Research Advice, Please Help

[ChocolateKiss]

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Hi,

I'm starting med school at the end of the summer, and I am pretty sure that I want to go into either derm or rad onc. I'm pretty torn between these two specialties and think it may take me a while to choose between them.

Because I know that these specialties are very competitive, I want to get started with research right away (or at least start looking for good mentors). However, I was wondering if you had advice for which field I should start doing research in.

Would it be better to go into derm with rad onc research or rad onc with derm research?

Thanks for the advice,

ChocolateKiss

 

[Gfunk6]

Tough to say, we don't know much about your background and we also don't know where you are going to medical school. Obviously, those two things matter a lot in terms of what research project you can do. Also, are you interested in a lab-based project? Retrospective review? Physics?

Off the top of my head, you could probably do something with malignant melanomas though once they have metastasized I think they kind of leave the scope of derm. You could look @ the treatment of superficial lesions with electrons if that is done at your institution.

Anyway, your best bet is to hook up with an advisor at your school (probably you would have to pick RadOnc or Derm to start). Ask him/her if they can start you on a project which involves cutaneous malignancies -- that should cover both areas nicely.

 

[IndyXRT]

These are two very disparate fields. If you can, I would try to shadow someone in each field early on (preferably before or during your first year). They are so different that you will most likely like one more than the other and can then concentrate your research accordingly. I know very little about getting in to dermatology, but I do know that non-radiation oncology research isn't viewed as highly by radiation oncology residency programs (at least at my program; I can't speak for every program). The previous poster's idea of studying cutaneous malignancies is a good one if you just can't come to a decision.

 

[Zap]

If your dermatology and radiation oncology departments see enough of the cutaneous lymphomas (i.e. mycosis fungoides and related diseases) that might be a place to look. This is probably the main area where dermatologists and radiation oncologists can work side by side. It is a highly specialized area, however, and many departments likely don't see a large number of cases.

 

[ChocolateKiss]

Thanks so much for the replies! I know the two fields are very different, and I have shadowed several docs in both fields. I enjoyed both experiences and really think that I'll need more clinical experience before I decide. Any more advice for research areas that might combine the two fields would be much appreciated...