I Just Don't Get it....

[Righty123]

I've been trying like a madman to find a suitable research project that I can be a part of for the summer between MS1 / 2. I have been emailing individuals since march and still have come up with nothing. The most frustrating part of it all is when I spend hours writing a personalized email since I am genuinely interested in the research at a particular lab and the individual does not even take a minute to respond back. I follow up with another email....still nothing. Perhaps 3rd time is a charm? "Fuggadaboutit."

I graduated summa cum laude, honored every class except 1 during my first year and have done research in the past.

WTF?!?!

I welcome any advice you seasoned research "go-getters" can dispense!

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[ACSurgeon]

I've been trying like a madman to find a suitable research project that I can be a part of for the summer between MS1 / 2. I have been emailing individuals since march and still have come up with nothing. The most frustrating part of it all is when I spend hours writing a personalized email since I am genuinely interested in the research at a particular lab and the individual does not even take a minute to respond back. I follow up with another email....still nothing. Perhaps 3rd time is a charm? "Fuggadaboutit."

I graduated summa cum laude, honored every class except 1 during my first year and have done research in the past.

WTF?!?!

I welcome any advice you seasoned research "go-getters" can dispense!

1-Does your school have somebody to help students land projects?
2- Have you contacted other researchers that you might like to work with?
3- Did you try to go down to the researcher's office/lab and talk to them personally? If they are a doctor did you call the secreatary to set up an appointment?
4- You have been emailing said researcher since March, and we are almost in July, now you think you need to change your strategy? when does school start again (is there even enough time left)?
5-Did you ask second year students how they went about landing projects? My school had two full days detecated to educate us as to what M2's did last summer and who to contact if we want to do research/clinical work etc.

Best of luck!

 

[Blade28]

I would have asked the upperclassmen med students which attendings they worked with, especially if you know which fields you're interested in.

Edit: to arrange research projects for the summer after my MS-I year, I went to the Department of Surgery and talked to the attendings directly.

 

[J1515]

I've been trying like a madman to find a suitable research project that I can be a part of for the summer between MS1 / 2. I have been emailing individuals since march and still have come up with nothing. The most frustrating part of it all is when I spend hours writing a personalized email since I am genuinely interested in the research at a particular lab and the individual does not even take a minute to respond back. I follow up with another email....still nothing. Perhaps 3rd time is a charm? "Fuggadaboutit."

I graduated summa cum laude, honored every class except 1 during my first year and have done research in the past.

WTF?!?!

I welcome any advice you seasoned research "go-getters" can dispense!

Email is the worst form of communication if you need a definite yes/no reply. In person is always the way to go.

 

[OncoCaP]

I've been trying like a madman to find a suitable research project that I can be a part of for the summer between MS1 / 2. I have been emailing individuals since march and still have come up with nothing. The most frustrating part of it all is when I spend hours writing a personalized email since I am genuinely interested in the research at a particular lab and the individual does not even take a minute to respond back. I follow up with another email....still nothing. Perhaps 3rd time is a charm? "Fuggadaboutit."

I graduated summa cum laude, honored every class except 1 during my first year and have done research in the past.

WTF?!?!

I welcome any advice you seasoned research "go-getters" can dispense!

You're trying to hard. It's like dating ... if the opposite sex senses any kind of desperation, they run away. Find something else to do and lay off the research quest. It will happen naturally, like procreation, when the time is right and you meet the right people. Other suggestions above are great also, of course.