Seeking research experience

[The right Path]

I've composed a letter to a private forensic medical group to inquire about research opportunities. I'd like you all to critique it, since I'm not quite sure how to go about soliciting this sort of thing. Cold calls and cold letters can be so awkward and I'd like to put my best foot forward.

I know that there are other research opportunities available, and I think it will be easier to make those contacts once I've started my post-bacc work, but I was thinking that I should start sooner than later and this is a field of particular interest to me.

"Dear Forensic Medical Group,
Happy New Year! My name is ....The right Path... and I have nurtured an interest in forensic pathology for awhile now. I have researched and made the decision to enroll in post-baccalaureate courses and pursue a degree in medicine. My reason for writing is that I am looking for opportunities to assist in research and to explore the field of forensic pathology. My undergrad degree is a bachelor's deree of science in nursing and I currently work in the ICU/NSICU at .... Joe Mama Hospital....

The opportunity to assist in research is an exciting prospect for me since research is the driving force for examining/changing standards of practice in my current career. As much as I do love the direct care aspect of nursing, pursuing a graduate deree in this discipline does not appeal to me nearly as much as furthering my education in biochemical sciences. What piques my interest in forensic pathology is the desire to find answers that are meaningul not only to grieving families or in the interest of justice, but to the public at large that benefit from data that are collected from accidental death due to injury or adverse medical reactions, for instance. I love the fact that expert knowledge of the interworkings of all organ systems are imperative- on a macro and micro level.

I hope you can assist my endeavor, and I hope that I may be of some service to your group in whatever capacity is appropriate. Any words of wisdom are always most welcome as well. Thank you for taking the time to read my inquiry.

Sincerely,

The right Path"

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[vc7777]

Wow! Joe Mama Hospital is one of the top "Mother-Insulting Hospitals" according USN&WR...

No seriously, it looks good!

If I may offer two suggestions?

First, perhaps you should transform it into a Letter of Introduction, meaning that you explicitly ask them if they know of anybody who may be hiring people in similar capacities. Usually research communities are tight-knit. If you 'give them permission' to 'introduce' you to other colleagues, you might land a job/position you didn't even know about.

Second, I assume you are targeting a particular group that is geographically close to where you live/work/study?

I would do a bit of 'research' on the position you want by going onto Monster.com and searching nationwide (maybe even Canada) for positions that are very similar to entry-level forensic pathology research positions.

It is tedious, I know. But you can read through all of them and synthesize a "composite description" of what they are looking for in an individual. Look of course for buzzwords and phrases that may help.

If you talk about how your background demonstrates you posses all of the common requirements of the an ideal candidate for the position into your introduction letter, I think you may experience greater success. Of course, don't lie!

Good luck,

-Vc7777

 

[The right Path]

Thanks for the great ideas!

Lol, Joe Mama just popped into my head

 

[vc7777]

Ha! No problem...

Full disclosure...I'm stealing your line:

"Hey, I got into a residency program at XXX hospital....Where you going vc7777? [snooty]"

"Joe Mama General Hospital."

 

[The right Path]

That's awesome.... be sure to let them know that Joe Mama is extremely prestigious.

So I took your advice and did Monster searches and here are some of the excerpts from what I found.

• Bachelor's degree in biological sciences, allied health sciences or related field required.
• Current certification by the American Association of Pathologist Assistants, the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology, or another national accrediting agency approved by the department required.
• Minimum 2 years exerience ias a pathologist assistant in a complex medical center, with extensive experience handling large and complex surgical pathology specimens and performing post-mortem examinations. n a medium or high complexity laboratory.
• Proficiency in computer use, including the internet and multiple-interfaced systems, Excel and MS Word or equivalent applications.

Education:
M.S. degree in a certified Pathology Assistant program. Certification or eligibility for certification required. Knowledge of and ability to interact with computer systems required.
Experience:
A minimum of internship experience as a pathology assistant required. two to three years of applicable experience in an anatomic pathology laboratory required.

Bachelor's degree in science required; educational emphasis in biology, chemistry, or engineering preferred. Must have a general knowledge of High-Throughput Screening assay technologies and a minimum of two years experience with laboratory instrumentation, automation, and IT. Must also have strong communication and good customer service skills. Must be able to perform tasks with minimal supervision.

Bachelors of Science Degree with 3-5 years of experience or a Master's Degree with up to 1 year of experience. A Valid U.S. Drivers License. Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite. Ability to lift 40 lbs. Experience with molecular biology and animal models is required. Strong molecular biology background and animal-model experience essential. Experience with infectious agents, molecular biology, and ability to work independently with very little input from senior scientists. Ability to work with research animals including ability to inject, and collect organs and fluids. Ability to keep accurate records of experiments. Excellent lab, communication, and interpersonal skills. Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to work as part of a team.

So I narrowed it down to student undergrad/grad and got nothing.

I do have a bachelor's degree, I have taken gen chem I and II, anatomy, physiology, and microbiology with associated labs, but that was 9-11 years ago and hardly qualifies me do do more than wash test tubes and count fruitflies.

I will be doing post-bacc for orgo, physics, bio and biochem, etc, but I won't start that til Fall 2011, and even taking those classes/labs don't really count for lab experience. With so little qualifications, should I even try? I'm basically asking them to throw me a bone and raise a hatchling scientist. I was feeling pretty gungho about it, but now I'm having doubts...

If I do send this letter, should I add anything to it, subtract anything from it? Should I include a resume?

 

[vc7777]

That's awesome.... be sure to let them know that Joe Mama is extremely prestigious.

So I took your advice and did Monster searches and here are some of the excerpts from what I found.

• Bachelor's degree in biological sciences, allied health sciences or related field required.
• Current certification by the American Association of Pathologist Assistants, the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology, or another national accrediting agency approved by the department required.
• Minimum 2 years exerience ias a pathologist assistant in a complex medical center, with extensive experience handling large and complex surgical pathology specimens and performing post-mortem examinations. n a medium or high complexity laboratory.
• Proficiency in computer use, including the internet and multiple-interfaced systems, Excel and MS Word or equivalent applications.

Education:
M.S. degree in a certified Pathology Assistant program. Certification or eligibility for certification required. Knowledge of and ability to interact with computer systems required.
Experience:
A minimum of internship experience as a pathology assistant required. two to three years of applicable experience in an anatomic pathology laboratory required.

Bachelor's degree in science required; educational emphasis in biology, chemistry, or engineering preferred. Must have a general knowledge of High-Throughput Screening assay technologies and a minimum of two years experience with laboratory instrumentation, automation, and IT. Must also have strong communication and good customer service skills. Must be able to perform tasks with minimal supervision.

Bachelors of Science Degree with 3-5 years of experience or a Master's Degree with up to 1 year of experience. A Valid U.S. Drivers License. Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite. Ability to lift 40 lbs. Experience with molecular biology and animal models is required. Strong molecular biology background and animal-model experience essential. Experience with infectious agents, molecular biology, and ability to work independently with very little input from senior scientists. Ability to work with research animals including ability to inject, and collect organs and fluids. Ability to keep accurate records of experiments. Excellent lab, communication, and interpersonal skills. Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to work as part of a team.

So I narrowed it down to student undergrad/grad and got nothing.

I do have a bachelor's degree, I have taken gen chem I and II, anatomy, physiology, and microbiology with associated labs, but that was 9-11 years ago and hardly qualifies me do do more than wash test tubes and count fruitflies.

I will be doing post-bacc for orgo, physics, bio and biochem, etc, but I won't start that til Fall 2011, and even taking those classes/labs don't really count for lab experience. With so little qualifications, should I even try? I'm basically asking them to throw me a bone and raise a hatchling scientist. I was feeling pretty gungho about it, but now I'm having doubts...

If I do send this letter, should I add anything to it, subtract anything from it? Should I include a resume?

First off: You should still send it in! At the very least: what do you have to lose!?! Do it!

OK...I see your dismay...you aren't getting a pathology certification...but I do see some common themes...these guys don't want their underlings bothering them every few minutes for example...if you point out you are very independent it can't hurt...I think it can't hurt to emphasize you have excellent team and interpersonal skills (i.e. you are not going to be a pain in the arse to the person hiring you!), excellent medical terminology skills, and are are a critical thinker. I highlighted the one about "ability to inject, etc"...I think you have that skill without a doubt? I am sure you can poke animals if you need to, right?

TRP, just so you know, I am in the midst of helping my wife apply for positions herself in Cleveland that don't directly use her education/training, so this topic is on my mind for her as well.

