Would this research be worth mentioning?

[jj12]

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I am currently enrolled at a top university for my masters. I have to write a masters thesis but instead of traditional bench research, it is mostly literature review. However, I am required to formulate a hypothesis and based on the literature and my own thoughts and ideas from the courses I am enrolled in, I have to support/refute the hypothesis. My advisor, who is a world expert in the field of research I am writing on, suggests that I may be able to get it published as a review of the data and what is lacking/what needs to be done, etc. Basically would this qualify as research for medical schools?

Also, I completed a lab based research project in undergrad that I designed and presented a poster, however the project wasn't too terribly difficult or in depth. Would that count for anything as well?

Thanks!

 

[Lya]

No. Ideally, research should be driven by a question or a hypothesis. What you mentioned is a literature review, so it's a great start, but I don't think this will be sufficient to be considered as research for medical schools.

Poster presentation during your undergrad should be mentioned. I would include it in the application!

 

[jj12]

I understand what you are getting at, which was my main concern. But I DO have a hypothesis...it was actually a requirement for our project that we formulate a hypothesis that has not been proven one way or the other and use the literature that exists in lieu of performing our own lab/field studies. There are many types of this research that get published such as meta-analyses, data reviews, etc., and I just was curious if medical schools only deem lab/bench research as legitimate research?

Additionally, I will be presenting and defending this research at a seminar at the end of the semester in front of the experts at my university, Hopkins, and several experts from the NIH. I'm not sure if that is worth including or makes it more qualifying?

 

[Oso]

I think you can and should include both research experiences on your application. I think your current project is similar to what a lot of medical students do to get published.

 

[Lya]

I would include that research seminar.

I understand that literature reviews and meta-analyses do get published and are respected. All I meant to say is: Until you follow up with that literature review and subsequently do your original work to support/refute the hypothesis, the influence of that literature review on your application will not be as significant. When interviewers ask you about what you have done regarding that hypothesis, you don't just say literature review and that's it. You need to follow up, which you will plan to do. Since this is such an early phase of your research project, it will not be as influential in your application, but you should definitely still mention it and discuss your future plan.

 

[medmedman]

I am currently enrolled at a top university for my masters. I have to write a masters thesis but instead of traditional bench research, it is mostly literature review. However, I am required to formulate a hypothesis and based on the literature and my own thoughts and ideas from the courses I am enrolled in, I have to support/refute the hypothesis. My advisor, who is a world expert in the field of research I am writing on, suggests that I may be able to get it published as a review of the data and what is lacking/what needs to be done, etc. Basically would this qualify as research for medical schools?

Also, I completed a lab based research project in undergrad that I designed and presented a poster, however the project wasn't too terribly difficult or in depth. Would that count for anything as well?

Thanks!

Of course you should put both down. Even if med schools don't consider the lit review as "research" it's still something worth mentioning.

 

[gumdrops]

I am currently enrolled at a top university for my masters. I have to write a masters thesis but instead of traditional bench research, it is mostly literature review. However, I am required to formulate a hypothesis and based on the literature and my own thoughts and ideas from the courses I am enrolled in, I have to support/refute the hypothesis. My advisor, who is a world expert in the field of research I am writing on, suggests that I may be able to get it published as a review of the data and what is lacking/what needs to be done, etc. Basically would this qualify as research for medical schools?

Also, I completed a lab based research project in undergrad that I designed and presented a poster, however the project wasn't too terribly difficult or in depth. Would that count for anything as well?

Thanks!

Med students and residents do these sorts of reviews of the current paradigms in a field all the time and get them published. They use these review articles to apply to residency or fellowship. This is common practice for boosting research on an application, not to mention useful to those in the field if it's a good review article. Ask your adviser if you can publish this as a review. Make sure you list the poster presentation as well.