how to get a research assistant position?

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kendrick lamar

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I'm a non-MD student but didn't know where to post this specific question on this forum, but decided to post it here as I notice there are many MD who do research or have done it during their pre-med years.

I just graduated with a PharmD from a 0-6, out of high school program and unfortunately my pharmacy program did not have an emphasis on doing research. As a result, I've never had research experience during school, nor really considered it until this year. I'm taking a break right now from finding a pharmacist job and am interested in doing research as an assistant in the city I'll be staying in, where there's a huge academic center/teaching hospital. There were three research assistant positions I applied to from their careers website and about 5 different people I've e-mailed from a faculty/researchers website. I only heard back from two people (who say they don't have positions), but am not sure if there is a better way to search/apply for research assistant positions. I am interested in mostly clinical research and public health research and would work even outside of the scope of simply pharmacotherapy and drugs (I have a strong interest in disease pathophysiology as well). I've sat in an intern conference during one of my rotations and a physician scientist there also was really open to students of different disciplines participating in their research programs as well. Any insight on how to assist in research, how to get in touch with faculty, researchers etc. would be incredibly helpful. Feel free to DM me as well, if you might be able to provide specific help.
Thanks!

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Are you talking about a paying job as a research assistant? With no research experience, that's going to be really difficult. Even those with research experience can have trouble landing one as there are so many people. I got turned down from several jobs for just not having the right kind of specific research experience. Of course you will need some form of income to sustain yourself, unless you have family who will do so, but your best bet is probably to be near a university and gain lab experience volunteering at a lab.
 
I only did one research project (it was for a month, voluntary) in a diabetes center under a post-doc candidate, so that's just the amount of research I have. A paying job would be preferable, but I'm 23 and just graduated so I'm taking time off and looking for whatever at this point.
I live near UCSF, which has only graduate studies (MD, PharmD, etc.) and they have a large hospital and center, so I would hope to do research with an MD, PhD or PharmD faculty involved there, whether voluntary or paid.
 
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Volunteering to do research is easy. Just go to the volunteer department, discuss your specific interests, and get matched with somebody relatively compatible with what you want to do research in. Getting paid to do it without any research experience will be difficult.
 
Why not get a job as a pharmacist? You may have better luck with that since you have the degree, and will certainly be paid better.
 
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