Questions from a senior in high school!

[effortdiligence]

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Hi guys,

I'm entering university next year and I already want to plan for med school. I realized that it is never too late to start planning for the future so I'm very glad that I found this site and the helpful people on it 🙂.

I just have a few questions to ask about research. I did research in high school and enjoyed it, but it was a class anyone could sign up for. In college though, I know it isn't as simple as that. So here goes-

-I know that to start research in college, you have to ask your science professors for permission, but my question is how would the professor know you are suitable enough? Is it determined by your grades? Since science classes are generally large, do you have to make yourself noticed by visiting during office hours and making time to meet your professor?

-How does reaearch exactly work? Do you generally go when you have free time or are there designated days?

-How does one go about getting his or her work published? Are there some research material that is published more than others (like research on cancer and such? I'm interested in that a lot)

-What is the process of shadowing a physician like?

Thank you so much for reading and please help a young one out! I promise to make donations in the future since this will be like my college confidential for the next four years of my life! Hehe 🙂

 

[Dissected]

Well, the fact that you are interested in getting involved so early will probably help put you ahead of the game. My advice would be to investigate what research exists at the university you're going to, learn more about the basic concepts of what the research is about (so you can ask intelligent questions, this will really help you), and who is involved in it (so you can ask the right people). Do well in your class if your prof is who you want to research with, a lot of the time the only thing they have to go off of is your academic strength. Investigating early while all of your classmates are still trying to figure out what the heck is going on will give you a leg up.

Physician shadowing is great, I loved it. I spent a month of my summer after freshman year following a surgeon around and watching (and assisting 😀) in procedures. Its helpful in that it gives you a perspective of a specific field in medicine, and you can get a great reference for later on down the road (this obviously means being punctual and showing the doc that you are interested in what becoming a physician/think you have what it takes).

good luck, remember to have fun in college!


PS - this is probablly going to be moved to hSDN soon

 

[effortdiligence]

Hey! Thanks for responding. I'm going to NYU so I hope there are a lot of opportunities in the city. I will definitely investigate early and befriend my professors as well as ask my academic advisor for more information. I just hope I'm not too late or anything.

I really am looking forward to physician shadowing! I don't think that as an undergrad there is anything that puts you close to what a physician does than actually follow one around.

Thanks for responding and sorry for posting this in the wrong section 🙂

 

[202781]

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[Maygyver]

As far as research goes I would check on your major's website and there should be a link for research opportunities. Usually they will have a contact person for the labs so find something interesting and send that professor an email and go from there.

 

[QofQuimica]

Moving to hSDN (SDN's high school forum).

 

[Dr Lyss]

use your christmas money & buy one of those things I wish I knew before applying to med school kind of books or premed guide 101. A lot of them help you get familiar with what you'll need to have at the end of the road and give a good step by step timeline of what you should be doing every year.