Finding Research at a Distance

[DrRedstone]

A question for those of you a bit further along than I am in school. I am searching for research that I can do from a distance to help my future application as well as enhance my knowledge of the field.

--Quick Facts--
Specialty Interest: Ophthalmology
Current Year: OMS I at KCU-Joplin
Decent statistics background
Doing well in classes
Current Publications: 1 optho case study, working a neuro/psych literature review on Autism/Asperger Syndrome from previous school
Current Presentations: Undergraduate Senior Thesis
Worked ~2 years as Ophthalmic Scribe/Technician in a retina office.

Do you have any recommendations on where to look to gain more research experience? I have a local ophthalmologist (retina) mentoring me and reaching out to programs they have contacts in. Any help you guys could throw out there would be greatly appreciated!

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[sab3156]

You won't find much advice specifically for Ophthalmology here, so this is probably better on the residency sub-forum. Long story short - it's not easy to get Ophthalmology research at an academic center as a DO student, especially for remote work. Summer fellowships at this point will also become harder to find.

If you knew you were aiming for Ophtho, it would have been far better to get in contact with the right people prior to school starting, assuming the retina specialist(s) you were working for had any connections. Unfortunately, many of my classmates at at the KC campus can't even get an email back from IM/GS/Anesthesiology researchers in the area, and a field like Ophthalmology is going to be even more difficult. I think you are doing the best you can with your mentor, and really hope he can come through for you. Is your mentor affiliated with any of the academic centers in KC/Joplin, or any academic centers in general? If not, it's going to be a very time consuming process combined with a lot of luck in order to find any research programs, especially for "research from home" type stuff. Remote research is probably not going to lead to great connections or outstanding letters, which is pretty much the bare minimum for a DO to get interviews in Ophthalmology.

Do any of the Joplin hospitals (not the KCUMB affiliated one) have any Ophtho departments? That is probably your best bet, to be honest.

EDIT: Don't listen to people who have no idea how ACGME Ophthalmology works, just get in touch with the residents/fellows/faculty over at the ophtho residency sub-forum, and whatever you do, don't listen to anyone who is telling you to wait until 3rd year or 4th year to start research. This kind of garbage is unique to the DO forum on this site, and you really need to ignore posts like that. Especially if they misspell "optho".

 

[MightBeACylon439]

Continue to work with optho person, get more case studies. Continue to study hard and do well on boards.

When you hit third year you'll be able to apply through VSAS (dont worry about what that is until third year) to research rotations specifically in optho.

Good luck!

 

[sab3156]

When you hit third year

Seriously? He's asking about Ophtho, not FM.

 

[MightBeACylon439]

Seriously? He's asking about Ophtho, not FM.

lol

 

[DrJaySomeday]

If you'd be willing to travel to a DO school very close to your current school for a few weeks this summer, PM me. Other outside students are completing summer projects here & based on past summers from myself and other students at my school the likelihood to publish is pretty high.

 

[sab3156]

If you'd be willing to travel to a DO school very close to your current school for a few weeks this summer, PM me. Other outside students are completing summer projects here & based on past summers from myself and other students at my school the likelihood to publish is pretty high.

This is ophthalmology research at a DO school?

 

[DrJaySomeday]

This is ophthalmology research at a DO school?

The type of research we do could be applied to ophthalmology.

 

[sab3156]

The type of research we do could be applied to ophthalmology.

Where are these students getting published? Can you show an example of previous publications?

 

[DrJaySomeday]

Where are these students getting published? Can you show an example of previous publications?

Here's a few from the last year or so:

Publication bias in dermatology systematic reviews and meta-analyses. - PubMed - NCBI

An Evaluation of Industry Relationships Among Contributors to AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines and Appropriate Use Criteria. - PubMed - NCBI

Variable methodological quality and use found in systematic reviews referenced in STEMI clinical practice guidelines. - PubMed - NCBI

An analysis of the breast reduction mammaplasty research pipeline. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[DNC127]

Where are these students getting published? Can you show an example of previous publications?

In case you were wondering about the quality of the pubs above, JBJS is the #1 journal in Ortho, and if you look these guys up they also have published in the #1 plastics, #1 ENT, JAMA journals, and like 20 something pubs last year. Gangsters.

 

[sab3156]

This might be the best thing for OP if he cannot find any ACGME faculty to do work with.

OP, it may not be clinical research and you won't be getting ACGME letters, but you will at least be publishing.

 

[DNC127]

This might be the best thing for OP if he cannot find any ACGME faculty to do work with.

OP, it may not be clinical research and you won't be getting ACGME letters, but you will at least be publishing.

lol. U jelly??

 

[sab3156]

lol. U jelly??

Are you serious with this? Wow, this forum is beyond ridiculous. Judging from what he is saying, he has a retina specialist mentor reaching out to, presumably, ACGME programs that he has contacts at... I think that's what OP is looking for, which is an ideal situation (letters, contacts within ophtho, etc.). But if the connections his mentor has fall through, then he should look into getting published elsewhere.

 

[DNC127]

Are you serious with this? Wow, this forum is beyond ridiculous. Judging from what he is saying, he has a retina specialist mentor reaching out to, presumably, ACGME programs that he has contacts at... I think that's what OP is looking for, which is an ideal situation (letters, contacts within ophtho, etc.). But if the connections his mentor has fall through, then he should look into getting published elsewhere.

I am just playin. That research team has matched in ACGME Derm, and has had numerous people match in whatever they want on the AOA side (ENT, ortho, ER, etc) so its a good option for OP.

 

[DrRedstone]

Thanks for all the information, everyone. I appreciate it.