Possible anesthesia Research Topics?

[RussianJoo]

Hi, I am just starting my 3rd year and haven't done an anesthesia elective yet, but think that I would enjoy being an anesthesiologist. I have a strong step1 score, but feel that I still need something more to be competitive in the match. So I am asking you residents and attendings that frequent this site for possible research ideas. I know that the anesthesia department at my hospital is open to doing research, I just need to propose some ideas to the PD.

thank you in advance for any topics or ideas.

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[Bertelman]

I hope you're not planning on doing this research until 4th year. If you really want to be competitive in the match, ace your MS3 rotations. This isn't Derm/Ophtho/Ortho/Rads, so you don't need research to do well in the match.

Having said that, if you are looking at a 4th year research project, this is the time to prepare. It sounds like they are asking you to develop the project, which seems a little ambitious. I hope you will at least have some help collecting and analyzing data, because unless you plan on doing a retrospective study, those two pieces may take 2-3 months of your 4th year.

The more I think about it, the more I wonder how you will have any time to accomplish your own solo project in time to matter. To squeeze it into your app, you will have to be accepted to a conference by September, which means the abstract will have to be written by August at the latest, giving you about one month to collect data. I guess maybe you could be accepted later and send an update to each school, but I wouldn't promise it would be noticed.

Research is a great thing, but at this point in med school, you're much better off concentrating on 3rd year. You don't know it yet, but you'll get your @ss handed to you in more ways than you can count, and be expected to study with a smile. If you can find time to tag onto another groups' project, then that's great. I just don;t realistically see you accomplishing much this year other than maybe an IRB submission, leaving you little time next year to make enough progress to actually list anything significant in your app.

 

[amyl]

a strong step two score will likely do more for your app than research, just mho. have to agree with bertelman that is will be hard to start your own original research project...
where is sgu-som?

 

[Hockeyguy]

I did a research elective month with a Peds Anesthesia attending the second rotation of my fourth year. I wrote the paper, presented a poster and included it in my app - as well as had him write one of my LORs. I think it helped and would encourage you to do a research month early on in your fourth year. But let them guide you. Don't try to come up with your own project at this stage unless your a PhD. They have projects you can tidy up/finish for them and they will usually give you first author.

 

[RussianJoo]

a strong step two score will likely do more for your app than research, just mho. have to agree with bertelman that is will be hard to start your own original research project...
where is sgu-som?

SGU-SOM is in Grenada, St. George's University.. So being an IMG I am at a huge disadvantage. I plan on doing very well on my cores and plan on getting a 99 on step2's (I have a 95 on step1). But my CV is empty, i basically studied through out school and relaxed during the breaks.

I was hoping there was a retrospective study I could do where I would just have to call up hospitals and collect data and then just make some conclusions based on the data. For example a friend of mine is interested in Trauma Surgery so he was thinking of calling up ED's through out the country and asking them if they kept data on pedestrian Vs. Motor Vehicle accidents, to see if more accidents occur when pedestrians walk with traffic vs. against traffic. I was hoping there was something along those lines for a topic in anesthesia. I am just not familiar enough with the field yet.

thank you for all your replies.

 

[RussianJoo]

I did a research elective month with a Peds Anesthesia attending the second rotation of my fourth year. I wrote the paper, presented a poster and included it in my app - as well as had him write one of my LORs. I think it helped and would encourage you to do a research month early on in your fourth year. But let them guide you. Don't try to come up with your own project at this stage unless your a PhD. They have projects you can tidy up/finish for them and they will usually give you first author.

thank you for the advice. I guess i'll try to touch base with more anesthesiologists to see if they have any ideas.

 

[Bertelman]

I was hoping there was a retrospective study I could do where I would just have to call up hospitals and collect data and then just make some conclusions based on the data. For example a friend of mine is interested in Trauma Surgery so he was thinking of calling up ED's through out the country and asking them if they kept data on pedestrian Vs. Motor Vehicle accidents, to see if more accidents occur when pedestrians walk with traffic vs. against traffic. I was hoping there was something along those lines for a topic in anesthesia. I am just not familiar enough with the field yet.

Your chance of performing a retrospective study like that is almost nil. Departments don't usually offer data like that over the phone to unknown med students. Even retrospective studies need IRB approval, which would require a principal investigator affiliated with each facility you contact.

Not trying to bring you down, just want you to be realistic about what you can do. Latch onto another pre-existing project. Sounds like you have almost no research experience. This task is more formidable than you may think, so you will need close guidance.

 

[RussianJoo]

Your chance of performing a retrospective study like that is almost nil. Departments don't usually offer data like that over the phone to unknown med students. Even retrospective studies need IRB approval, which would require a principal investigator affiliated with each facility you contact.

Not trying to bring you down, just want you to be realistic about what you can do. Latch onto another pre-existing project. Sounds like you have almost no research experience. This task is more formidable than you may think, so you will need close guidance.

yeah you're correct i have no research experience, but am willing to work hard to get some. The problem is I don't think there are any existing research going on at the anesthesia department at the hospital i am rotating (St. Barnabas Medical Center, in NJ). but I was told the PD is open to suggestions. Hence the original post asking for possible topics. Also I have some time between rotations (2weeks after surgery and 2weeks after medicine) so I could put in a lot of time during that those breaks.

thank you for your advice and for replying to my posts.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Latch onto another pre-existing project.

This.

 

[Bertelman]

yeah you're correct i have no research experience, but am willing to work hard to get some. The problem is I don't think there are any existing research going on at the anesthesia department at the hospital i am rotating (St. Barnabas Medical Center, in NJ).

To be honest, it doesn't have to be anesthesia. No one cares what topic you choose. The benefit is in the process and in the critical thinking. Anesthesia research is a rare bird these days. Try the surgeons. They tend to have more research projects, and are always looking for help.

 

[fakin' the funk]

yeah you're correct i have no research experience, but am willing to work hard to get some. The problem is I don't think there are any existing research going on at the anesthesia department at the hospital i am rotating (St. Barnabas Medical Center, in NJ). but I was told the PD is open to suggestions. Hence the original post asking for possible topics. Also I have some time between rotations (2weeks after surgery and 2weeks after medicine) so I could put in a lot of time during that those breaks.

thank you for your advice and for replying to my posts.

Concur with those before.

There is virtually no chance of a student developing from the ground up and conducting a study entirely on his/her own during 3rd and 4th year rotations.

Many, if not most, anesthesia departments do zero research. There may be a basic science lab here or a case report there, but most anesthesiologists spend their time (and make their $$$) in the OR.

It literally takes months and months to do even small studies of the kind you were suggesting. You could probably fire off a case report in that time, though.

 

[RussianJoo]

ok thank you everyone for your advice. I'll ask around the hospital some more. Hopefully my grades and board scores will be enough to land me an anesthesia spot. And if I do get to do research that will just be a bonus.

 

[Gern Blansten]

Writing up a case report for publication is much easier. That may be another route to take. Many attendings have unique cases that they are wanting to research and write up, but just can't find the time to do it.