Research for IM or ANES

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Hey guys,

I'm an M3 and think I may be interested in either an IM subspecialty or anesthesia at this point. Had a quick question about research. I've done only one major research project thus far, in between my M1/M2 summers. I've had it presented at 3 national conferences and I'm close to getting it published as a first author in a reputable journal. The project is in a surgical field.

Does one project with first-author pub and a few national presentations look decent enough on an application? