getting published in research

[jeffsleepy]

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When dealing with research experience, a lot of people mention getting published in a scientific journal. My question is how does this process actually work? Do you just tag along with your professor and get your name stuck in there when he gets published? Or do you make up your own project? Can you approach a professor and tell him of your intentions to "get published"?

Thanks

 

[TTSD]

Generally this is the story:

As an undergrad.. you have to WORK your butt off to get an authorship. Most journals these days are encouraging people to list undergrad researchers as acknowledgments or equivalent and authorship list usually the primary worker gets first, and the chief gets last and everyone in between.

A lot of university professors know how desperate undergrads are for authorship so they'll do what they can, but it's up to the undergrad. As most people here who've done research knows that to publish something GOOD can sometimes take years or never at all while you're an undergrad.

Research is finicky at best, you can sit there all day long and collect data but then you find out that the hypothesis, through no fault of your own, was wrong then back to square one.

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HOWEVER, clinical research is a bit different. It's a bit easier to get work done and published, but harder to obtain a position as an undergrad. Normally, they'd want either a small cadre of highly dedicated undergrads or fellow doctors, researchers or med students. Partly because you'll be working closely with patients and they want to ensure it is done PROFESSIONALLY.

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Then again, you can have a kick ass boss who says, "Boy, come here. We need another name on this paper."

😎

 

[TTSD]

Oh, and as to how? Usually you'll be assigned a project.. given protocols and procedures and set loose. You know it'll be fun when you're scrubbed up and wearing two different types of radiation badges, lol.

 

[SaltySqueegee]

Originally posted by TTSD
Oh, and as to how? Usually you'll be assigned a project.. given protocols and procedures and set loose. You know it'll be fun when you're scrubbed up and wearing two different types of radiation badges, lol.

Sounds like you speak from experience. LOL

I'll attest to TTSD's comments, they are very true.

For instance, I worked my butt off for a year and a half on one project that really did not go as well as it should and nothing special came of it. But half a year later I received an email from my advisor telling me that he put my name on another research project's publication as a reward for all the volunteer research time I committed to the project his lab. Go figure...

As for my latest research project, my hypothesis proved correct in a matter of a few weeks, and bamm my research advisor said, "you want another publication, I'll let you write it, and we'll go from there".

Research really is random. The best skillset that I have honed while doing research has been patience, humbleness and perseverance. 🙂

 

[Lux Aeterna]

It also helps to have a interested and active PI. I know many people who work in labs who never see their PI's, so it's tough for them to express their interests in getting published.

Good luck!

 

[ultimateend]

It also depends on where and what kind of lab you're in. I had my first research job this summer at mayo and got two publications; they practically shoot out papers in the lab I was in, well at least this summer. It also helps tremendously to have very intelligent PhDs/MDs in there too, I guess 🙂.

 

[Grumpy Bear]

my recipe for publications: be one of the first undergrads in the lab of someone new to the university... I practically got to design the major projects we worked on, my PI was under major pressure to publish a lot, quick, to secure her position at my school, and she was close enough to the plight of a student to want to help us RA's get published. There's definitely a trade-off in that working for a young lab exposes you to more than the usual dose of frustration - most of the protocols haven't been perfected yet and the PI is often learning them along with you. I think it's more than worth it though, if you have the opportunity to have a meaningful intellectual contribution to the lab, which I think is more difficult in a well established lab. One other word of advice: beware of collaborations... all of those people want authorship and you're at the bottom of the totem pole. (Not that I don't think collaborations are the best thing to happen in science 🙂 ). The sheer number of people involved in the clinical research I'm currently doing pretty much precludes any chance of getting my name on a paper.

 

[TTSD]

GrumpyBear,

The problem with news labs are numerous though. It's a huge tradeoff. Most of the time you'll be working to perfect various protocols, and believe me.. those could take a LONG time. Also, getting everyone to work smoothly is very difficult at first, especially if your PI is not at the same institute.

 

[Grumpy Bear]

Yeah, I hear ya... it's definitely a gamble. it probably depends on the type of lab. Trying to "figure out" protocols for immunohistology or whatnot is definitely a waste of time. I really lucked out though - had a great time, learned a lot and come out of it with four pubs.

 

[TTSD]

Originally posted by Grumpy Bear
Yeah, I hear ya... it's definitely a gamble. it probably depends on the type of lab. Trying to "figure out" protocols for immunohistology or whatnot is definitely a waste of time. I really lucked out though - had a great time, learned a lot and come out of it with four pubs.

AAAAAAARGH! I hate immuno work! I really do. If you don't have a ton of free time to devote to learning how to do it.. then I advise you people to stay away from it. In some of the staining techniques, it takes a certain brushing skill that can only be learned after about 5 times through.. and at about 12 hours per sample.. for you summer people.. you're not going to get a lot done.

 

[Grumpy Bear]

LOL yeah... I quit my first post-grad job because all they had me doing were immunos and I just couldn't deal with those levels of frustration 🙂 When I realized that the only part of lab I *really* enjoyed was doing mouse surgeries, I dropped my MD/PhD delusions quick.

 

[TTSD]

Originally posted by Grumpy Bear
LOL yeah... I quit my first post-grad job because all they had me doing were immunos and I just couldn't deal with those levels of frustration 🙂 When I realized that the only part of lab I *really* enjoyed was doing mouse surgeries, I dropped my MD/PhD delusions quick.

Oh hell yeah.. I used to do rats. But great stuff and with new laws coming into effect, what once was done on tabletops now become full blown surgical procedures so you REALLY get a feel for surgeries doing them.

While I did a lot of stereotactics, I didn't have as much fun unless I was doing femoral catheter insertions. Those were sooo much fun. Working under the microscope, and when you had a pregnant rat it was rather kind of hairy as there would be some angiogenesis going on and you'd have to root out all the aberrant veins and tie them off.

Also, what you do in lab really pays off in the OR as well. Great place to practice just practical techniques... eer, not that I actually did any of them in the OR.. eer, yeah.