Getting a research internship at another school during your M1 summer?

[millepora]

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My school doesn't have any research in most of the surgical subspecialty fields, and I am hoping to get some information on what I should do to start planning for an internship at another school next summer (m1 summer).

For undergrad, I know there are actually official internships with applications, but are there similar programs setup like this for medical students?

How early is too early to start going around and asking PI's at other institutions about a possible spot in their lab for the summer?

Any other input someone else can provide?

I assume it will be a lot harder to find a spot at another school, because I would assume the PI's would give M1's at their institution first choice. That is why I hope to get started on this early.

 

[235009]

there are a few research internships for med students (some even with a stipend)

if you have any connections from before med school (like at ur undergrad) i would start there. even if you don't want to go back to ur undergrad you can ask a professor you know or have worked with to hook you up with other professors they know in a more desirable locations.

spamming PIs at other schools might sound like a good idea but the two downsides i see are:
1. you certainly won't be getting paid ...med school is expensive and loans don't cover living expenses over the summer
2. if this other school is really far away from you you won't be able to continue the research during the school year (if not second year then 3rd/4th) and 10 to 12 weeks of bench research in a lab u just walked into is basically useless since you won't get anywhere. from what i've heard residency programs want to see more meaningful research ...just having "research" isn't going to cut it

 

[Encephalectomy]

there are some paid ones out there that you can apply for.

Here's one of them
http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/sc...osurgery/news-events/campagna-scholarship.cfm

There are also fellowships at places like MSK where you could probably do surgery-related cancer research (i.e. H&N cancer if you're interested in oto, GBM research for neuro etc.)

As a back up plan, you should be able to find a lab or clinical researcher that would be happy to have you over the summer for no pay. In that case, look for things near your hometown or someplace you could live for free to cut down expenses. You could also look into getting a side job as a waiter or tutor or something to pay the bills.

 

[justdoit31]

I did a research project at a different school this summer. I knew the physician who set it up though so it was planned for me even before I started medical school. It has been an awesome experience- we didnt' get the grant we applied to so I didn't get a stippend but I am working on a publication (should be first author) and we are submitting an abstract to be presented at a national subspecialty conference this year (trip should be paid by the hospital)... so it is still worth it to me.

 

[kingofthehill]

My school doesn't have any research in most of the surgical subspecialty fields, and I am hoping to get some information on what I should do to start planning for an internship at another school next summer (m1 summer).

For undergrad, I know there are actually official internships with applications, but are there similar programs setup like this for medical students?

How early is too early to start going around and asking PI's at other institutions about a possible spot in their lab for the summer?

Any other input someone else can provide?

I assume it will be a lot harder to find a spot at another school, because I would assume the PI's would give M1's at their institution first choice. That is why I hope to get started on this early.

Mine doesn't either, and I'm working in the ortho dept at a hospital affiliated with another academic institution here in TX for the summer. If I were you, I would begin my search in January after you get back from xmas break. Go online and look at the websites of academic hospitals near where you're looking to work, and find the email addresses of docs who are in charge of research in the field you're interested in. Email them in January and tell them your situation and that you're interested in working on a project. It's important to contact them around this time b/c that way you can get a spot before they're filled (by their own students). They may say no, they may say they only offer positions to their own students, or they may not even respond, so that's why you email early and email LOTS of potential PI's. Don't put all your apples in one basket! But in my experience there are lots of people who are receptive and willing to help eager students out, so I'd bet you could find one person in the field you're interested in who'd be happy to let you come work for them. Just be proactive about it. Good luck!

 

[Schizoid]

This is very easily. The fact that you are med school already lets people know that you are not crazy, are fairly dependable (e.g. if you are really unprofessional they can contact your dean), and relatively smart and motivated

Easy way: (many have done this)
go to school website
look for research that interests you
email PI about your interest in said research and your interest in doing research over the summer. if they have no space, ask them if they know anyone else in the dept who would want any help. provide CV and research exp.
if you are lucky, they might even pay you a stipend
one girl I knew really wanted to go to England for a vacation she was also interested in doing research in her specialty. She emailed Oxford or Cambridge (I forget, which). PI was willing to pay a small stipend for housing. She paid for airfare, board, beer, etc.

Harder way:
Apply to those national med student research program (usually specialty related)
either google summer research medical student or something like that or talk to someone who should be in charge of these things at your sschool
write a whole bunch of essays, get letters of rec, etc, etc
these are usually due mid January in the year you plan to do the research
if you are accepted, they range from getting paid for everything to giving the PI some money.
you usually have to present a poster after these things usually at some conference
you make friends at some top tier schools and can put the fact that you won this prestigious bla bla bla in your CV

for both, you have a chance, but really not guarenteed of gettin gpublished.

 

[millepora]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, it was all very helpful!

 

[sunset823]

I'm currently participating in the Medical Student Anesthesia Research Fellowship (MSARF) - http://www.faer.org/programs/students/medical.html
I've really enjoyed it, and would highly recommend it. I will get to present my research at the national anesthesiology conference in San Diego in October, and people in the past have matched into various fields at good programs (everything from IM to rads, though I think they prefer anesthesia, I'd assume lol) - you get to spend a lot of time in the OR, so I'm sure it's helpful even if you're interested in surgery instead.

I was accepted into another program in diabetes research, but I turned it down because I'm more interested in anesthesia and don't like bench research much: http://medicalstudentdiabetesreseach.org/

There is also a program in thoracic surgery: http://www.aats.org/research/Grants/Summer-Intern-Scholarship.html. Didn't apply to that, but it sounds cool.

