Feeling uncertain about research

[premed1234567891011]

Just started MS2 and still pretty uncertain what I want to do with my life. I've gone back and forth between a few super competitive specialties (that I'd need lots of specialty specific research to match in) and some less competitive ones too. I guess I feel kind of paralyzed when it comes to getting involved in a research project. I want to make sure the project is in a specialty I'm likely to pursue before committing myself to hours of work (especially since I'm not very interested in research to begin with). Anyone else feeling this way? Should I just go for research in the most competitive specialty I'm considering even if another project in a specialty I can't really see myself in sounds more interesting?

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[Oso]

1. No one expects you to know what you want to do with your life with only 1 year under your belt.

2. If you're considering multiple specialties, then yes, I would suggest getting involved in research in whichever field is most competitive.

3. Plenty of people do research (sometimes a significant amount) in a field they think they're interested in, but then end up actually choosing a totally different field. It happens. Can't let the thought of this happening paralyze you.

4. I'm not sure what the point would be of doing research in a specialty you can't really see yourself doing.

5. Props for counting all the way up to 11. I mean, damn.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Depends on what your interests are. If they have overlap areas, try to do research that could count for both. For example, if you're not sure about orthopedics or neurosurgery, spine research covers both. ENT and oncology - head and neck cancer, etc.

If there's no overlap areas then yes, do the one that is more competitive.

 

[.hematoma.]

Since beginning medical school, I've published 12 articles/book chapters, and I can say with confidence that research in any field > no research. A quarter of my papers are in my specialty interest, the rest are not, but they sure make for a great discussion.

I'd focus less on the specialty at this point esp because you don't necessarily know what you want to do yet. Here are my two tenants for choosing a research project as a medical student:
1. Is the research interesting to me?
2. Can it be published quickly? As an MS1/2, you may be willing to do IRB work to get the projects approved. But once MS3/4 rolls around, you need to focus on low hanging fruit (data's already collected, paper writing fell through; retrospective review almost done, just need someone to get a couple more charts reviewed).

Following the above 2 tenants is the most important.