difference between undergrad/med research

[luv2sd]

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as the title says, I was wondering what the differences were between undergraduate and medical school research. I was looking at

http://www.nrmp.org/matchoutcomes.pdf

and realized that a lot of applicants had done some sort of research. I assume that a research should be related to the specialty that interests you but exactly what is a research in medical school and how do you go about starting it?

 

[luv2sd]

*bump*

 

[LJDHC05]

It's no different, you're just paying more to do someone elses work for them.

 

[Anka]

It's pretty similar in content, but your goals will be different as you've already aluded to. Usually, as a premed you're just trying to get a letter from someone, with an emphasis on a great letter rather than coming from the right person. As a med student, you'll probably try to do research in the field you're going into, and will want a letter from someone who other people in the field know. You'll also probably use your research mentor to get shadowing experiences during your preclinical years. There also tends to be more opportunities for case reports and chart reviews leading to publication as a med student, since they know you have some level of familiarity with the subject matter (or will at least figure it out because you'd be embarrased not to know something about Subject X).

Best,
Anka

 

[brewmeistervi]

I have been thinking about this question myself... The research I'm familiar with doesn't include ethical questions or clearance from an IRB... Isn't there a lot more red tape associated with medical research?

 

[ginger60]

There are several kinds of research out there for pre-meds and med students to do--basic sciences (bench), translational (between basic sciences and clinical), clinical, other stuff like health services/epidemiology. In any research, if humans are involved then it needs to be looked at and approved by the appropriate IRB (the red tape brewmeister was referring to), and if animals are involved it needs to be looked at and approved by the IACUC. From my (limited) experience, it seems that pre-meds can more easily get involved with basic sciences research than clinical and med students can get involved with any type due to their different knowledge and experience bases. Also, med students tend to do clinical research because it allows them to contribute to the field they hope to go into, as well as better get to know (and thus get a great LOR from) people in that field. That being said, med students don't have to do clinical research or research in their chosen specialty for it to help them with their residency applications, any research tends to look great and many students don't even know what field they want to go into until 3rd or 4th year. OP--are you a med student looking to do research at your school or are you a pre-med looking to do research at a medical school? If you are going to be a med student, it is quite easy to get involved--many researchers are more than happy to get free labor from a motivated and knowledgable medical student. Just look at the research interests of faculty in a department that interests you at your school and e-mail a few to set up a meeting to talk about doing research. If you are a pre-med looking to do research its pretty much the same, but depending on your institution it may be difficult to find a good project and even more difficult to do clinical research.

 

[luv2sd]

thanks everyone for very very very helpful advice 👍

 

[TheGalvaniFrog]

many researchers are more than happy to get free labor from a motivated and knowledgable medical student.

I was really hoping to get paid for research during med school. Is that the norm?

 

[Anka]

It can go either way. Most PIs are willing to pay you, but you have to ask.

Anka

 

[ginger60]

If you do research over the summer between M1 and M2, there are a decent number of fellowships you can apply to to get money depending on the field of medicine you are doing research in and whats available. For research throughout the rest of the year, whether you get paid or not is wholly dependent on how much money your PI has in their grant that they are willing to offer you...none of my classmates who did research during the year got any money for it but I don't know many people who did that. If you are looking for money, make sure your PI knows that and that you get an agreement in writing.

 

[CCLCMer]

I think that medical student research tends to be more clinical. Not in all cases of course, but the environment just kind of lends itself to doing clinical research. Some people in my program are doing bench research after our first required summer rotation in a basic science lab, but I think they are in the minority compared to the number of people doing clinical research.

 

[trevagandalf]

Question: How am I supposed to determine which research area to concentrate in if I have no idea of which specialty area I want to go in? Don't most people do research revelant to their chosen specialty during MS1 and MS2? What if you don't know what you want be yet?

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Question: How am I supposed to determine which research area to concentrate in if I have no idea of which specialty area I want to go in? Don't most people do research revelant to their chosen specialty during MS1 and MS2? What if you don't know what you want be yet?

Go with whatever is the most competitive.