How much does it hurt my chances to have research in another surgical specialty? I did a research year in a different surgical field between M2 and M3, and now I'm having doubts about that field and am seriously considering NS after exposure to the field during third year. My Step 1 score is okay (250+), and my clinical grades are currently pending. Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
As another reference, my program, Georgetown does not factor in research. A high emphasis is placed on your USMLE Step 1 score and class rank. Anyone can publish, you don't necessarily have to be smart to do so and there is no correlation with that and resident performance. Your scores are much more important for selection here.
Looks like they haven't matched an md phd in years. These low mid or upper low tier programs don't tend to focus on research.
Original poster here - thanks for the responses! I see that the average number of research items is 13.4 for NS applicants who matched in 2016; I'll be pretty close to that figure when you factor in abstracts and book chapters, but I only have 4 actual peer-reviewed publications (one manuscript is currently under review, so crossing my fingers for a 5th).
All of my research is clinical and in another surgical field, so I guess I'm not sure if PDs will take me seriously or think my decision to apply to NS is not supported by my CV? Unfortunately, my school doesn't have a NS department so I doubt I'll be able to crank out a NS case report/small research project by September. I always figured that research was the best way to demonstrate interest in a field, so now I'm concerned that I won't be able to demonstrate interest in NS because I came to this decision late in the game after having done a research year in another surgical field!
I also know I'll have to get LORs from neurosurgeons (not sure how to go about this without a home program? How much weight do letters from private practice neurosurgeons who aren't well known in the field carry?). All of this makes me wonder if the odds are stacked against me?