Non-Trad Research Q

[ICUBlue]

Hi all, younger non-trad here with a research question... I know there are quite a few threads on non-traditional research, its importance or lack thereof, and how to get involved. So please, if I missed a similar thread that could provide me the answers I am seeking, feel free to direct me there.

My question is.. Is there any possibility of getting research experience before, or just as, I begin taking my science pre-reqs? I am assuming to approach a chem professor about helping out in a lab, they would expect that student to have SOME science background. I will only be taking Gen Chem 1 in the fall and Gen Chem 2 next spring while working full time as a nurse. My plan is to work another 15 months from now for both experience purposes and $$$ (just started working as a nurse 9 months ago), and then to step away from work and take the Ochem, bio, physics sequences full time for two semesters starting in Fall 2016. I know that with an otherwise well-rounded application, a non-trad student would not necessarily need research. However, if possible, this is something I would like to add to my application.

CLIFFS- Does a student need previous science courses to ask a prof to let him/her "help out" in their lab?
How valuable is the sort of unpaid/non-publishable/free labor experience on an app? What sort of time commitment do most profs expect?

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[NonTrad16]

I'll assume you don't have a teaching hospital around? This would possibly be more ideal since you're "in the system" and could work with physicians or students. It may be different at the institution you're at, but it was common at the two I've attended that a student would take the basic classes first, and commonly with the professor that would then allow you to research with them.

If you're a nurse, I'd think outside this box... Consider clinically oriented department in the university (even if you're not their student, they may appreciate what you have to offer versus a standard bench lab). Or hospital.

 

[kraskadva]

Do you want to do basic science research or clinical research?

If you want to do basic science, you should talk to your professors as soon as you start classes to express your interest. Odds are though that they'll want to wait and see how you do in the intro classes before taking you into their lab.

If you want to do clinical research, you should ask around at the hospital where you work and see if there are any research projects ongoing that you could help with.

As to value, well, a majority of med school matriculants have some sort of research on their resume. So it's a good thing to have. And more so if you're aiming for private MD schools. BUT, only if you actually participate in the research process - i.e. in hypothesis testing - not if you're just washing dishes.
Time commitment varies school to school and lab to lab, but ~10 hours a week would be a bare minimum. Closer to 20-30/week if you have your own project and are actually working on it.

 

[ICUBlue]

I'll assume you don't have a teaching hospital around? This would possibly be more ideal since you're "in the system" and could work with physicians or students. It may be different at the institution you're at, but it was common at the two I've attended that a student would take the basic classes first, and commonly with the professor that would then allow you to research with them.

If you're a nurse, I'd think outside this box... Consider clinically oriented department in the university (even if you're not their student, they may appreciate what you have to offer versus a standard bench lab). Or hospital.

I actually work at a teaching hospital. I suppose clinical work would be a much easier intro in this sense, given my class situation.

Also, I'm likely going to be aiming at my state schools/DO schools depending on how my MCAT goes. If I perform reasonably well post bacc, Ill have about a 3.6c and 3.6s, so I think top tier research schools (unless I completely surprise myself later on the MCAT) may be out of my target range. I am not sure but I am assuming bench type research would carry more utility at those top tier schools and clinical or any research experience at all would be more of a bonus than just a check mark at other MD schools and DO schools? Is this accurate?

 

[ICUBlue]

Another question: is nursing research viewed on the same level as clinical medical research? Would it be beneficial to find my way into a more medical research role than nursing? The unit I work in may make this difficult to form connections in this regard. I work at night in a CVICU staffed mainly by NPs and residents. I have very little if any contact with attendings

 

[kraskadva]

The point of research experience, in the med school application process, is to show that you understand hypothesis driven science. That can be demonstrated equally well through bench or clinical research.
Nursing research tends to be more epidemiological - figuring out which markers/results to search the records for and then applying the statistics to see if there's a correlation. So less hands-on basic science, and can be less experimental design, but certainly hypothesis driven. But any "lesser status" this might have (which for your purposes doesn't really exist), is more than balanced out by the much higher chance of getting your name on a publication in the relatively short time frame you have to work with.

My suggestion would be to talk to the NPs and residents you work with, and find out what research projects they do or know about that you could get involved with. It's likely to be a much bigger payoff for you than undergrad level bench research.

 

[ICUBlue]

Thank you for the response and advice, @kraskadva. Night shift has made it particularly difficult to do the "extroverted" networking pieces I feel like I should be doing and that I already have a weakness for anyway-- forming relationships w physicians for potential shadowing experiences, LORs, research, etc. I really need to stay w nights tho so that I can complete my post bacc classes during the day when they're offered. To compound the situation, the unit I work in makes it somewhat taboo with continuing education for NP/CRNA bc so many young nurses are in and out-- I can only imagine the workplace milieu consequences of opening up about my med school plans, atleast this early in the game

 

[kraskadva]

Thank you for the response and advice, @kraskadva. Night shift has made it particularly difficult to do the "extroverted" networking pieces I feel like I should be doing and that I already have a weakness for anyway-- forming relationships w physicians for potential shadowing experiences, LORs, research, etc. I really need to stay w nights tho so that I can complete my post bacc classes during the day when they're offered. To compound the situation, the unit I work in makes it somewhat taboo with continuing education for NP/CRNA bc so many young nurses are in and out-- I can only imagine the workplace milieu consequences of opening up about my med school plans, atleast this early in the game

Well I see how that would complicate things for the other aspects of the process, and you gotta do what you gotta do to pay the bills, but I don't see any reason why you have to admit to med school plans when asking to get into research. I would still recommend talking to the providers you work with about what projects are available.
Best of luck to you