Just so you know: IMHO you should spell out how your background means you have certain skills they may have an interest in using. For example, it didn't occur to me until reading the posting that injection of animals may be part of the position...vice versa: although it seems obvious that a CCRN knows his/her way around a needle, people hiring might not! Remember, you are not a 'traditional' applicant for such a position, and you have to emphasize your strengths and talents you will bring to their lab. You need to lay it all out for them to see.

[ed note: it's 4AM...my youngest has a 101.8 fever which means I will not be working today...I will write more later if you would like...but I gotta go!]

p.s. hats off to you for doing the leg work!

 

[NTF]

I'm not saying that you shouldn't do it, but realize that cold calls/emails rarely work with PIs or researchers. Here's some other things you can try:

1)If at all possible offer to volunteer at the lab. If you impress them they may hire you on.
2)Take some upper level classes and get in good with the professors. See if they can refer you to someone doing research.


But I wouldn't obsess too much on research. Most of my classmates don't have any research on their resume.

 

[froglegs16]

I disagree here. I got something going recently after emailing a PI who emailed back and agreed to meet with me. Cold call. But it is volunteer right now--and paying in the future.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't do it, but realize that cold calls/emails rarely work with PIs or researchers. Here's some other things you can try:

1)If at all possible offer to volunteer at the lab. If you impress them they may hire you on.
2)Take some upper level classes and get in good with the professors. See if they can refer you to someone doing research.


But I wouldn't obsess too much on research. Most of my classmates don't have any research on their resume.

 

[NTF]

I disagree here. I got something going recently after emailing a PI who emailed back and agreed to meet with me. Cold call. But it is volunteer right now--and paying in the future.

Precisely why I suggested the OP offer to volunteer in the labs (and your post kind of confirms the sentiments in mine). You're not likely to get a full-time (or even part-time for that matter) paying position via a cold call/email. I'm not saying it can't be done. It's just not very likely - ie the OP should try some higher yield avenues along with the hail mary's.

 

[The right Path]

This is a revision- suggestions for improvement?

"Dear Forensic Medical Group,
Happy New Year! My name is ....The right Path... and I have nurtured an interest in forensic pathology for awhile now. I have researched and made the decision to enroll in post-baccalaureate courses and pursue a degree in medicine. My reason for writing is that I am looking for part time opportunities to assist in research and to explore the field of forensic pathology. My undergrad degree is a bachelor's deree of science in nursing and I currently work in the ICU/NSICU at .... Joe Mama Hospital....

My undergrad course work includes general chemistry I and II, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology. In the near future, I'll be enriching my education with organic chemistry, physics, and biology, etc. I look forward to applying that knowledge to the real world. Although, I have not yet had any formal lab or forensic experience, I am a fast, self-directed learner. I also possess several skills which are particularly suitable for a lab/research environment. My practice as a nurse has ingrained the priority of safety, I have excellent communication skills which are the foundation of effective collaboration, and attention to detail that results in optimal patient outcomes. I can be counted on to work independently as well as a positive team member.

The opportunity to assist in research is an exciting prospect for me since research is the driving force for examining/changing standards of practice in my current career. As much as I do love the direct care aspect of nursing, pursuing a graduate deree in this discipline does not appeal to me nearly as much as furthering my education in biochemical sciences. What piques my interest in forensic pathology is the desire to find answers that are meaningul not only to grieving families or in the interest of justice, but to the public at large that benefit from data that are collected from accidental death due to injury or adverse medical reactions, for instance. I love the fact that expert knowledge of the interworkings of all organ systems are imperative- on a macro and micro level.

I hope you can assist my endeavor, and I hope that I may be of some service to your group in whatever capacity is appropriate. Any words of wisdom are always most welcome as well. Thank you for taking the time to read my inquiry.

Sincerely,

The right Path"

vc7777: I hope your baby is feeling better! And good luck to your wife on finding a good job!

P.S. Truth be told, I don't know that I could bring my self to poke an animal with a needle. Is that weird? Give me a human, and I can jab that thing all day long!

Thank you also nontradfogie and froglegs16 for the feedback. It may be a long shot, and it may lead me to something else cool, so I'm just going to do it. I'm going to review and edit (hopefully with good suggestions) this weekend and send it on Monday. Do you think email would be appropriate or should I print a formal letter?

If this doesn't work out, I'll definitely look for opportunities through my post bacc program when I start. That won't be until Fall 2011 (saving my money for Mills) but I want to get some research experience started now. It would be especially cool to find an opportunity in a field that I'm particularly interested. I can also ask around the hospital about what research projects are in the making and see if I can get in on it.