Honestly, the purpose of research is not just to check some research box. The purpose is to get to know a faculty member or two within your department of interest, establish a relationship over several years, and get them to be your advocate.

Do more research, do it in the department of orthopaedics, meet as many residents and faculty in the process as they will give you great advice and prespective, and get a kick ass LOR. Need I say more?

I disagree. The purpose of research is to try and create/discover something novel. Doing "research" can "check the box" if you like, but it'll be plainly-evident to your interviewers whether you know anything about your work or not. You'd be much better-off continuing a project beyond the typical summer break between 3rd and 4th year.

General tip: if you're using research solely to leverage your application, you will only be successful if you:
1) work with someone whose name alone means a great deal,
2) enjoy your work in concept, and be able to describe your learnings/perspective in an interview, and/or
3) produce rote publications and rely on numbers to fortify your CV.

Pick your goal, drink from your chalice, and accept your poison.

I disagree. The purpose of research is to try and create/discover something novel.

Well, yes that is generally true, but that is not why a majority of med students do research. 99% of the crap that gets published is not novel, especially in clinical journals.

I had a very similar past. I had a MS in BME with an expertise in material/tissue interaction, hybrid device tech and did not conduct any research in medical school. I worked in my old lab in between 1st and 2nd year doing large animal survival surgery studies. Unfortunately no paper came out of that work, but I still had two prior first author papers from my thesis work. And all my work was not in orthopedic basic science.

I was never asked why I didn't do any research in medical school (I felt it was more important to have the grades/scores first and add the filler later), but I was asked alot about my research at multiple places with a number of interviewers asking me pointed questions that told me they had actually read my papers. One actually had a copy and asked me to describe what one of the graphs meant.

Point is - it doesn't matter. If you are going to do research in medical school you better commit yourself to it no matter what. It will reflect far worse on you if you start something and don't finish it, especially if the research mentor is a potential letter writer.

From my perspective you should do research in your first and second year. I did and it hurt my grades a little, but the overall outcome was great in terms of publications and fun times. As long as you prepare for step one well your first 2 years of medical school can be written off if you have a good research background.

I would rec that you do not do any research 3rd year and just rock your rotations.