Doing bench research M1 and M2 - considering MSTP transfer

[gratitude3333]

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Hi,

I would love to hear from anyone who successfully transferred into their MD school's MSTP program. What was your strategy in the MS1 year before applying? Of course the committee would probably expect you to do bench research during the M1 year, but I am conflicted how to best go about this because I know that if I end up remaining just MD, it would be better to do just clinical research (not my preference, but I have heard from older students that it is best to do this because of the higher potential to get publications). So my question is: did you seek out a basic science lab to work in your M1 year, or did you just work in a lab in M1 summer like a lot of people do and then applied in M2?

A little about me: I took two gap years before medical school working full-time in a basic science lab on my own project, and absolutely loved the experience. I will get 2+ publications out of this experience, one first author and the other as third author in a CNS journal. Right now I am interested in psychiatry as a specialty and am relatedly interested in neuroscience research, which I've heard is one of the hardest specialties to do meaningful basic science research in as an attending without the PhD. I will be attending DGSOM at UCLA in the fall, which has ~15 hours of class time / week M1 and even less time M2. In other words, pretty flexible schedule. However, as a person who has been out of school for a couple years now I am nervous to take on a research commitment before adjusting to being a student again.

Any and all advice is appreciated!!!

 

[getdown]

Then wait until you get in and see what the time.commitment is before trying to do research.

 

[puahate]

Is two gap years "a while"? I'm taking two and i feel kinda sharp still especially since i am doing research.

 

[ricksimmonsrafowens]

At my school the students who transfered into MSTP were usually expected to maintain a higher than average percent average in their first semester of MS1 and usually had to demonstrate involvement in research (however minor) since the start of medical school. I do go to a school with a traditional curriculum. I'm not sure if UCLA even maintains numerical grading in pre-clinical but it is something to look into.

 

[787593]

Bench press > bench research

 

[ndafife]

I did bench research M1 and M2 year and made it work.

You are saying the right things - multiple years of experience and you're published in basic science research - which tells me you should have the basic skills down so your learning curve when entering a lab is going to be low. Once you get comfortable in the lab and with your project (and your PI feels comfortable giving you the freedom to work independently), efficiency is going to be the game. Watch lecture recording/do Anki while your PCR or other process runs for an hour, things like that, Catch up on weekends. I generally took the week before exams and exam week off at the lab just to make sure I would pass them.

I also recommend getting through 1 block or exam cycle just to adjust to medical school, then after that start looking into research once you feel comfortable with where you stand as a student.

 

[CAFFEINE!]

Bench press > bench research

Found the orthopod.