Research experience

[Jani]

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Hello there,

I am needing some advice from anybody who has experience in research.

Basically, I am applying for 2004 match, as I missed out on this this years match at the last minute.

So, doing research is the only reasonable option for 1 year. The question is what does one look for when choosing/ getting a research assistant job. ( my previous research experience is unfortunately not that great, I have only done a couple of cohourt studies to compare different management outcomes in ER).
But, this first option that I have now is a clinical trial comparing a oral hypoglycemic drug with a placebo or something like that.

Could anybody comment on the pros and cons of such a research please..

 

[goooooober]

Well, the first thing you should ask about is money. I don't mean your paycheck, I mean funding for the research. Who is funding the research and is it adequate for the completion of the project. Make certain that the head of the study is motivated and will not waste time. Since this is a clinical study you will face a lot of ethical issues, such as who is the subject, what is the effect of this new drug on the subjects and most important, what about the subjects who think they are getting a cure but are only getting placebos. Ask about publication opportunities. Will results be published, whether positive or negative. Clinical research has the advantage of usually being shorter and techniquely more simple. Disadvantage is that it is much more complex ethically and can be susceptible to the biases of the drug company or whoever is paying for the research. Overall, get involved in clean and important research that will put your name out there. Peace out.