Quitting new research project (getting cold feet)

[Skarl]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm currently an M2 interested in a competitive specialty. I have previous research in the field from M1 (first author publication), and recently met with another attending in the department for an informational interview. During the course of our conversation, he mentioned a research project I could help with centered around creating a small database which would likely yield a 2nd/3rd author publication, as well as middle authorship on additional publications generated from that database. I wasn't really expecting to leave the meeting with a project, but felt that it could be a good opportunity to increase my research productivity and explore the specialty so I accepted. The attending told me they would send me additional tasks in a follow-up email.

It has been 1-2 weeks since our conversation and I have not yet heard from him despite sending a reminder/follow-up email. This has given me cold feet, as I have had negative experience working with non-responsive mentors. I also know of other attendings in the department whom I would like to work with and whose research personally interests me more (recall: this project manifested from what I expected to be a purely informational interview.) My main concern is that I will burn a bridge if I do not follow-up on this project and/or communicate that I am no longer interested... so I'm at a crossroads as to how to proceed.

Would appreciate any input from others!

 

[TakotsuboOkazaki]

Just wait for them to email you back.

I think you should give the project a chance. If it comes to be taking too much time then you can broach the subject of adjusting timelines with the mentor. You are an M2 so you have 2 years to get that project done and out before ERAS.

Chill pill.

 

[Skarl]

Just wait for them to email you back.

I think you should give the project a chance. If it comes to be taking too much time then you can broach the subject of adjusting timelines with the mentor. You are an M2 so you have 2 years to get that project done and out before ERAS.

Chill pill.

You wouldn't recommend contacting another mentor in the interim? Feels like I'm sitting on my hands.

 

[stickgirl390]

Go ahead and start another project. Sounds like your attending is very busy at the moment. He’ll get back to you, but in the mean time you have to continue preparing for ERAS, which means starting projects now. Your attending will understand if you have to jump ship if it takes him too long to get the ball rolling. Most attendings are aware of how crazy M2 and M3 are.

 

[Dr G Oogle]

worrying about something is like sitting in a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.

I think you should wait and see or send another email. I am sometimes a bit slow to respond because I have tons of things to do (family, clinical, academic, etc) and this is especially true in times of pandemic, can’t speak for others but a significant portion of my time during the week goes to figuring out childcare issues and how to keep a three year old from losing her from being stuck in the house or relegated to walking in the same park every weekend. Despite that I have provided all of my numerous mentees with a project and almost guaranteed publication.
Here’s a way to reassure yourself. Look at the publication record of this person, are there people without MDs (=students) If yes and this person publishes prolifically (3-4 first/senior authors/year, other middle Authors pubs) etc. then rest assured you’re in good hands. If this person publishes nothing or only has middle authorship in single institution, retrospective studies than perhaps reach out to another mentor. I’ve seen numerous attending a who want to do research but haven’t led a project try to recruit students to do the grunt work and more often than not these are dead ends, and I’ve seen this happen over and over again.
If you’re potential mentor is in the first group one thing you could do to speed things along is to either write up a basic protocol if one hasn’t been created, or if there are residents on the project (not having residents or fellows on a project is a HUGE red flag) email them and say “I met with Dr. XYZ and they said I could help with this project, how can I help?”