Research between MSI and MSII

[mustang1]

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So I am currently an MSI at an osteopathic school and am lining up research for this summer. I am interested in pursuing anesthesia after med school. Currently I am looking at doing a research internship at either the NIH in Bethesda or just working with one of the physio/pharm professors at my school. Is there a significant benefit to researching with the NIH over research with my school's faculty? I ask because going with the NIH would require I be away from my wife for two months and would be more expensive, need to find an apartment etc. Any advice from current residents or attendings is very much appreciated.

Also is research more valued (for resident placement) if it is anesthesia based? As the research I will be doing at my school will be more basic science based. Thanks for all your comments!

 

[sunset823]

So I am currently an MSI at an osteopathic school and am lining up research for this summer. I am interested in pursuing anesthesia after med school. Currently I am looking at doing a research internship at either the NIH in Bethesda or just working with one of the physio/pharm professors at my school. Is there a significant benefit to researching with the NIH over research with my school's faculty? I ask because going with the NIH would require I be away from my wife for two months and would be more expensive, need to find an apartment etc. Any advice from current residents or attendings is very much appreciated.

Also is research more valued (for resident placement) if it is anesthesia based? As the research I will be doing at my school will be more basic science based. Thanks for all your comments!

It depends on where your DO school is, but you might want to look at the FAER Med Student Anesthesia Research Fellowship (http://www.faer.org/programs/students/deadlines.html). I'm only an M2, but I did it this past summer and really enjoyed it. I went to another part of the country for mine because I wanted to, but I think most people tend to stay in the city where they go to med school or where their families live. It is only based in MD schools, but there are a lot of options (you can apply for your top 5 locations, I applied more based on projects that interested me than locations, since my research interests are more clinical/outcomes and less basic science and I like seeing different parts of the country, but if you're flexible on project there should be locations close to you).

The fellowship paid a stipend, and involved 4 days of research and 1 day/week where you would rotate with various anesthesiologists, which was an awesome experience for me. You also get to present your poster at the national symposium, which will be in Chicago this year. I highly recommend checking it out at least to see if there are locations close to your school/spouse, but be aware the deadline is Feb 1, coming up soon.

And I can't speak to the importance of anesthesia on residency apps, but I think something is better than nothing if you're looking at academic programs.

Edit: saw you're in Arizona, that limits your options cuz the vast majority of programs are in the East and Midwest, but you may consider Colorado, Utah, Cali, and Texas.

 

[El Dooderino]

Just have fun this summer, none of this research crap is needed to match into anesthesia. Doing well in your classes and killing step 1 will allow you to go wherever you want. This isn't derm in terms of competitiveness and that's another reason why a lot of us like it

 

[zebalong]

I would say do whatever is most convient to you but I'd do some research since the summer is really the only time we'll have to do research and nothing else.

The anesthesia chair at my school basically said he really doesn't care what sort of research you did when choosing for applicants for the program (unlike certain surgical specialties where they want research in the field you are going into). as long as you show that you could be interested in research so that you can contribute to projects going on in the dept. when your a resident there.

I respectfully disagree with the above poster: I'm in the same boat as you (NYC allo school) and i figured to do research for a few resons. 1. we are only first years and we might find down the road we want to do a specialty where research is an absolute necessity 2. might be interested in fellowships where research relates to 3. many of us not only care to match but also care WHERE we match... im a cali native so i really want to get back there, research can only give you more options when it comes time to apply. 4. and lastly we all want to kill our boards/classes, but incase you don't do as well as you hope to at least you have something else to add onto your application.

Find any research position in a place where you can partly enjoy your summer...I think that'd be a great compromise.

 

[mustang1]

It depends on where your DO school is, but you might want to look at the FAER Med Student Anesthesia Research Fellowship (http://www.faer.org/programs/students/deadlines.html). I'm only an M2, but I did it this past summer and really enjoyed it. I went to another part of the country for mine because I wanted to, but I think most people tend to stay in the city where they go to med school or where their families live. It is only based in MD schools, but there are a lot of options (you can apply for your top 5 locations, I applied more based on projects that interested me than locations, since my research interests are more clinical/outcomes and less basic science and I like seeing different parts of the country, but if you're flexible on project there should be locations close to you).

The fellowship paid a stipend, and involved 4 days of research and 1 day/week where you would rotate with various anesthesiologists, which was an awesome experience for me. You also get to present your poster at the national symposium, which will be in Chicago this year. I highly recommend checking it out at least to see if there are locations close to your school/spouse, but be aware the deadline is Feb 1, coming up soon.

And I can't speak to the importance of anesthesia on residency apps, but I think something is better than nothing if you're looking at academic programs.

Edit: saw you're in Arizona, that limits your options cuz the vast majority of programs are in the East and Midwest, but you may consider Colorado, Utah, Cali, and Texas.

Thanks sunset for the info on the anesthesia fellowship. Definitely going to try for that. They want to know if I have had any experience in Anesthesia of peri-operative medicine. Honestly all my experience has just been shadowing. Did you have any experience when you applied? Just don't want to waste my time if it is futile. Thanks so much

 

[fakin' the funk]

It depends on where your DO school is, but you might want to look at the FAER Med Student Anesthesia Research Fellowship (http://www.faer.org/programs/students/deadlines.html). I'm only an M2, but I did it this past summer and really enjoyed it. I went to another part of the country for mine because I wanted to, but I think most people tend to stay in the city where they go to med school or where their families live. It is only based in MD schools, but there are a lot of options (you can apply for your top 5 locations, I applied more based on projects that interested me than locations, since my research interests are more clinical/outcomes and less basic science and I like seeing different parts of the country, but if you're flexible on project there should be locations close to you).

