<p>Hey guys, I looked through past posts and stuff and I just wanted to clarify some things::</p>
<p>How important really is research? I know clinical experience is generally more important so ....how good would it look to do research for like 3 yrs instead of trying it out for like 1 year..will the long term commitment be more favorable, and if so, by how much?</p>
<p>Also, is what you research important or do adcoms focus more on your actual contribution to the lab? </p>
<p>Thanks guys. </p>
<p>any advice about getting into research will be appreciated! thanks!!</p>
<p>IMO, you shouldn’t do research just to put it on a resume, you should do research because you’re interested in a specific topic and want to learn more and advance science. Generally speaking, the longer you spend in a lab the more possible publications you can have and you might be able to advance to getting your own project and whatnot. I don’t think it specifically matters what you research about as long as you can explain what the significance is.</p>
<p>I landed a research position by simply contacting a professor of mine and asking if he had any available positions. After a few meetings and training sessions, I was part of the lab. I think the best way to go about it is to look online at professors’ websites and see whose research you would be interested in, and contact them asking to set up a meeting about potentially joining their lab. You can also see if your school has a designated program to help match students with PIs. </p>
<p>Your contribution is most important. If you just do it for your resume/MD app, it will most likely backfire. Do what you love. If you enjoy research, research something that interests you. If not, find something else to do.</p>