There are definitely tons of options between your first and second year, even if you don't have anything at your school. Also some schools (Hopkins and Vandy that I know of, and probably other big whigs) require their med students to do research through their schools, so that makes for less competition 😛 (though for these some people end up staying at their home institution but getting paid through the fellowship)

P.S. these are all paid. Working for free is a non-starter for me. And, you can choose from many universities all across the country. A lot of people elect to stay close to home or school, but I took a romp on the wild side and, as a Midwesterner, went South. I stayed with a resident, worked out well.

 

[theVster]

This is what I did. You can look up internships through online databases or even just email the school's research program office. I was lucky in that I had done work there before during undergrad but it's very easy to look up even then.

I would also directly email PIs you're interested in working with.

 

[RxnMan]

My school doesn't have any research in most of the surgical subspecialty fields, and I am hoping to get some information on what I should do to start planning for an internship at another school next summer (m1 summer).

For undergrad, I know there are actually official internships with applications, but are there similar programs setup like this for medical students?

How early is too early to start going around and asking PI's at other institutions about a possible spot in their lab for the summer?

Any other input someone else can provide?

I assume it will be a lot harder to find a spot at another school, because I would assume the PI's would give M1's at their institution first choice. That is why I hope to get started on this early.

Start searching with google. You'd be surprised at what you find. The AAAS also has Grants.net, which is a good resource. Most of the programs that will take place next summer have app deadlines around Jan - March of the same year, so line up your LOR writers accordingly.

 

[w00tz]

I'm doing one this summer in my hometown of Houston. I contacted a doctor that I kind of already knew at MD Anderson and he set me up. Only downside is that I don't get paid and I actually have to pay for parking (Texas Medical Center is so cramped for space). But MD Anderson does have programs that I could have applied for had I know about it earlier. Since I'm home with my parents I don't have to pay for rent, and my parents are actually really happy that I'm home.

I was really considering doing research where I go to school. I would have gotten paid, which was kind of a big factor for me. But I couldn't find anything oncology, which is what I'm interested in. Another thing that made go away for the summer was that the PI pretty much guaranteed me two 2nd author papers, which is good enough for me. So it sucks that I don't get paid, but hopefully it will help when I apply to residency.

 

[MD2014786]

hey!

I'm a current international med student. I was just wondering if anyone know of any research opportunities open to international students? Alot of the university websites I have seen only allow such opportunities to students from LCME or AOA accredited schools.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[twentyone]

I did one in a city where there was family for living expenses. It was paid. Check out large research institutions and/or cancer centers. They may have advertised programs. That's what I did, and this program kinda fell into my lap. It was loosely associated (cancer) with my specialty of choice at the time (pathology).

Good luck

 

[aRnonymous]

I did (am doing) a summer research internship at Johns Hopkins. Not paid, but I didn't care. I just sent e-mails to a lot of people in the field I was interested in with what I was looking for and my resume. I started doing this approximately 6 months before the summer started. If someone does get back to you, in my experience they will want you to meet them for an interview of sorts, so be prepared for that. It has panned out well for me, I'm going to see about six publications from this summer 😎 Also will be continuing to work on two or three more projects throughout the year. I worked my ass off, but it has been very, very productive for me

 

[aRnonymous]

I'm an international student and I'm here at Johns Hopkins. From what I've seen there is quite a bit of international people here doing research, you might want to look into it. It's a fantastic place to get involved in research at

hey!

I'm a current international med student. I was just wondering if anyone know of any research opportunities open to international students? Alot of the university websites I have seen only allow such opportunities to students from LCME or AOA accredited schools.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Guero]

Since everyone hates new threads, I figured I'd give this one a bump with a twist on the question: Does anyone know of a centralized website that lists multiple medical schools or national programs that offer paid summer research opportunities to visiting M1s? I was hoping to save some time by going to a few sites that have multiple listings rather than googling tons of schools. (I already started the latter and have about 6 programs' sites if anyone's interested and no one posts.)

Thanks.

 

[MrBigglesworth]

Try to stay at your school and do research there. It builds a relationship and helps with future research things. I applied to 3 programs last year and got in them all but decided to stay at my school and do research there. Here are some links either way. Good luck

http://www.kumc.edu/som/medsos/FirstYearStudentSummerOpportunities.html

http://medicine.osu.edu/students/life/resources/summer_opportunities/pages/index.aspx

http://www.mc.uky.edu/meded/student_affairs/Research.asp

http://www.upstate.edu/currentstudents/career/career_com/research.php

http://medicine.iu.edu/research/student-research-opportunities

 

[Isoprop]

Since everyone hates new threads, I figured I'd give this one a bump with a twist on the question: Does anyone know of a centralized website that lists multiple medical schools or national programs that offer paid summer research opportunities to visiting M1s? I was hoping to save some time by going to a few sites that have multiple listings rather than googling tons of schools. (I already started the latter and have about 6 programs’ sites if anyone's interested and no one posts.)

Thanks.

I found this site to be helpful.

http://msa.iusm.iu.edu/FinancialAid/SummerOpportunities/summerjobopportunities.htm

 

[Guero]

I found this site to be helpful.

http://msa.iusm.iu.edu/FinancialAid/SummerOpportunities/summerjobopportunities.htm

Perfect, thank you!