Best way (or a good way) for me to learn clinical research?

[Gauss44]

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Please suggest ways for me to learn clinical research? Or add anything you think I should know...

My Background (skip/ignore this part if you want):

• -I have never held a research assistant position. And do not know if I would be a competitive candidate for that position. I was not a science major.
  
• - (possibly similar* experience) And therefore do not believe that I have any clinical research experience outside of a class that I took: I took a clinical laboratories techniques class where we learned how to use pipettes, centrifuges, and other clinical laboratory equipment early on. Then the professor gave everyone in the class a different set of specimens and list of symptoms and turned us loose to run tests and diagnose.
  
• - (possibly similar* experience) And I've done plenty of research in a journalism classes and legal journalism classes as an undergrad. This involved using the internet, calling people, meeting and interviewing, and using professional databases.
  
• - (possibly similar* experience) I have taken labs in all prerequisite courses (as in premed courses).
  
• -I prefer (but do not require) the overnight shift, part time work, even volunteer work.
  
• -I live close to a hospital where I volunteer (working with patients and doctors), but live far away from my undergraduate university.

My thinking is that I should try to volunteer part time, hoping to learn research and not just do dishes, cleaning etc. And I believe that would probably work if I met with a lab director and told them that I would be glad to help with whatever in exchange for shadowing and learning from research assistants, and other researchers. "Ideally I would like to spend equal time.. helping and learning." (Just thinking. Haven't done this yet.)

Your advice is welcome. Thanks for your time.

 

[ChE04]

I think starting off by volunteering is probably the way to go. I kind of doubt you'd get a paid position in a lab without a science degree or any relevant work experience.

 

[Gauss44]

I think starting off by volunteering is probably the way to go. I kind of doubt you'd get a paid position in a lab without a science degree or any relevant work experience.

CHE04, or anyone,

Do you consider what I wrote above to be "no relevant work experience?"

I'm not sure if you read that part considering that I specifically said no need to read. I also forgot to mention that I have a minor titled, Medical Laboratory Science. I'm not sure how much that matters. Even if I am a very poor candidate, a clarification of where I stand would be helpful.

 

[ChE04]

By relevant work experience, I mean you haven't logged any hours in science research outside of the classroom. At the lab I worked for just prior to med school, we specifically screened for this (although I will grant you they were a bit uppity at that institution). Once you gain some science research experience (clinical or bench), I think your journalism research experience will become much more of a plus because you will be able to verbalize the parallels between the two using real-life examples. Personally, I would try to parlay a volunteering position into a full time job with the same group, if possible, and as long as you are moderately interested in the work you're doing.

I don't think you are a poor candidate, per se, but even entry level paid research positions were quite competitive (at least where I was) simply due to the sheer number of applicants. That's why I think it's probably to your advantage to get the foot in the door first as a volunteer.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Given your background, I don't think you'll get any paid lab positions these days (too much competition even for jobs that pay pennies. Lots of unemployed bio/chem majors out there... at least in CA).

My suggestion is to look at hospitals for jobs that say clinical research coordinator, clinical research assistant or something to that effect. While you won't learn anything about the lab side of things, you'll coordinator studies for hospitals and learn about what it takes to run a clinical trial and follow a treatment protocol (probably more important for your every day physician).

Note: If you are dead set on lab experience, then just go knock on doors of professors at the biggest research university or not so near you from your description (do some research on the internet and target which doors you knock), tell them you heard about their research and it excites you and you'd like to volunteer in their lab a few times a week if possible (or a day week given the possible long commute). Also, if the hospital near you is a teaching hospital you may have some luck with the physicians there.

 

[Gauss44]

Has anyone on here ever volunteered in a research position in exchange for experience? How did that work? I am trying to think up a good way or good proposal for doing that myself.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Has anyone on here ever volunteered in a research position in exchange for experience? How did that work? I am trying to think up a good way or good proposal for doing that myself.

Thanks for the help so far.

Both myself and a colleague of mine started off as volunteers with zero experience at the lab I am now (top 5 institution) and were hired eventually. In my case it was ~5 months and was hired part-time. My colleague was hired full-time after ~4 months volunteering. Familiarize yourself with the work of the PI and simply ask them for an opportunity.