In the secondary, is it ok to say I'm not sure what field I want to do research in?

[tdod]

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I want to participate in research as physician, but I'm not sure in what field. Is it ok to say this in the secondary, or would it be a red flag? Do the schools expect me to have specific research goals?

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

Nope. No one expects you to have a particular research area in mind or even a specialty. What's the secondary prompt? Just curious because it may not even be necessary to mention this unless the question specifically asks for it. In general, I think it's fine to say that you're interested in research but you haven't settled on a particular area. Alternatively, if there's anything that even remotely interests you, you can mention it and no one is going to hold you to it!

I think the general assumption is that premeds will change their minds and really none of this stuff needs to be decided until later on in medical school.

 

[tdod]

Nope. No one expects you to have a particular research area in mind or even a specialty. What's the secondary prompt? Just curious because it may not even be necessary to mention this unless the question specifically asks for it. In general, I think it's fine to say that you're interested in research but you haven't settled on a particular area. Alternatively, if there's anything that even remotely interests you, you can mention it and no one is going to hold you to it!

I think the general assumption is that premeds will change their minds and really none of this stuff needs to be decided until later on in medical school.

Ok, thanks. So do people usually choose a research area based on what topics interest them in school (as opposed to what research methodologies interest them)?

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

Ok, thanks. So do people usually choose a research area based on what topics interest them in school (as opposed to what research methodologies interest them)?

I think either approach is probably fine. I mentioned research topics specifically because obviously a huge part of the later years of medical school is choosing a specialty and I think it makes sense that that would inform the type of research one does. But I'm sure that research methodology can play into that as well.