Research: begin early in MS1?

[Dubious]

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Hey all,

Does anyone have advice on getting involved in a research lab fairly early in his/her first year of medical school?

I am aware that I need to focus on classes first, but is it a good idea to try to start a project before December break?
I want to get involved early so that I can get started on a publishable project that I will perform most of the work on over the summer and possibly into the first quarter of second year.

Have you seen others in your class start performing research early on in their first year?

Thanks

 

[mddoc201333]

Hey all,

Does anyone have advice on getting involved in a research lab fairly early in his/her first year of medical school?

I am aware that I need to focus on classes first, but is it a good idea to try to start a project before December break?
I want to get involved early so that I can get started on a publishable project that I will perform most of the work on over the summer and possibly into the first quarter of second year.

Have you seen others in your class start performing research early on in their first year?

Thanks

I know students who the summer before starting med school, had done research in a field they are interested in such as derm and radiology (at institutions which have residency programs in those fields)... so I would not be surprised knowing that people do some kind of research their first year

 

[cgscribe]

It's fairly common, especially for those actually interested in research or uber-competitive fields. If you're interested in research, I'm sure you could balance school from the beginning- there's no rush though, you'll find the time even if you start later than Dec.

 

[astrocreep96]

I was fortunate to get involved in orthopaedics research the summer before MS1, and I'm still involved with the same surgeon on other projects.

I think it is a good idea if you know you are interested in a specific field as it may offer additional shadowing opportunities besides the research. It also gives you time to establish a repport with a department.

But, it is not mandatory and you still have time throughout school to do other research. I'm now on my third project and none of them have involved so much bench work that I can't finish it in at most a year. If you balance your school work well, you can flesh out some analysis/writing and still get a publication later in your education. Don't sweat it too early, but maybe keep your feelers out and watch for opportunities.

 

[Dubious]

Thanks for the info.

Keep it coming!

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Earlier the better, as long as you're passing comfortably

 

[wryandwatchful]

I spent the first year figuring out what I was interested in and spent the first summer in that field. If you already know your field, by all means go for it. Just don't feel like you have to force yourself into doing research for the sake of doing research. This is professional school now.

My good friend did research all through first year. So it's definitely doable. It helps if you have a little background in the field and can go in there and take ownership of your own project. The bad thing is that scheduling and the variable intensity of school may make training and collaborating a bit more challenging. She basically designed her own research and completed it at her own pace. On the other hand, clinical research would be very doable if the data is already available and you just want to crunch numbers.

Hope that helps.

 

[URHere]

It is very possible to get involved in research from the beginning of your MS1 year, but I would suggest spending the first month of your time acclimating to medical school, and figuring out exactly how much time you will be able to really devote to a lab.

If you only plan on spending one day in lab each week, I would suggest waiting until the summer before joining a lab. Remember that a lab will need to train you, and that they will want your presence to be a valuable contribution to their work. Unless you can spend multiple days in lab each week, the lab may not get very much out of the deal. Be fair to them, and only offer the time if you can really commit to it.

 

[MrAgreeable]

I know this kind of depends on the school but in UG research was my summer job (ie I got a stipend). Is this possible in medical school over summers?

 

[hello2u]

I had very little research experience during undergrad...what is the best way to go about seeking research opportunities as a first year? Also, how important are publications during med school? From what I've heard, if you want to go into a competitive specialty, it's almost necessary to have publications.

 

[Random Anesthesiologist]

OP, if you are interested in research, and possibly have your own ideas, ask your student affairs office if there is a panel or a prof/doc available than can help you develop your ideas, even if you're not MD/PhD. If there's not, perhaps you can be a go-getter and help your school develop something like this.

I'm very happy that my school provides a panel of physicians that meet once a month and are open to any student bringing forth research ideas, and they help that student find a starting point and give help along the way with development. No strings attached.

I had an idea and brought it to them, and they really helped me. Now, if I can ever finish my lit review and get moving, that would be awesome LOL!!!!

If you want more info about how the panel works at my school, PM me.

 

[HPSPpayissues]

Summer of M1

 

[kevster2001]

MS1 Winter: talk to MD and arrange for a project
MS1 Spring: discuss specifics of project, apply for funding, write IRB
-----Summer: do the work
MS 2 Fall: Write the abstract, submit to meeting
MS 2Winter/Spring: present at meeting. Begin writing paper
...
Win.

Keep in mind that a research project is a small part of a residency app. Your Step scores and grades matter a lot more. Make sure those dont suffer