Would this count as "research"?

[canmed96]

Hi Folks, i just finished up second year university and despite my marks being good I can't seem to get into any of my prof's labs for research. Either they're full or I'd be more than welcome to wash dishes. However, in my program there's an option in fourth year to do a thesis under a prof. Would the latter be sufficient as "research" for my med application? Is it better to do this or just go for the dish washing since i can only do the thesis in fourth year?

Thanks A lot

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[Catalystik]

I can't seem to get into any of my prof's labs for research. Either they're full or I'd be more than welcome to wash dishes. However, in my program there's an option in fourth year to do a thesis under a prof. Would the latter be sufficient as "research" for my med application?

If the research is an original, hypothesis-based scholarly inquiry into a problem that results in new, generalizable knowledge that is potentially publishable in a national or regional journal, it would be Research for AMCAS purposes. The question to which you apply the scientific method need not necessarily be science-related, BTW.

If, OTOH, you mean to look up others' work in the literature, reorganize their thoughts, summarize, etc, in the way that a term paper might, though on a larger scale, it is NOT the type of research you'd list under a Research designation.

 

[canmed96]

If the research is an original, hypothesis-based scholarly inquiry into a problem that results in new, generalizable knowledge that is potentially publishable in a national or regional journal, it would be Research for AMCAS purposes. The question to which you apply the scientific method need not necessarily be science-related, BTW.

If, OTOH, you mean to look up others' work in the literature, reorganize their thoughts, summarize, etc, in the way that a term paper might, though on a larger scale, it is NOT the type of research you'd list under a Research designation.

I have gotten great marks in my psychology courses, so would you say that if i could research for one of my psych profs, despite having nothing to do with the sciences, that would be valuable

 

[ed*26]

I keep seeing this idea that you have to take a professor's class in order to conduct research in their lab. That is 100% incorrect. Some professors may give preference to students they've taught, but you do not need to have any knowledge in an specific area to assist with research on it. And given that most first- and second-year science classes are large weed-out classes chock full of premeds, it's probably very difficult to get into those professors' labs.

My advice: pick an area of study that you're interested in and go to that department's webpage (ex. if you're interested in cancer research, go to the department of biomedical science or the college of medicine site) and find the faculty list. Almost every one of those will be conducting research. Do a little research on different faculty members to see what, specifically, they're researching. Then send a polite and personalized email saying that you found their research in X really interesting and would like to learn more about it. Do this for 5-7 different labs and see who gets back to you. If none do, wash, rinse, repeat.

Another idea: if your school hosts a large annual undergraduate research forum, see if they publish the details of the students who participated (and especially their labs/faculty members) online. Bonus points if they publish abstracts. Then follow the above method.

Another idea: Does your school have some type of undergraduate research office? They'd love to help.

And as long as you are using the scientific method to help produce original knowledge, it doesn't matter what area you're researching in.

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

I Do a little research on different faculty members to see what, specifically, they're researching. Then send a polite and personalized email saying that you found their research in X really interesting and would like to learn more about it. Do this for 5-7 different labs and see who gets back to you. If none do, wash, rinse, repeat.

This is exactly what I did, sent emails out to 8 different labs, 3 got back to me, am now working in great lab with an awesome PI. No prior research experience.

 

[Catalystik]

I have gotten great marks in my psychology courses, so would you say that if i could research for one of my psych profs, despite having nothing to do with the sciences, that would be valuable

Yes. Or another psych professor you don't know yet. Research could also be done in VetMed, Agriculture, economics, linguistics, anthropology, etc, etc.