how important is research for DO?

[cablecutter]

i've been an RA at my school's lab for a full school year now (~300 hours). the focus of the study is something that's genuinely interesting and ties in well to my life experiences, which would really help establish a solid narrative for my app. right now, i'm just doing basic data entry/collection but next year i'll be able to do more "meaningful" things like interacting with subjects, handling and using equipment etc.

the issue is that i'm planning to apply primarily DO, and i'm not sure if having any more research experience will hold as much weight as MD schools. i enjoy the work i'm doing, but if more research hours won't help my application much then reallocating this spent time towards clinical hours would probably be better for me. should i continue research?

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[Goro]

It's nice to have, but it's not something DO schools are interested in, except maybe those with PhD programs

 

[Mr.Smile12]

There aren't many DO/PhD programs, but I'll give you one that promotes their program (I'm working on getting an article with them).

D.O.-Ph.D. Program | MSU Osteopathic Medicine

osteopathicmedicine.msu.edu

Reach out and see how receptive they are. Perhaps you can apply to them, even if you would just do the DO.

 

[cablecutter]

It's nice to have, but it's not something DO schools are interested in, except maybe those with PhD programs

with the prior context, should i continue past 300 hours? i doubt that data entry counts as any "meaningful" work as research, even if most DO schools only really prioritize clinical experience. if i stayed at the lab, i'd be able to interact with more people and handle equipment like EEGs and MRIs which i think would be more impressive but i'm not sure.

There aren't many DO/PhD programs, but I'll give you one that promotes their program.

thank you for the resource, but i should have mentioned that i don't have much interest in research. i've been an RA solely because the position's requirements were a perfect match with my experiences (making the interview process a cinch) and that i had heard that research is good for an application. i do not want a PHD.

 

[Goro]

with the prior context, should i continue past 300 hours? i doubt that data entry counts as any "meaningful" work as research, even if most DO schools only really prioritize clinical experience. if i stayed at the lab, i'd be able to interact with more people and handle equipment like EEGs and MRIs which i think would be more impressive but i'm not sure.

What do you hope to get out of the experience?

thank you for the resource, but i should have mentioned that i don't have much interest in research. i've been an RA solely because the position's requirements were a perfect match with my experiences (making the interview process a cinch) and that i had heard that research is good for an application. i do not want a PHD.

Sounds like it's time to do something else.

 

[cablecutter]

What do you hope to get out of the experience?

i just want something shiny for my app. coincidentally, the focus of the research is music related which is also something i have heavy ECs in, so i was thinking that i could tie it in as some kind of narrative but honestly i don't know what else i'd do

Sounds like it's time to do something else.

i figured. thank you.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

i just want something shiny for my app. coincidentally, the focus of the research is music related which is also something i have heavy ECs in, so i was thinking that i could tie it in as some kind of narrative but honestly i don't know what else i'd do.

You talked with the PI of the project, right? You mentioned you are looking forward to more data intake that helps you interact with people.

 

[Just D.O. it]

i've been an RA at my school's lab for a full school year now (~300 hours). the focus of the study is something that's genuinely interesting and ties in well to my life experiences, which would really help establish a solid narrative for my app. right now, i'm just doing basic data entry/collection but next year i'll be able to do more "meaningful" things like interacting with subjects, handling and using equipment etc.

Pretty much a non factor. My class and the classes above and below are full of people without any serious research work.

Also research in general is a huge nothingburger and the stats from AAMC are misleading because premeds are mistaken about what constitutes “meaningful” research, and it seems the average premed wastes 100s of hours doing things that don’t really move the needle on their chances of acceptance.

You are mistaken on what constitutes “meaningful” research. It is NOT interacting with subjects or handling equipment. Your research is experience is meaningful when you actually get authorship on a formally published paper, because that is what actual researchers do. Right now all you are doing is establishing that you are capable of being a lab tech, which is a job with a very low bar of entry and not really what medical schools are impressed by.

 

[FPVRay]

To follow up with a question. What if you have meaningful research with publication (first authors and co in nature, cell, NEJM) but are applying to DO school just due to stat's and screening out in MD schools?

 

[AJS59]

To follow up with a question. What if you have meaningful research with publication (first authors and co in nature, cell, NEJM) but are applying to DO school just due to stat's and screening out in MD schools?

It definitely helps, but it shouldn't be the crux of your application I think (that is, don't apply with just research and no clinical experiences or non-clinical service experiences.