2.5 months enough to do some meaningful research?

[Pkboi24]

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I have 2.5 months of free time from Aug-mid Oct. I would like to do some research but am at a loss as to what type of meaningful and most importantly fruitful research I'd be able to accomplish in 2.5 months. Help anyone?

 

[jdh71]

I have 2.5 months of free time from Aug-mid Oct. I would like to do some research but am at a loss as to what type of meaningful and most importantly fruitful research I'd be able to accomplish in 2.5 months. Help anyone?

What do you want to do? Because anything basic science is essentially out. Anything propsective is out (you'll never get through the IRB in that time). You could get a limited and focused retrospective or observational study done by chart review though. And by "done" I mean have the data collected. You'll have to cruncht he numbers and write the abstracts (or manuscript) on your free time elsewhere.

 

[Pkboi24]

What do you want to do? Because anything basic science is essentially out. Anything propsective is out (you'll never get through the IRB in that time). You could get a limited and focused retrospective or observational study done by chart review though. And by "done" I mean have the data collected. You'll have to cruncht he numbers and write the abstracts (or manuscript) on your free time elsewhere.

I guess I was hoping for something in Cardiology and if not then GI or Heme-Onc since those seem to be the 3 fellowships that have a good deal of emphasis on research experience. I'm applying to IM and am not sure what subspecialty field I'm interested in yet.

 

[jdh71]

I guess I was hoping for something in Cardiology and if not then GI or Heme-Onc since those seem to be the 3 fellowships that have a good deal of emphasis on research experience. I'm applying to IM and am not sure what subspecialty field I'm interested in yet.

I guess what I meant was what type of research.

This kind of sucks a bit for people who are still trying to make up their minds, because if you're not balls to the wall about one thing (and even within a sub-specialty about one specific thing there), then you're at a bit of a disadvantage.

I'd go talk to the Cards guys, because this is probably the lowest hanging fruit for many reasons, and see what they are working on. Do you have a Cardiology fellowship where you are doing your med school?

 

[Pkboi24]

I guess what I meant was what type of research.

This kind of sucks a bit for people who are still trying to make up their minds, because if you're not balls to the wall about one thing (and even within a sub-specialty about one specific thing there), then you're at a bit of a disadvantage.

I'd go talk to the Cards guys, because this is probably the lowest hanging fruit for many reasons, and see what they are working on. Do you have a Cardiology fellowship where you are doing your med school?

Haha, literally within 10 mins of my last post I went ahead and e-mailed every single cards faculty at my school. My guess is that only 1 or 2 will actually respond. My school has a pretty baller cards program but the flip side of that is most of the professors in the dept are crazy busy and already have a horde of drones tending to their every academic whim.

 

[jdh71]

Haha, literally within 10 mins of my last post I went ahead and e-mailed every single cards faculty at my school. My guess is that only 1 or 2 will actually respond. My school has a pretty baller cards program but the flip side of that is most of the professors in the dept are crazy busy and already have a horde of drones tending to their every academic whim.

Can't go wrong with that first step. Give it a few days and see if anyone bites. Report back here if you need to escalate. 😀

 

[Nerve Gas]

I have 2.5 months of free time from Aug-mid Oct. I would like to do some research but am at a loss as to what type of meaningful and most importantly fruitful research I'd be able to accomplish in 2.5 months. Help anyone?

What do you want to do? Because anything basic science is essentially out. Anything propsective is out (you'll never get through the IRB in that time). You could get a limited and focused retrospective or observational study done by chart review though. And by "done" I mean have the data collected. You'll have to cruncht he numbers and write the abstracts (or manuscript) on your free time elsewhere.

actually, i wouldn't a priori exclude basic science research. if you choose the lab/mentor wisely and if you have some luck, you can get your name (middle author) on a basic science paper. in the lab i have been working, in the last few years 3 out of 4 "summer" students (undergrads) got their names on papers published in very good journals.