster at a research expo, My interviewer didn't even ask about it. Find something you like and do it.
 
I did neuro-imaging research for over a year and presented a poster at a research expo, My interviewer didn't even ask about it. Find something you like and do it.

Were you the only one one doing the research and the original creator of the research?
 
Were you the only one one doing the research and the original creator of the research?

I was working on multiple projects (one of which was mine) in a fMRI lab with a mix of graduate and undergrad researchers. We specialized in autism research. The poster I presented was for my research thesis. Sadly I had to move before the first scans started but my old PI sends me updates on status of the from time to time.
 
So would you all suggest that I do research over volunteering at a hospital while also being a hospice volunteer?
 
So would you all suggest that I do research over volunteering at a hospital while also being a hospice volunteer?

The answer to that question is which would you rather do, both things will help make you a better applicant. I did research because I enjoyed neuroscience and I was planning to get a Ph.D in clinical psychology. Obviously my plans changed but I learned a lot and it was a fun and meaningful time in my life. From my small bit of interview experience schools like it when you have meaningful or fun stories to tell them about your experiences. So again do what ever it is you want.
 
I did two unrelated research projects: one on Alzheimer's disease and one on a pathogenic species of bacteria. In the end, it didn't really matter what field I did my research in. It mattered that I could articulate my role in the projects, their findings and significance, my passion for the subject matter, and what I took from the experiences.

Med schools will probably look favorably upon any type of research you do (mathematics, sociology, biology, physics, global climate change, etc) as long as you are interested in them and can talk about them well in an interview. It also helps if you have a role in designing the project.
 
Op, do research on a subject matter of your interest, on a topic you find cool and intriguing. I would rather work on something I like instead of working on something I hate just to put it on my app.
 
If your university has an associated medical school, there should be plenty of opportunities there. If so, look into their clinical research projects.
 
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