Advice for an OMS1

[Apoplexy__]

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So I'm 4 months into my first year at a DO school. I have absolutely no research experience, and have a very limited understanding at how to get any. My school advertises absolutely no research opportunities, so I'll have to go elsewhere if I want any. In addition, I haven't volunteered or joined any clubs at all this semester. I'm concerned about these two factors hurting my CV during residency application. So I'm wondering -- how important are research and volunteering/club participation to residency programs? Specifically, is it devastating to have a complete absence of either? Are there any specialties I can kiss goodbye if this continues?

To be honest, I'd only research to help my application (as opposed to being passionate about it). I want to enjoy my OMS1-2 summer with my girlfriend before med school sucks my humanity away and destroys our relationship (kidding), and would rather not research then or during the year unless it's a very big deal. On the other hand, I'm perfectly willing to ramp up my volunteering/club participation from uh...nothing.

Oh and to guide your feedback, I'm expecting my grades+boards to be too severe a limiting factor on my opportunity. Though it's a very short period of time to extrapolate from, in my past 4 months I've been getting A's and B's.

This thread also doubles as a general "What I wish I knew in OMS1" thread. Thanks guys.

 

[sylvanthus]

So I'm 4 months into my first year at a DO school. I have absolutely no research experience, and have a very limited understanding at how to get any. My school advertises absolutely no research opportunities, so I'll have to go elsewhere if I want any. In addition, I haven't volunteered or joined any clubs at all this semester. I'm concerned about these two factors hurting my CV during residency application. So I'm wondering -- how important are research and volunteering/club participation to residency programs? Specifically, is it devastating to have a complete absence of either? Are there any specialties I can kiss goodbye if this continues?

To be honest, I'd only research to help my application (as opposed to being passionate about it). I want to enjoy my OMS1-2 summer with my girlfriend before med school sucks my humanity away and destroys our relationship (kidding), and would rather not research then or during the year unless it's a very big deal. On the other hand, I'm perfectly willing to ramp up my volunteering/club participation from uh...nothing.

Oh and to guide your feedback, I'm expecting my grades+boards to be too severe a limiting factor on my opportunity. Though it's a very short period of time to extrapolate from, in my past 4 months I've been getting A's and B's.

This thread also doubles as a general "What I wish I knew in OMS1" thread. Thanks guys.

Extracurriculars are not very important in the grand scheme of things and you can always do something later on. Most of my major EC actually started 3rd year.

Research is a bit more important, but it completely depends what field you want to go into.

 

[Apoplexy__]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm mostly gearing for Anesthesiology, but I'd like to keep an open mind. About how many doors do you think I would be closing with absolutely no research?

 

[Lacktherof]

I am also an OMS-1. In the past month or so I've been able to attach myself to a faculty member whose interests are similar to my (very tentative) specialty aspirations. I honestly think the key is to make yourself known to the right people - what your interests are, that you want produce publishable research, etc. Just find a faculty member and ask them about their current interests; if yours are in line, ask them if you could help. For me, it was as simple as asking.

 

[donkeykong1]

same situation here as an OMS 1. i'm 5 months in. my school has about 15 paid research fellowship spots in the summer for our class. some are applying to other programs, others will do global health, teach, or just chill. it all depends. speak to an adviser. that's what im planning on doing after thanksgiving. u have to be proactive about these things.

i've spoken to some fourth years and they've said research in med school can be important
i myself haven't joined any clubs. they're mostly a waste of time

 

[sylvanthus]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm mostly gearing for Anesthesiology, but I'd like to keep an open mind. About how many doors do you think I would be closing with absolutely no research?

For anesthesia I dont think you would be closing many doors at all.

 

[sylvanthus]

Try and get some research if you can, but if not, I wouldnt worry too much over it.

 

[Apoplexy__]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Good to hear that it sounds like CV-building isn't quite the BS-fest that med school app-building was.

Based on what you guys and other people have told me, research doesn't seem like a big enough deal for my circumstances to be worth the significant sacrifices and plan-cancelling I'd have to do.

Anyone have any more input on the value of clubs and volunteering? I might do one of those cool abroad-volunteering things over a future summer -- would that matter very much?

 

[Dharma]

This is a valuable resource to see what you may need for the fields you may be interested in. PD survey. (Looks like close to 50% of gas PDs surveyed use research interest/experience as a factor in rankings their candidates).

http://www.nrmp.org/data/programresultsbyspecialty2012.pdf