M1 here realizing I dislike research. What specialties does this rule out?

[You're My Boy Blue]

I am slowly realizing that I dislike research and want to get through medical school doing as little as possible - or maybe I just haven't found the right project yet. What specialties require significant research and what specialties can you match to with just "checking off the research box" and doing as little as possible?

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[DubbiDoctor]

I doubt EM, psychiatry, rehab and family med emphasize research.

 

[Oso]

Specialties that require a good amount of research include competitive surgical specialties (optho, ortho, ENT, neurosurg, plastics, urology, integrated CT, integrated vascular), derm, IR. Probably radiology to a certain extent.

Research isn't required but is useful for top IM, peds, and gen surg programs, as most applicants to those programs will have some research experience.

In terms of just 'checking off' boxes/doing as little as possible, you could go into IM, peds, FM, EM, psych, Ob/Gyn, anesthesiology, gen surg, PM&R

 

[DubbiDoctor]

Specialties that require a good amount of research include competitive surgical specialties (optho, ortho, ENT, neurosurg, plastics, urology, integrated CT, integrated vascular), derm, IR. Probably radiology to a certain extent.

Research isn't required but is useful for top IM, peds, and gen surg programs, as most applicants to those programs will have some research experience.

In terms of just 'checking off' boxes/doing as little as possible, you could go into IM, peds, FM, EM, psych, Ob/Gyn, anesthesiology, gen surg

I think if you're trying to match IM at a strong academic institution, research would be highly advantageous. Gen surgery also as it's gotten pretty competitive. Anesthesia doesn't strike me as being research heavy.

 

[Oso]

I think if you're trying to match IM at a strong academic institution, research would be highly advantageous. Gen surgery also as it's gotten pretty competitive. Anesthesia doesn't strike me as being research heavy.

I don't know what you mean by "strong academic institution". Like I said, research is generally helpful if you're going for IM, peds, or gen surg, especially at the top programs. Plenty of people with minimal to no research experience match to these fields, especially IM and peds, at "mid/low tier" academic programs and community programs.

 

[Entadus]

i would be sketched out about applying gen surg with zero research. psych, community im, family, pm&r, and maybe ob-gyn should be ok

 

[DubbiDoctor]

i would be sketched out about applying gen surg with zero research. psych, community im, family, pm&r, and maybe ob-gyn should be ok

Do you think strong med-school affiliated EM residencies (Sinai, NYU) strongly favor research?

 

[Entadus]

Do you think strong med-school affiliated EM residencies (Sinai, NYU) strongly favor research?

caveat: i didn't apply EM nor anywhere in NY.... but if i had to guess, i would imagine both those places heavily emphasize research experience! Community EM programs and less desirable geographies would be more appropriate

 

[Cyphix]

I’d still keep an open mind for all specialties, even the more competitive ones. If you really like it, it doesn’t take much to get on a publication or two (you have lots of time). You may even surprise yourself by finding research you’re interested in. At the very least it’s a means to an end - could give you a leg up at a program where you really want to train for non-research reasons.

 

[Redpancreas]

I am slowly realizing that I dislike research and want to get through medical school doing as little as possible - or maybe I just haven't found the right project yet. What specialties require significant research and what specialties can you match to with just "checking off the research box" and doing as little as possible?

I wouldn't rule out what you want to do for the next 30+ of your life based on your unenthusiasm for research. Find out what you like and do what's needed for it. As for fields where it will hurt to have none...Ortho for sure as well as all of RoDS (Rad-Onc, Derm, Surgical Subspecialties). For Top IM, research provides a big boost if it's quality research.

 

[mistafab]

I’m going to go against the grain and say IM and gen surg is definitely attainable without research. Sure, you wont go to “top programs,” but who cares if you dont care about research. There are more im/gs programs that dont care about research than programs that do.

 

[831929]

I would just like to say that maybe do not rule out research yet. If you do not like bench research, there are a ton of other forms of research. Additionally, you can get involved with publishing ethical work regarding treatment, etc. I think the problem many student have is that as soon as they had a bad research experience, they rule it out. Medicine has a lot of research aspects and I feel like you'd do yourself a disservice by just ruling it out so soon. Maybe start with working on some review articles. It's a great way to learn about a field and about a certain topic in medicine.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

I would just like to say that maybe do not rule out research yet. If you do not like bench research, there are a ton of other forms of research. Additionally, you can get involved with publishing ethical work regarding treatment, etc. I think the problem many student have is that as soon as they had a bad research experience, they rule it out. Medicine has a lot of research aspects and I feel like you'd do yourself a disservice by just ruling it out so soon. Maybe start with working on some review articles. It's a great way to learn about a field and about a certain topic in medicine.

Echoing this, one of our fourth years did a presentation on all the research they did while in medical school and it was all related to public health - specifically cardiovascular research. This individual actually got a lot of press for it too, which is kind of cool (national newspapers & such.)

Point being, there are tons of different ways to gain research experience - maybe try a different area.

 

[DubbiDoctor]

Echoing this, one of our fourth years did a presentation on all the research they did while in medical school and it was all related to public health - specifically cardiovascular research. This individual actually got a lot of press for it too, which is kind of cool (national newspapers & such.)

Point being, there are tons of different ways to gain research experience - maybe try a different area.

And what did he match into?

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

And what did he match into?

They went into EM - not sure where. I could find out.

During the presentation I thought this individual was going to tell us they matched IM to go for a cards fellowship at some point, 'cause that's what all the research was about. I think there was a genuine interest in public health, and this person found their niche in the cardiology realm of public health.

 

[DubbiDoctor]

They went into EM - not sure where. I could find out.

During the presentation I thought this individual was going to tell us they matched IM to go for a cards fellowship at some point, 'cause that's what all the research was about. I think there was a genuine interest in public health, and this person found their niche in the cardiology realm of public health.

There's an overlap in emergency medicine and public health, as the emergency department provides a snapshot of the health of the community.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

There's an overlap in emergency medicine and public health, as the emergency department provides a snapshot of the health of the community.

Solid point - I didn't think about it that way.