The fellowship paid a stipend, and involved 4 days of research and 1 day/week where you would rotate with various anesthesiologists, which was an awesome experience for me. You also get to present your poster at the national symposium, which will be in Chicago this year. I highly recommend checking it out at least to see if there are locations close to your school/spouse, but be aware the deadline is Feb 1, coming up soon.

Even if you can't work out an FAER fellowship per se, you can definitely contact all the PI's you're interested in working with anyway. Lots of times they'll have extra $$$ and projects that an MS2 could help with. This is precisely what I did between MS1 and MS2 and basically functioned the exact same as the FAER students who were there (stipend etc).

 

[inmyslumber]

If you want to do research, another thing to consider is if you can get a publication out of the experience. Look up the PI's names of the labs you are considering and see how often and to what journals they publish.

The home institution may give you the advantage of being able to continue your research during your MSII year if you want. The NIH may give you more publication opportunities and looks impressive to some people on your resume.

Explain all this to your wife. She needs to understand how important it is to you to strengthen your application to anesthesia residency. She can visit DC on some weekends if time and resources permit. Or you can go back home on some weekends.

Good luck.

 

[sunset823]

Thanks sunset for the info on the anesthesia fellowship. Definitely going to try for that. They want to know if I have had any experience in Anesthesia of peri-operative medicine. Honestly all my experience has just been shadowing. Did you have any experience when you applied? Just don't want to waste my time if it is futile. Thanks so much

I had zero anesthesia experience going in (and really not that much clinical experience in general), all I had was about 16 hours of shadowing in an ICU (with a IM critical care preceptor) my first year, an experience I really enjoyed. So shadowing should be fine, and it doesn't have to be in anesthesia. Also several DO students have gotten FAER in the past (including one who worked in with the group I worked in the summer before me), so you should have a good chance.

 

[El Dooderino]

I would say do whatever is most convient to you but I'd do some research since the summer is really the only time we'll have to do research and nothing else.

The anesthesia chair at my school basically said he really doesn't care what sort of research you did when choosing for applicants for the program (unlike certain surgical specialties where they want research in the field you are going into). as long as you show that you could be interested in research so that you can contribute to projects going on in the dept. when your a resident there.

I respectfully disagree with the above poster: I'm in the same boat as you (NYC allo school) and i figured to do research for a few resons. 1. we are only first years and we might find down the road we want to do a specialty where research is an absolute necessity 2. might be interested in fellowships where research relates to 3. many of us not only care to match but also care WHERE we match... im a cali native so i really want to get back there, research can only give you more options when it comes time to apply. 4. and lastly we all want to kill our boards/classes, but incase you don't do as well as you hope to at least you have something else to add onto your application.

Find any research position in a place where you can partly enjoy your summer...I think that'd be a great compromise.

I got Stanford/UCSF/MGH/BWH/Penn etc interviews and I left the research/pubs section blank on eras. The same for many of my friends. I know people get caught up in the med school, type A mindset but research is not important for anesthesia apps. Do well on step 1, get good grades, and get to know some guys at your institution who will write you good letters. Most importantly, have fun the summer between m1 and m2, I couldn't imagine anything worse than wasting away at the NIH for 3 months where the time period dictates you wouldn't get a pub anyway

 

[zebalong]

I got Stanford/UCSF/MGH/BWH/Penn etc interviews and I left the research/pubs section blank on eras. The same for many of my friends. I know people get caught up in the med school, type A mindset but research is not important for anesthesia apps. Do well on step 1, get good grades, and get to know some guys at your institution who will write you good letters. Most importantly, have fun the summer between m1 and m2, I couldn't imagine anything worse than wasting away at the NIH for 3 months where the time period dictates you wouldn't get a pub anyway

I hope that hard work will allow me to be as fortunate as you were!
but..
I would love to say that I'll get a 240+ no prob with hard work... that my so and so gpa/mcat predicts that ill be able to get that score... but the reality seems like if i took that approach I'd be lieing to myself, a 240+ is definitely do able but not guaranteed. My partner of 3 years lives in the bay area (where only UCSF and Stanford are) because he has a state job (10 years senority) he can't move out to NY with me. So if i don't rock the step, at least some research will hopefully give me some attention... hoping at least UC davis will show some love as it is not as popular of a program compared to UCSF and Stanford and is close to the bay area. Hopefully ill beable to move back home closer for residency, although i do love it here in NYC.

To the OP, I'm applying to FAER as well, they have like 60 spots with last year approx. 180ish or so applicants which was a big year for them, before last year they took approx. 1/2 o the applicants but even last year was a third. So if 1/3 were accepted in the past year it is still a pretty good shot. No applic. fee = nothing to lose but to apply! Good luck as well

 

[mustang1]

Thanks so much for all the great advice! It is nice to see how many people are willing to help a complete stranger fulfill a dream. I agree with zebalong, why leave anything to chance when you have the time to engage yourself in something that may help your odds. Besides, I am genuinely interested in Anesthesia and think it will be cool getting to spend some more time in the OR and working with patients. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Arch Guillotti]

So I am currently an MSI at an osteopathic school and am lining up research for this summer. I am interested in pursuing anesthesia after med school. Currently I am looking at doing a research internship at either the NIH in Bethesda or just working with one of the physio/pharm professors at my school. Is there a significant benefit to researching with the NIH over research with my school's faculty? I ask because going with the NIH would require I be away from my wife for two months and would be more expensive, need to find an apartment etc. Any advice from current residents or attendings is very much appreciated.

Also is research more valued (for resident placement) if it is anesthesia based? As the research I will be doing at my school will be more basic science based. Thanks for all your comments!

I don't think research is that big of a deal unless you absolutely knock it out off the park or are really interested in it as a career. As a DO student, you need to concentrate on crushing Step I.