How soon do I need to show interest in heme/onc? Current med student.

[TheNightingale]

I'm a 1st year medical student, very interested in heme/onc. I am wondering how important it is for me to show an early interest in this field and if it's necessary for me to do oncology-related research in med school? I have one other specialty that I'm interested in (surgical) that I already have research lined up for for the summer. Initially, I was thinking that this research experience would be useful no matter what - even if I ended up doing internal medicine --> heme/onc. But now I'm starting to wonder if I need to show a more focused interest in oncology from the get go?

I do apologize if this question is really silly - I just honestly have no idea what I need to do to get started down the heme/onc path. I want to be sure I'm not shutting myself out of the specialty by failing to do something that I need to early on in med school.

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[tallash]

No worries - go ahead and do the surgical research. Looking around my residency program (at an "academic powerhouse" whose name you would recognize) I see interns and residents who did research in everything from nothing to orthopaedics to neurology. A large number of people will apply to Internal Medicine uncertain of their eventual career path so you'll be fine. A

So your plan should be:
1) focus on your current research project and getting something to show for it (poster at a national meeting or a publication)
2) focus on your course work when school is in session

 

[gutonc]

It would be nice if your surgery research was oncology related as you'll be able to kill 2 birds with one stone on that one. Otherwise, if you do eventually decide on IM and Onc, do a research month as a 4th year and set something up as an elective early in your 2nd year. It'll be fine.

 

[TheNightingale]

Thank you both!

And as a follow up: Gutonc, so you do think it's important to do some oncology-related research at some point in med school?

 

[gutonc]

Thank you both!

And as a follow up: Gutonc, so you do think it's important to do some oncology-related research at some point in med school?

No. But it won't hurt. This is internal medicine. Any research is fine.