Don't know what to do for research...

[GonefromTX]

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So Im an MS2 and would like to start off by saying that I have absolutely ZERO research experience.

Everywhere I go to ask if I can get in on research, the first question they ask is "do you have research experience?" This is a vicious cycle where in I cant get research without research.

But I have absolutely no skills to offer to be fair. I met up with a faculty for a data analysis project and she asked if I know any STATA or if I know how to do a PCM. I looked up PCM and did a full day of reading on my own and still have absolutely no clue what Im doing.

I met with a bench research faculty and Im even more clueless. RTPCR, computer programs, machines and more jargon.

My questions are: what kind of research would be more suited for me, and how does ANYONE do it? Didnt seem like the faculties I met up with are very willing to babystep me through everything, but everything is so difficult to learn on my own.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

So Im an MS2 and would like to start off by saying that I have absolutely ZERO research experience.

Everywhere I go to ask if I can get in on research, the first question they ask is "do you have research experience?" This is a vicious cycle where in I cant get research without research.

But I have absolutely no skills to offer to be fair. I met up with a faculty for a data analysis project and she asked if I know any STATA or if I know how to do a PCM. I looked up PCM and did a full day of reading on my own and still have absolutely no clue what Im doing.

I met with a bench research faculty and Im even more clueless. RTPCR, computer programs, machines and more jargon.

My questions are: what kind of research would be more suited for me, and how does ANYONE do it? Didnt seem like the faculties I met up with are very willing to babystep me through everything, but everything is so difficult to learn on my own.

This might be personal response, but I think it is inappropriate for faculty at a medical school to assume or require you to have prior research experience before they give you an opportunity. My philosophy is that if I can't teach it, I shouldn't be doing it myself. It is called medical "school" and they should want to help you. Now, not every faculty may have the time, patience, money to take on a student but they should help guide you to those who can if they can not. I would suggest 1) find by word of mouth who at your school as helped students 2) email someone at your schools Office of Research what opportunities exist for students 3) look up faculty through your school's database or directory and find faculty who are dong projects you are interested in or the chief of a division whose clinical field you are interested in and ask about opportunities or 4) go to https://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm, find your school and type search to see the NIH funded grants at your school, then email the PI whose project looks interesting and ask for a meeting.

 

[psychhopefull2016]

Clinical research I have found is easier to grasp than basic science RTPCR type stuff. I am doing research on depression and its behavioral so it makes more sense.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

You need to be doing clinical research. That takes Zero experience to get started in. All you would be doing is looking up patient info in their chart, and then typing it into a spreadsheet. Then maybe you can help with the data analysis or at least learn what is going on and then progress from there. To get involved in this type of research you need to be emailing clinical faculty and asking if they need help collecting data for clinical studies and that should get you started. Don't waste your time with bench research or trying to be involved in the analysis yet.


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[GonefromTX]

You need to be doing clinical research. That takes Zero experience to get started in. All you would be doing is looking up patient info in their chart, and then typing it into a spreadsheet. Then maybe you can help with the data analysis or at least learn what is going on and then progress from there. To get involved in this type of research you need to be emailing clinical faculty and asking if they need help collecting data for clinical studies and that should get you started. Don't waste your time with bench research or trying to be involved in the analysis yet.


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That sounds really good and its exactly what Im looking for! Thanks guys!

 

[Goro]

If you're good with computers, try numbers crunching or data analysis. There are > 4000 microarray results on my favorite protein alone.

Otherwise, you're facing an uphill battle.

Perhaps talk to clinical faculty and ask if they have any case data/results/reports they'd like written up.

So Im an MS2 and would like to start off by saying that I have absolutely ZERO research experience.

Everywhere I go to ask if I can get in on research, the first question they ask is "do you have research experience?" This is a vicious cycle where in I cant get research without research.

But I have absolutely no skills to offer to be fair. I met up with a faculty for a data analysis project and she asked if I know any STATA or if I know how to do a PCM. I looked up PCM and did a full day of reading on my own and still have absolutely no clue what Im doing.

I met with a bench research faculty and Im even more clueless. RTPCR, computer programs, machines and more jargon.

My questions are: what kind of research would be more suited for me, and how does ANYONE do it? Didnt seem like the faculties I met up with are very willing to babystep me through everything, but everything is so difficult to learn on my own.

 

[Revolution9]

If you know what kind of research you want to do, perhaps it is best to first find a mentor who you think you will work well with, provided it's a field you don't hate. I don't think anyone is expecting a medical student to win a Nobel Prize, I think the point of research as a student is to develop research skills in a mentored setting. How well you get along with your mentor could go a long way.