Finding a research job

[Deepa100]

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Hi All,
I am a non-trad with SW engineering background. I only have 2-3 semesters left before I can get my B.A in Physiology (course reqs are pretty much the same as med school pre-reqs).

Since I will have a small baby at home in Fall, I decided to pursue my activities in the evenings/ weekends when my husband can be home with our baby. I plan to take 6 cr. and continue my volunteering gig. I feel that I could also do some research on the side ( I was full time student before so, there was no time). I contacted some professors and to my surprise, they hate people that are pemeds and not interested in doing research for them long term. This came as a surprise to me!

Those of you that managed to get a research job, how did you manage to do it? I don't want to lie about my goal of becoming a doctor.
Thanks!

 

[sehnsucht]

Hi All,
I am a non-trad with SW engineering background. I only have 2-3 semesters left before I can get my B.A in Physiology (course reqs are pretty much the same as med school pre-reqs).

Since I will have a small baby at home in Fall, I decided to pursue my activities in the evenings/ weekends when my husband can be home with our baby. I plan to take 6 cr. and continue my volunteering gig. I feel that I could also do some research on the side ( I was full time student before so, there was no time). I contacted some professors and to my surprise, they hate people that are pemeds and not interested in doing research for them long term. This came as a surprise to me!

Those of you that managed to get a research job, how did you manage to do it? I don't want to lie about my goal of becoming a doctor.
Thanks!

I built my research background while I was still in college. By the time I graduated and transitioned into research fulltime, I had a strong case to present to potential PIs that I REALLY was into research and interested in pursuing it alongside medicine. I made it no secret I was premed.

I am not surprised that the PIs you asked do not like premeds. At my university, a good number of premed undergrads I have worked with did not seem interested in the research they were doing. Some were genuinely interested while others slacked off and gave me the impression that they were only doing the research gig to get it on their application. After talking with other grad students at other universities, they seem to have had the same experience and their PIs are understandably put off by this. My advice is this: approach a PI with the proposition of doing research using your skills and experience as a selling point. The PI needs to know that you have something to offer his lab and some guarantee that your intentions of doing research are sincere - ie. you won't slack off because the commitment is temporary. PIs need people that are reliable that are enthusiastic and responsible about their work, regardless of what their goals are after leaving the lab.

 

[kronickm]

The hospital at which I work (in the blood bank) had a volunteer research assistant program in the emergency room, enrolling patients, gathering H+P info and such, on people with chest pain in a study pertaining to ACS, all I had to do was sign up. If you are willing to work for free I am sure their is somebody willing to take you at just about any hospital doing research.

edit: This, however, will not get you listed as an author of any sort.

 

[Deepa100]

I just got home from an interview on the campus. You are right, they want me to work for free. I guess that is ok since I don't have any prior lab experience other than labs I did as part of my coursework. But they also want me to work during day time until I get trained and I am not sure if I can do that with a new baby. If I work during day time, I will have to work for free+pay for baby care+parking. Hmmm...

On the otherhand, this is a position in the med school. So, I can get some good LOR out of this. I can't afford to work during day time though... I will keep looking. (This is kinda' interesting. My obgyn warned me about the possibility of emergency c-section in the next few weeks and I am looking for a job for after the c-section. Some of us are optimists forever👍)

 

[kronickm]

wow deepa, you make me feel like a slacker (I didn't think that was possible). Good Luck!

 

[Faze2]

Yeah I am kind of repeating what was said before, but it seems like if you are looking for a paid research job, they want you there full time and for a long time. While I was looking for a job myself, it to me about 1 or 2 months before I even got on the phone with anyone, or got a call back. And I was agressive with my search. When I finally did speak with someone, everything seemed awesome and the research was right up my alley. But then the doctor's assistant noticed on my resume that it said "currently enrolled in pre med classes". She asked about my hours, and while I was willing to work evenings and/or weekends, she said they needed someone who could contibute 100% to this project and that my classes interfered with the schedule. She was nice about it and told me to contact them in the future, but it still sucked to hear that.

As for volunteer reseach, they loved the fact that I was a student. But as you can imagine, you are not doing as much cool stuff because you are just a volunteer, and you obviously don't get paid. (It was still cool though, and you meet some great contacts, I just meant that as a volunteer you could not do as much as you would as if you were a "staff member" because of legal issues and things like that.)

 

[DeterminedT]

I've searched hospital lab jobs time and time again. I know clinical experience is uber important. Unfortunately, they all appear to require certification. Would you all recommend paying for, taking courses to obtain an MLT or ASCP license or is it a waste of time from adcomm perspective?

I'll defintely try to ask to volunteer but do need money!!!

Thanks!

 

[zed350]

Hi All,
I am a non-trad with SW engineering background. I only have 2-3 semesters left before I can get my B.A in Physiology (course reqs are pretty much the same as med school pre-reqs).

Since I will have a small baby at home in Fall, I decided to pursue my activities in the evenings/ weekends when my husband can be home with our baby. I plan to take 6 cr. and continue my volunteering gig. I feel that I could also do some research on the side ( I was full time student before so, there was no time). I contacted some professors and to my surprise, they hate people that are pemeds and not interested in doing research for them long term. This came as a surprise to me!

Those of you that managed to get a research job, how did you manage to do it? I don't want to lie about my goal of becoming a doctor.
Thanks!

If your rest of EC's are good enough you do not have to have research experience(unleass you want to apply to research oriented Med Schools)

Also, if you were involved in research during your engineering years that is helpful too, as scientific methods are universal.

Also, read question 11 with Dr. Robert Hinkley (Adcom member UoM) here.. http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2007/06/26/twenty-questions-robert-hinkley-phd/#more-249

You can find some part time job in Private Research labs involved in Bioengineering but the work is mostly petty like washing glassware etc..

Hope it helps !!

 

[Deepa100]

zed350,
Yes, I do have a thesis that a completed in Electrical Engineering M.S program. I will highlight that in my essay. I still would like to get a small job before I start med school in 2009. I believe I will have some free time after MCAT even w/ a small baby at home. I need to keep my brain active by doing something in the evenings. It is nice if I can get paid for it but we shall see.