Getting started on Research during M3

[jejun]

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I am currently a MS3 and I've been reading a lot about RAO and it seems like a really good fit for me.

I have a background in engineering (from undergrad) and a competitive step 1 score (250) but I don't have any solid research experience. We get 8 weeks of elective time during M3, and I have scheduled a 4 week RAO elective at my school starting in a few weeks. Would it make sense to try to set up a RAO research project during this elective or should I be spending that time on reading for RAO and following up on our patients?

Alternatively, I was considering spending the last 4 weeks of my 8 week elective time on research. I just don't like the fact that this limits my exposure. I am also open for taking a year off for research.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[nod]

if i am understanding you correctly, you are just starting on your MS3 year, and you are not going to be applying to rad onc for at least another year? i would do your 4 week rad onc rotation, and focus on impressing people. however, as you are talking to people, also keep an eye out for a research project (if you mention an interest usually the attendings will have many options), and then spend the other 4 weeks of elective working on that project. you probably won't finish in 4 weeks, but you have a whole year to finish tying up loose ends. at the beginning of your 4th year, you can do away rotations in rad onc.

you really need some rad onc research to be a competitive applicant, especially if you do not have very strong research overall (like an md/phd in another field). but you are starting early, and you have a stellar step 1, so i think you can make this happen.

 

[jejun]

Yes I am in the beg of my third year. Thanks for ur feedback. I like the idea of using the rest of the year to tie things up at the end.

 

[AmericanMD]

So it's not too late to start research then? I'm doing my rad onc rotation as an M3 now, with little research on my CV. I figured I have approximately 1 year to do research if I'm gonna go for it...but don't projects take more than 1 year to get published usually?

Also, my step 1 score is lower than the OP's (low 230's).

 

[hot sauce]

So it's not too late to start research then? I'm doing my rad onc rotation as an M3 now, with little research on my CV. I figured I have approximately 1 year to do research if I'm gonna go for it...but don't projects take more than 1 year to get published usually?

Also, my step 1 score is lower than the OP's (low 230's).

Publications are good but not required. A poster or two is something to show your interest in rad onc and give you something to talk about at interviews. Additionally, you don't have to start a brand new project (in fact starting a new project as an M3 is probably not a great idea). Work with an existing project; there could be a database of patient information that you could update and extract information from.

 

[AmericanMD]

Publications are good but not required. A poster or two is something to show your interest in rad onc and give you something to talk about at interviews. Additionally, you don't have to start a brand new project (in fact starting a new project as an M3 is probably not a great idea). Work with an existing project; there could be a database of patient information that you could update and extract information from.

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