<p>Since my junior year in high school, I have been working at the lab for 2.5 years. Now, I am a college freshman (I'm proud to say this =) ) I am finally writing a paper. Will this impress medical schools?</p>
<p>However, I am a psychology major, and I am doing biochemistry research. I know that they conflict with each other. Is this significant to medical schools? Do they really care about me doing research different from my major?</p>
<p>1.) Research is good (almost mandatory). Papers are very good if you can get them published (otherwise it doesn't matter much). Publications, of course, are common enough to not be a guarantee but rare enough that they're not required.</p>
<p>2.) ... why would they?</p>
<p>yes, my paper will be published. </p>
<p>also, does it matter if I can publish it in a school's research magazine as well?</p>
<p>The bigger name, the better - school magazines carry some weight but not nearly as much as peer-reviewed journals.</p>
<p>so, is getting a publication as an undergrad a pretty big deal in med school admissions?</p>
<p>Also, does it matter whether you are first author or not?</p>
<p>I just finished a study and right now am trying to decide whether I should try to publish it independently or as part of a larger paper (I would get my name on the publication either way, but obviously I would be first author if I published it independently).</p>
<p>Your authorship matters, as is the journal that the paper is published in. Generally you are expected to defer to your PI's judgment on the subject.</p>