- Joined
- Mar 6, 2010
- Messages
- 871
- Reaction score
- 89
I am a recent college grad working on a clinical research project at the Department of Neurology at my school's COM. While working, I developed my interest of becoming an academic clinician, but I am now in a dilemma. Please guide me to the right direction to better prepare my next year.
Starting from this past Summer, I met two mentors who were willing to help me, but soon one of them became uncooperative and completely disconnected from me by not responding my emails and phone calls. Thankfully, the other mentor, the chairman of the department, was willing to help despite his busy schedule. I attempted to devisise my own project idea using a FDA approved device used to measure the ambulatory patterns of patients diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases. After reading many papers, spending many hours at library, working, writing, and integrating, I presented my project proposal to the neurology committee. Though they said that it needs some revision, it is publishable and meritorious to the field. Another mentor, who owns this devise emailed to me that he is open for full collaboration.
However, due to the fact that the diseases I was working on are rare genetic diseases, we didn't have enough patients in each patient cohort. (The mentor who disconnected from me told me that we have hundreds of patients!) So my mentor (the chairman one) told me that we can propose my project as a multi-consortium study since he had many connections to other facilities. Then he told me to get my project IRB approved first.
So, I immediately visited IRB office to find out what forms are needed to be filled. Then the IRB officer there told me to stop work on it because I am not even a medical student and if I am not getting patient consents, she won't tell me what forms I should work on. Despite her disrespectful attitude, I responded politely and left. And I contacted other IRB officers and my mentor's study coordinators to find out what forms are needed.
Finally, I was able to get the answers. Since my study is going to be a retrospective data review not infringing any protected health information, I can fill out patient consent waiver form and don't need to obtain consents. For the problem that I am not a student but a volunteer, I can deal with it by filling out Unaffiliated Investigator Agreement form.
Nevertheless, my mentor (the chairman) told me to stop me from working on my project. The uncooperative IRB office accused me that I was trying to be a Principal Investigator, and the chair person at IRB sent my mentor a letter. My mentor told me that I didn't violate any rules and was victimized by the bureaucratic IRB. By filling out those forms and modifying my methods, I could have completed my project. I even had a friend who works for my school's COM as a statistician, so I could even minimize the cost to my study. My mentor told me that the study idea is still mine and I could use it in another facility and was willing to write me a recommendation explaining the circumstance to adcoms.
I have been taking my gap years primarily because of not having my green card. Though I am applying to schools this year, my green card was issued in Jan, and my MCAT verbal score is low, so I don't have much chance. (I was able to apply to my instate schools in Jan.) This is why I tried to work on a clinical research project which involves a lot of paper reading unlike maneuvering lab equipment in basic science. I am currently volunteering at nursing home and hospice, working as a part time pharmacy technician, and am studying for the DAT to construct a backup plan, because DAT reading comprehension is less brutal to internationals, and dentistry has academia as well. I will be taking it in May then take the MCAT again in August.
For next year, I plan to enroll in either NIH IRTA or Johns Hopkins PREP programs. These options were given to citizens and permanent residents, so now I can apply. While working at one of their basic science labs, I am also thinking about bringing my clinical research project proposal to them and find a mentor who is willing to help me. (if they don't work on diseases I was wokring on, I can simply work on their diseases!) So I guess I should apply to Neurology field.(and neuro is important in dentistry as well!) This FDA approved device is a popular one, and my school already owns couple of it in neurology and kinesiology departments, so hopefully these institutions have them.
I gained lessons from experiencing real world after college. Enemies are everywhere, and very few are willing to help unless there is a mutual gain. Therefore, I aim to better prepare myself to get into these programs and find rightful mentors. I am aware that I must contact them first while working on my application. I also feel that I should secure my position at one of basic science labs. Though I worked at a lab for 2.5 years, I haven't had bench work for more than a year now. While reading a lot, studying for DAT, and shadowing dentists and doctors, should I quit my job as a pharm tech and get a job as a lab technician to better prepare myself to these programs?
Thank you in advance!
Starting from this past Summer, I met two mentors who were willing to help me, but soon one of them became uncooperative and completely disconnected from me by not responding my emails and phone calls. Thankfully, the other mentor, the chairman of the department, was willing to help despite his busy schedule. I attempted to devisise my own project idea using a FDA approved device used to measure the ambulatory patterns of patients diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases. After reading many papers, spending many hours at library, working, writing, and integrating, I presented my project proposal to the neurology committee. Though they said that it needs some revision, it is publishable and meritorious to the field. Another mentor, who owns this devise emailed to me that he is open for full collaboration.
However, due to the fact that the diseases I was working on are rare genetic diseases, we didn't have enough patients in each patient cohort. (The mentor who disconnected from me told me that we have hundreds of patients!) So my mentor (the chairman one) told me that we can propose my project as a multi-consortium study since he had many connections to other facilities. Then he told me to get my project IRB approved first.
So, I immediately visited IRB office to find out what forms are needed to be filled. Then the IRB officer there told me to stop work on it because I am not even a medical student and if I am not getting patient consents, she won't tell me what forms I should work on. Despite her disrespectful attitude, I responded politely and left. And I contacted other IRB officers and my mentor's study coordinators to find out what forms are needed.
Finally, I was able to get the answers. Since my study is going to be a retrospective data review not infringing any protected health information, I can fill out patient consent waiver form and don't need to obtain consents. For the problem that I am not a student but a volunteer, I can deal with it by filling out Unaffiliated Investigator Agreement form.
Nevertheless, my mentor (the chairman) told me to stop me from working on my project. The uncooperative IRB office accused me that I was trying to be a Principal Investigator, and the chair person at IRB sent my mentor a letter. My mentor told me that I didn't violate any rules and was victimized by the bureaucratic IRB. By filling out those forms and modifying my methods, I could have completed my project. I even had a friend who works for my school's COM as a statistician, so I could even minimize the cost to my study. My mentor told me that the study idea is still mine and I could use it in another facility and was willing to write me a recommendation explaining the circumstance to adcoms.
I have been taking my gap years primarily because of not having my green card. Though I am applying to schools this year, my green card was issued in Jan, and my MCAT verbal score is low, so I don't have much chance. (I was able to apply to my instate schools in Jan.) This is why I tried to work on a clinical research project which involves a lot of paper reading unlike maneuvering lab equipment in basic science. I am currently volunteering at nursing home and hospice, working as a part time pharmacy technician, and am studying for the DAT to construct a backup plan, because DAT reading comprehension is less brutal to internationals, and dentistry has academia as well. I will be taking it in May then take the MCAT again in August.
For next year, I plan to enroll in either NIH IRTA or Johns Hopkins PREP programs. These options were given to citizens and permanent residents, so now I can apply. While working at one of their basic science labs, I am also thinking about bringing my clinical research project proposal to them and find a mentor who is willing to help me. (if they don't work on diseases I was wokring on, I can simply work on their diseases!) So I guess I should apply to Neurology field.(and neuro is important in dentistry as well!) This FDA approved device is a popular one, and my school already owns couple of it in neurology and kinesiology departments, so hopefully these institutions have them.
I gained lessons from experiencing real world after college. Enemies are everywhere, and very few are willing to help unless there is a mutual gain. Therefore, I aim to better prepare myself to get into these programs and find rightful mentors. I am aware that I must contact them first while working on my application. I also feel that I should secure my position at one of basic science labs. Though I worked at a lab for 2.5 years, I haven't had bench work for more than a year now. While reading a lot, studying for DAT, and shadowing dentists and doctors, should I quit my job as a pharm tech and get a job as a lab technician to better prepare myself to these programs?
Thank you in advance!
Last edited:
