Resident Research Required?

[ticklishdragon]

Hey guys,
I am going to start medical school this August but am thinking ahead about what kind of residency I would like to do. It seems that some residency programs require residents to do research throughout their residency (especially, it seems IM residencies), while some seem a bit more lax (like anesthesia? again, not sure).
Where could I find more information about which specialties require research of their residents?
Thanks!

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[Law2Doc]

Hey guys,
I am going to start medical school this August but am thinking ahead about what kind of residency I would like to do. It seems that some residency programs require residents to do research throughout their residency (especially, it seems IM residencies), while some seem a bit more lax (like anesthesia? again, not sure).
Where could I find more information about which specialties require research of their residents?
Thanks!

Totally wrong board to ask this question -- should be allo at best -- this is a board for questions of interest to those already in residency, not a board for pre-med school questions.

I'm not sure there's a resource from which to "find out for information" that's not like 20 years out of date. There used to be an old standard (Eiserson or something like that).

But its pretty simple, really. Bottom line, the more competitive and academic the residency you want, the more likely they are going to want to see you distinguish yourself from other applicants in ways such as research. Then once in residency, if your goal is to do academics or land a prestigious fellowship, you again are going to have to distinguish yourself from others, usually via research. If your goal is eg IM at a community hospital and then become an internist or hospitalist, nobody is ever going to care. If your goal is a MGH fellowship and then an academic oriented career, they are going to care a great deal. But honestly, if you are the type of person who is even asking "do I have to do research", why do you think you want to take this path? Seems like a very bad fit. The people who like academics genuinely like doing research. "Do I have have to?" or is it "required" never entered their decision process. Also it's not "more lax" in anesthesia etc if you want to end up in an academic center or a prestigious fellowship. Again if your goal is to finish residency and go work in the community, fewer people will care, in virtually every field.

 

[ticklishdragon]

Thanks for answering my question, and I apologize for using the wrong board I'm somewhat new to actually posting anything to SDN.

To answer your question, my top priority in terms of my career path is to provide patient care and "work in the community," as you said. The academic aspect of medicine doesn't appeal to me, and I've also not enjoyed the research I've done so far in undergrad. I understand that research can help one acquire a residency (and I'm prepared to do research as a med student), I'm just not sure how much of that I'd like to do when I actually become a resident.

From what I've seen so far, some schools require a research project from their residents, such as my undergrad university. This requirement wasn't something I was aware of when I decided I wanted to enter medicine, and it wasn't something that was made clear in the information that was presented to me. That's one of the reasons I'm trying to figure this all out now, so I don't feel blindsided when I try to figure out which residency I ultimately want to pursue.

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[gutonc]

Virtually every IM program will have a "research" requirement or senior project. One of the R3s when I was an intern did his on "why your poop turns red when you eat beets and why you pee smells funky when you eat asparagus." So research in resdency is often a very loose term.

 

[Raryn]

Virtually every IM program will have a "research" requirement or senior project. One of the R3s when I was an intern did his on "why your poop turns red when you eat beets and why you pee smells funky when you eat asparagus." So research in resdency is often a very loose term.

Pretty sure a research or QI project is actually an ACGME requirement, so turn that "virtually every" into "every accredited."

 

[KnuxNole]

Pretty sure a research or QI project is actually an ACGME requirement, so turn that "virtually every" into "every accredited."

That sucks. Anything research/academic related is the BANE of my existence. It kinda makes me queasy

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Pretty sure a research or QI project is actually an ACGME requirement, so turn that "virtually every" into "every accredited."

QI is a requirement now, that is true. But as said above these projects can vary widely in their labor intensity and academic heft. One of my friends in medicine's project was to reorganize the supply rooms on the wards.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

Most of this 'research' is pretty minimal. Write up a case report or do a quick QI chart review and you've satisfied the requirement.

If the OP is asking if certain specialties virtually require research-- some do, honestly, to get in. You won't land a spot in dermatology, radiation oncology, or the surgical subspecialties without some field-related research under your belt as a medical student.

Once you're in residency, all bets are off. You can no longer make blanket assumptions based on the field. Academic surgery residencies, for example, require a 2-year research hiatus in the middle (or at least residents are strongly pressured to do this), but in community programs it's not even an option. Academic IM, peds, neurology, pathology etc will have significant elective time which can be used for research for interested individuals, but those who don't care at all will use the elective time clinically. Even extremely prestigious residencies at top hospitals will not out-and-out-require dedicated research time in these fields, though it will be encouraged. Finally, many non-surgical fields have "research track" residencies where the resident matches in-- or identifies that they'll do the track before they start internship-- and they're guaranteed a hefty, longitudinal research experience.

But the average resident out there does their piddly little project and then goes out into the world to treat patients, never to utter the words "PCR" or "chart review" ever again.

 

[Law2Doc]

Thanks for answering my question, and I apologize for using the wrong board I'm somewhat new to actually posting anything to SDN.

To answer your question, my top priority in terms of my career path is to provide patient care and "work in the community," as you said. The academic aspect of medicine doesn't appeal to me, and I've also not enjoyed the research I've done so far in undergrad. I understand that research can help one acquire a residency (and I'm prepared to do research as a med student), I'm just not sure how much of that I'd like to do when I actually become a resident.

From what I've seen so far, some schools require a research project from their residents, such as my undergrad university. This requirement wasn't something I was aware of when I decided I wanted to enter medicine, and it wasn't something that was made clear in the information that was presented to me. That's one of the reasons I'm trying to figure this all out now, so I don't feel blindsided when I try to figure out which residency I ultimately want to pursue.

Thanks again for your reply!

Bear in mind that research in medicine isn't necessarily close to bench research (usually isn't), so it probably will have very little similarity to that which you hated in undergrad. You likely will be doing clinical research on patients or patient charts in the hospital, not running gels in a lab. Most of the people who decide they hate research in undergrad wouldn't have the same visceral reaction to what people call research in residency.


It always boggles my mind though how so many people find research repugnant but somehow still think they would enjoy competitive specialties in academic settings. Sorry but they go together like PB&J.

 

[KnuxNole]

I hate that kind of research too... :/