Pub in unrelated field vs no pub in related field?

[Economist]

First off I'm not in med school and I know I'm thinking way too far ahead but is it more advantageous to have done research in the specialty you want without publication or have done research in a different specialty but with publication?

 

It seems that everyone I know in med school is already jumping on to do research since 1st year summer and I figured that it wouldn't hurt to start earlier. So I started doing research (systematic review) in a specialty that I don't know if I would be interested in (Cardiology).

 

From reading around forums, it seems that you most likely won't know which specialty you want until 3rd year in med school but currently I feel like I might like emergency or dermatology even more. I was thinking about doing either emerg or derm research over the summer but the current professor I'm working is really nice, and the professor also happens to publish A LOT. I feel like I have much higher chance to publish if I continue with this professor over the summer (probably a different project).

 

With interests aside (because I don't know which projects I would be more interested in), is the off chance that I might be more interested in emed/derm worth the cost (that I'm throwing away a possible publication and a relationship with a great cardiologist/professor) ?

[Lactic Folly]

Probably not.

[simplyfood]

Are you in undergrad? If so, the research you do has almost no bearing on your CaRMS match. Bear in mind that by the time you get around to CaRMS, anything you publish will be out of date anyway. Any sort of research/publication is great on OMSAS, don't be worried about specialty matching at this stage.

 

If I were in your shoes, I would always pick a close relationship with a prof over specialty/prestige/etc. All of that stuff fades, the relationship and mentoring lasts.