Question: approximately how many publications/presentations (please specify whether abstracts, journal articles, chapters) have you had by the time you all applied for the match? How exactly did you get the research experience? Anyone have any advice on how to pursue NS research if you dont have a home program?

Hey man, there’s no magic number of pubs, but of course some are better than none. I have the same problem you do (no home neurosurgical program) but I simply latched onto the nearest institution’s program. Is there anything close to you? If so, try to schedule a date to meet with some of the attendings or research assistants and make your face a familiar one.

A real man will have atleast 15.

Guest - 07 May 2007 12:27 PM

A real man will have atleast 15.

Funny.

Amojan99 - 06 May 2007 04:08 PM

Question: approximately how many publications/presentations (please specify whether abstracts, journal articles, chapters) have you had by the time you all applied for the match? How exactly did you get the research experience? Anyone have any advice on how to pursue NS research if you dont have a home program?

2 first author and 4 abstracts at national meetings when I applied, and that was ahead of most non-Ph.D applicants.

Kraney - 07 May 2007 02:07 PM

Guest - 07 May 2007 12:27 PM

A real man will have atleast 15.

Funny.

is it?  i’ve got 9 so far.  i think 12-13 is definetely within reach by applicatioin time.

Yeah it’s funny. A “real” man has no need to boast because his work does all the talking. Again Amojan, the more the better but don’t get caught up doing crap research or just trying to throw your name on something for the hell of it. Get involved in projects that interest you personally. Good luck finding something also.

Guest - 07 May 2007 04:42 PM

is it?  i’ve got 9 so far.  i think 12-13 is definetely within reach by applicatioin time.

9 papers, 9 abstracts or a mix thereof?

I plan on having around 20 publications by the time I graduate (and hopefully several abstracts).  The principle shouldn’t be about how many you need to be competitive, but rather how motivated are you to contribute to our field?  That’s what its really about.  Neurosurgery is built on the shoulders of strong men who have given their lives to this profession.  What are you willing to do?

four abstracts, 3 papers (fourth is in progress), two chapters
to the above dude - planning on, or are on your way?  i planned on 30, its going to be more like 13

there is a huge range among applicants, some have zero; others have 15+.  when i interview applicants, it doesn’t matter so much whether you have 1 or 30; you better be able to talk about your work.  for those of you who were publishing in college, it may help to briefly refresh in your head what you wrote about before your interviews.

although these figure are off the top of my head, i actually think the average number of “publications” listed on most apps is somewhere between two and four.

Matched at a great program - 0 pubs.

How do you guys have so many publications while in medical school? Did you guys take a year off to do research? Did you guys start working on these projects as an MS1?

I matched at a great program, had 4 pubs.  I did all of these during 3rd year.  2 case reports, 1 review article, 1 clinical research project.  I also was doing some basic science research that hasnt been published yet.  I think it varies between applicants.  Pubs give you something to talk about during the interview, plus shows your interest in neurosurgery.  Don’t be intimidated by these above posters with 15+ pubs, the average applicant definitely doesnt have that many.  If you dont have any pubs, dont be discouraged.  But I would definitely think you would need some type of research project (that isnt published, like an abstract or something to that effect) to discuss during the interview.

I think this really depends on what you mean by “publication”.  For instance, a SERIOUS first author basic science paper is worth about 8 case reports, chart reviews, or chapters.  Also a “publication” can be running a gel once and getting to be 6th author on a paper you didn’t even know existed until the corresponding author submitted it.  Some of you studs should calm down a bit.  And, as someone already pointed out, “planning on 20 papers” is worth about as much planning on matching at BNI or Hopkins.

I count publications as original basic or clinical science research presented in a peer reviewed journal article.  This process after initial submission of the article may take up to a year.  Typically, for each publication I have anywhere from 2 to 5 abstracts presenting different facets of the study (either oral or poster).  These abstracts don’t count as publications.  As someone else mentioned book chapters, reviews, case studies and so on are not much better than abstracts.

Using this definition I doubt many students in MD programs (not MD/PhD) have > 5 publications.  The average NS applicant I suspect has 1-3.

I’d be interested in seeing the CV or pubmed search for these anonymous 20-30 publication responders.