Genemo Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 It doesnt look easy to me to get a 1st author publication anywhere. I wonder how many people actually have this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
switcheroo Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Very, very few people applying to medical school will have first author publications. I have several, but that's only because I did a Master's before I decided to go into med. I would say cases like mine are by far the minority. Don't get all wound up trying to find opportunities for first-authorships. If you're looking into research opportunities, try to find things that interest and excite you, and look at pubs as little bonuses that may or may not result from doing work you enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genemo Posted June 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Thanks switcheroo. If I may ask another question, should a student expect 1st author publication by doing NSERC? (just because I read another thread saying similar thing) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanInVan Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 I wouldn't expect a first author publication by just doing an NSERC for one summer. In my three years of summer work, I didn't get any. If you worked consistently in the same lab over a couple years - maybe. But most undergrads really don't have the time to put in the work to get a first authorship. The lab work is only a small part of the whole process. That being said, I do have first author publications going in to med school. But I got those during grad school Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genemo Posted June 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Thanks DanInVan. This is similar to what I thought. Thanks for confirming my thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC_Ma Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Its my second summer doing research, I got a co-authored paper last summer from NSERC and this summer will have a first authorship (dont really need it now). It's doable but highly dependent on the lab you work for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannn Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 I only know one person who has 1st author publications who got in this year. And it is quite impressive too, one is already published in Nature, and the other is in the process of being published in, again, Nature Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genemo Posted June 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 lol thats not something I would try to achieve, just like to compete and win the Olympics, a lot of times that requires talents and luck but ya that is VERY impressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewfieMike Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 quality of work and publications are really hard to correlate. Some research is very fast to do. A sexy publication can come out of very little work if its novel and interesting. Other times (and more often the case), it takes longer. I've been working on one study that started in 2008 that is just being written up for publication NOW. So, long story short, I'll agree with a previous poster that it really depends on the nature of the research how easy/hard it will be to get your work published. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderpig Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 I have one from undergrad!! But I was very, very, very lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starling Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 It doesnt look easy to me to get a 1st author publication anywhere. No, it's not easy. I wonder how many people actually have this? I have a couple, but I'm a grad student. It's possible to get one during undergrad, but not likely. There's a lot of luck involved, no matter how good you are. If I may ask another question, should a student expect 1st author publication by doing NSERC? haha, no way. With a 4-month NSERC, you're lucky if you just get on a paper! It's *possible* if you're really lucky, but definitely don't expect it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genemo Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 I have one from undergrad!! But I was very, very, very lucky. you mean you have a 1st author? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genemo Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 thx for input, Starling I wonder how many publications, esp 1st author publications a grad student can get during two years of master program? (if this question is not too stupid lol) thx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starling Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 thx for input, StarlingI wonder how many publications, esp 1st author publications a grad student can get during two years of master program? (if this question is not too stupid lol) thx! You're welcome. From what I've seen in my lab, people usually get a 1st author paper from their M.Sc. work (although it's usually not published till after they're done) and often get tacked onto other papers. There aren't any guarantees though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderpig Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 you mean you have a 1st author? Yes, I have a 1st author publication, as well as 2 other non-1st author ones - all from the same lab. I only worked in that lab for 1 NSERC and a little bit part-time during the year. On the other hand, I have 0 publications in the other lab that I did 1 NSERC, 1 coop placement, and my honours project in. My work was supposed to have gotten published after some tweaking, but I'm still waiting to hear back about it. I think my project got hijacked by someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charms Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 It's doable but highly dependent on the lab you work for. This. I've done research with 3 different PIs: (1) 4th year project supervisor - didn't really push publications, not even for his grad students (I'm pretty sure that each MSc student published only one paper and it towards the end of their term and most PhD students published 3 maybe 4 publish); project students/summer students did not publish (2) summer research project supervisor - gave us enough responsibility to earn authorship, but not primary authorship (3) MSc supervisor - gives students their own projects for which they are responsible - he is there for guidance; encourages undergrad and grad students to publish (ownership = authorship) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 quality of work and publications are really hard to correlate. Some research is very fast to do. A sexy publication can come out of very little work if its novel and interesting. Other times (and more often the case), it takes longer. I've been working on one study that started in 2008 that is just being written up for publication NOW. And it's going to be a kick ass pub when it's out mikey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janny_jan Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 I have 1 from undergrad and 2 from my masters. And I'm in the July/August issue of Women's health! check me ouuuuutttttt! *shameless self promotion* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 I have 1 from undergrad and 2 from my masters. And I'm in the July/August issue of Women's health! check me ouuuuutttttt! *shameless self promotion* For real?! Wanna get me into Men's Health please? That's probably my favourite magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genemo Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Yes, I have a 1st author publication, as well as 2 other non-1st author ones - all from the same lab. I only worked in that lab for 1 NSERC and a little bit part-time during the year. On the other hand, I have 0 publications in the other lab that I did 1 NSERC, 1 coop placement, and my honours project in. My work was supposed to have gotten published after some tweaking, but I'm still waiting to hear back about it. I think my project got hijacked by someone else. woo nice~ you must be smart and hard-working, and really lucky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderpig Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 woo nice~ you must be smart and hard-working, and really lucky Luck is definitely a huge factor in terms of my publications. I worked very hard, and for much longer in the second lab I mentioned, and even had some insight I included in my thesis... But like I said, 0 publications from it so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastin11 Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 I worked in one lab for a year and one for 2 years and didnt get any pubs at all, never mind a 1st author. In fact, at the one I worked at for 2 years, the prof pretty consistently said he was "about to publish" my work, and still hasnt. Not that it really matters since I got into meds this year anyway, but to me, its just one more reason im glad I didnt go to grad school Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genemo Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Luck is definitely a huge factor in terms of my publications. I worked very hard, and for much longer in the second lab I mentioned, and even had some insight I included in my thesis... But like I said, 0 publications from it so far! Ive been working in two labs for really long time each (by long I mean looooong lol). I didnt expect to have publication, not to mention 1st author. Its just people are talking about publication after 4months NSERC makes me thinking if I should expect more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genemo Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 I worked in one lab for a year and one for 2 years and didnt get any pubs at all, never mind a 1st author. In fact, at the one I worked at for 2 years, the prof pretty consistently said he was "about to publish" my work, and still hasnt. Not that it really matters since I got into meds this year anyway, but to me, its just one more reason im glad I didnt go to grad school I love research. Its just so sad that researchers are not recognized or rewarded enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastin11 Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 I love research. Its just so sad that researchers are not recognized or rewarded enough. It really is tragic. Seeing people with PhD's in one of my labs in their late 30s making under 30,000 a year really opened my eyes though. Its not like its just somewhat less compensation than for med school, the differences are extreme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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