Changing Research Direction- Degree of Specificity for Applications/Interviews

[ImagineThis]

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Hi SDN,

As I'm sure you can see, this is my first post. I will be applying for MD/PhD entry in Fall 2012 so I am just starting my schools internal application process.

I have been doing fMRI research since I was a sophomore in high school and since I had experience in the psychological side of neuroimaging (when it would have been difficult to conduct a clinical study), I continued with that route in college. However, while I'm pretty sure that I want to continue doing functional imaging and I'm positive that I want to stay in neuroscience for my PhD, I'm not exactly sure that I want to continue my current direction. Instead, I may want to move to clinical neuroscience such as fMRI for neurosurgical planning or biomarkers for neurodegenerative disorders.

Is this normal? Is it expected that I continue my exact research direction or do adcoms accept a degree of flexibility? If I want to change, do I have to know exactly what I want to do? On that note, is it advantageous to look up and contact scientists at the medical school prior and during the application process to see where you would fit into their lab or if their work is in line with your interests?

Like I said, I'm just really starting the application stuff right now so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

 

[tortuga87]

Adcoms know that most undergrads end up doing research in labs where they could find a position - not necessarily what they are most interested in. They also know that students are developing their research interests and most will change. It's rare that someone continues to do the same research they did in undergrad. Your change actually isn't that drastic at all. Some people switch out from genetics to microbiology, or physics to biology, or bench work to computational work.

You will very likely succeed in any field you choose, as long as you give it all you got. Adcoms just want to see that you are passionate enough about research in general to do this (for whatever field you actually do end up choosing).

 

[gbwillner]

I concur with the above post.

 

[KPCOFGS]

Yep, people change interests pretty drastically sometimes, so you absolutely won't have a problem. I don't think it's necessary to contact faculty before you apply, although you should verify that there is work going on that you're interested in. Once you're invited to interview schools will ask you to send the admissions office a list of faculty you want to meet with.