Contacting residencies for question?

[Apoplexy__]

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I'm finishing my M1 year and was wondering if I should undertake a research program over the summer. I've heard that research is encouraged for Anesthesiology residencies, but being a DO student, there aren't very many opportunities available to me.

Is it weird for someone as far away in the med school process to contact the Anesth programs that I'm expecting to apply to? I'd be asking them how valuable they'd think my particular research option is for their program...because it's more of an independent thing that may not be very fruitful (it's very likely that I won't get published or even have a grant approved to undertake a project).

Any input anyone has would be appreciated too. Basically, the research is just me using software to project drug-receptor interactions, then hopefully finding something researchable, then hopefully writing a grant proposal with my overseeing professor, then hopefully getting approved...

 

[Apoplexy__]

Anybody got anything?

 

[chessknt]

It might be weird and yield no fruit, but I dont think it will be harmful either. That being said, I really doubt you will get that much accomplished in the 3 months you have off. If you find something promising and work on a grant then take a year off, that would be a really awesome move to bolster your resume regardless of where you go.

In all reality:
1. You are still very early--your interests have a high probability of changing and I would definitely recommend against being fully committed to any field.
2. Any research activity, published or not, is better than nothing. DO something you are interested in so you can talk about it at interviews; get something published if at all possible. Whether or not some PD at a program that may or not be there when you may or may not apply 2 years later should not weigh at all in your decision to pursue any research activity.
3. Step scores are king in this process, if you want to expend a ton of energy to look good for residency, hone in and dominate Step 1 and (almost) everything else is forgiven.