How to get involved in research at my small artsy college?

[Bookish]

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Hello there.

I've been searching through the forums for advice on getting into research as a freshman, and most of the advice I've found doesn't really seem to apply to my situation. I'm a freshman cell and molecular biology major at a small liberal arts college. We don't have a very big science department (we have 5 biology professors total) and we don't have a graduate school either, so there are very limited opportunities for research here. The professors here are really focused on teaching, and the only research project I know of that is currently going on is with orangutans at the local zoo. I am involved with that, and I love it, but we are just observing them, not doing anything in the laboratory.

I really want to get involved in a lab somehow, and it seems like the best way to do that is either at your home university or through a summer program. I've already established that the opportunities at my school are limited, and correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most summer programs only except sophomores and up? And if they do accept freshmen, don't you need some form of laboratory research experience? It's frustrating me when I look at all these websites for summer programs; it seems so counter-intuitive. Let's take the kids with lots of research experience and opportunities and give them more opportunities!

Someone please give me some logical advice on how to move forward. I am hoping to apply for MD/PhD programs in the future and I don't see how that can work if I don't do research in undergrad.

As a side-note, I'm a white middle-class female, so I can't apply for the programs geared towards URMs either.

 

[cheechootrain]

I did research for a professor but I did not enjoy the ride. I then went to a teaching hospital located downtown and shadowed a doctor. He then allowed me to do clinical research for him, inputing data and other things. I really enjoyed that kind of research. So my advice is too look outside of your college for research opportunities, whether it is hard sciences or clinical.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

Hello there.

I've been searching through the forums for advice on getting into research as a freshman, and most of the advice I've found doesn't really seem to apply to my situation. I'm a freshman cell and molecular biology major at a small liberal arts college. We don't have a very big science department (we have 5 biology professors total) and we don't have a graduate school either, so there are very limited opportunities for research here. The professors here are really focused on teaching, and the only research project I know of that is currently going on is with orangutans at the local zoo. I am involved with that, and I love it, but we are just observing them, not doing anything in the laboratory.

I don't know exactly what city you're from, but you could look around your area for other schools or companies. If you can't do that then invest your time in clinical experiences.

 

[Skull Pell]

I hear you OP, I go to a relatively small private univ in ct. Absolutely NO research opportunities in my school. The bio dept faculty are just into teaching. The only answer I got was "look for research outside the univ." all I got so far as research is for bio labs and an ongoing poster project :/

 

[Aerus]

It would help if you had a car. Try widening the scope of your search. There might be research opportunities less than an hour's drive away in your area.

 

[cortana431]

From what I read on summer programs, at least some of them give preference to females and applicants from colleges with little or no research opportunities.

 

[Bookish]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I guess my question now is: How do you go about finding an outside research opportunity? I mean, I don't want to post what state/city I live in because it would be pretty easy to figure out where I go to school from there, but we are most certainly not leading the nation in medical research right now. There is a big state school with a medical school about 30 minutes away, but I don't know how well I would be able to fit that into my schedule with the part-time job I already have, and I just don't know if I'm qualified to work for a research company or hospital; I just can't see them wanting to hire a college freshman who just learned how to titrate, you know?

 

[DerpStore]

You can ask professors about doing some sort of literature review on their area of interest. Not research but the next best thing.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Research does not have to be science research to be valuable, both for your personal enrichment and med school admissions purposes.

 

[DAPI]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I guess my question now is: How do you go about finding an outside research opportunity? I mean, I don't want to post what state/city I live in because it would be pretty easy to figure out where I go to school from there, but we are most certainly not leading the nation in medical research right now. There is a big state school with a medical school about 30 minutes away, but I don't know how well I would be able to fit that into my schedule with the part-time job I already have, and I just don't know if I'm qualified to work for a research company or hospital; I just can't see them wanting to hire a college freshman who just learned how to titrate, you know?

If you want to do research you will find a way to make it fit into your schedule if your school really does not have anything.

And yeah, no one is going to hire you, you are going to have to volunteer to get the experience.

Go look at the medical school's website and look at the research that is going on and find something that interests you. After that, start sending some of the PI's emails asking if you can volunteer in their lab, why you chose their lab, that you go to school down the road, your career goals, etc. Someone at you school had to have done this before so talk to your professors and see if they know anyone at the med school that has taken on students from your school before or if they know anyone there that may be willing to.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

It would help if you had a car. Try widening the scope of your search. There might be research opportunities less than an hour's drive away in your area.

Unfortunately some people live where they dont have a lot of research options available to them like myself.

 

[Double A]

i didn't read the other posts, but summer programs are the best option imo. if you want to get involved during the school year email your professors and ask how you can get involved.

 

[climbouthole]

i didn't read the other posts, but summer programs are the best option imo.

Second this. Substantial research experience can be had during these summer intensive programs that are at almost any university with any sort of research presence.

Couple examples would be SMDEP at a number of schools, or SMART.