Does the subject of your research matter to admissions committees?

[cclawfjj]

Hey there

Pre-Meds and Medical Students,

 

I hear an overwhelming majority of Medical Schools, if not all, value applicants with extensive research experience. For some who have their research findings published, I'd say that's an added bonus. I'd say this is a pretty well-known fact.

 

However, my question is this: Does the subject of your research matter?

 

I assume, as long as you've learned a great deal from the research/laboratory experience, the area of research does not matter, right? Just like an undergraduate degree, the Med School Committee does not care whether it's an ecology research or a clinical research in a hospital setting (in another words, they dont favour clinical research over, let's say, an ecology research?), as long as you've demonstrated that you've spent quality time doing some research of substance.

 

Anyone here to shed light on this matter?

I'd truly appreciate it.

 

p.s. Correct me if any of the info provided above are inaccurate or outright wrong.

[bustylegs]

I hear an overwhelming majority of Medical Schools, if not all, value applicants with extensive research experience. For some who have their research findings published, I'd say that's an added bonus. I'd say this is a pretty well-known fact.

 

I wouldn't say that medical schools value applicants with extensive research experience. Instead, I would say that most medical schools value the experience that you have learned from whatever actitivity you choose to pursue, but by no means ONLY research.

 

I assume, as long as you've learned a great deal from the research/laboratory experience, the area of research does not matter, right? Just like an undergraduate degree, the Med School Committee does not care whether it's a ecology or biochemistry (im being a bit broad here) research, as long as you've demonstrated that you've spent quality time doing some research of substance.

 

I would agree with your statment. You have to be able to talk about your research in an insightful and conceptual manner. Saying that you did PCR all summer but don't know WHY you did those PCRs will not cut it.

 

Now, here's my two cents about people who come work in labs for the sole purpose of beefing up their CV, and thinking that they can get away with being inconsiderate young punks. Speaking from personal experience, there are pre-med students in my lab that talk on the phone all day, litter candy wrappers in the lab garbage (which is a big NO NO in the lab) and leaving tissue culutre incubators doors open (which is another NO NO in the lab).

 

For those of you want want to experience wet lab research, PLEASE, do it becasue you have a genuine interest in it. And while you're working in the lab, PLEASE, continue to demonstrate your interest. The worst thing you can do is to have a infamous reputation around the lab. Profs and their grad students talk to each other. And, when it comes next summer for you to apply for a second lab job because your first prof thinks you suck, you are SH!T out of luck.

 

Again, when you're in the lab, show genuine interest and take inititative. Don't make grad students like me hate you because you left the incubator door open and killed all my cells that I have been babying for the past 6 months.... You might be surprised to hear the following, but I hold the final key to the quality of your reference letter. The supervisor will come to ME and ask for MY opinion of you, becasue I am the one seeing your day-to-day progress, hence the best person to evaluate you...

[peachy]

However, my question is this: Does the subject of your research matter?

I do not think it matters. The majority of my premedical research was in areas not at all related to medicine. I suspect that, if anything, having research that is a bit out of the ordinary just makes your application a bit more interesting.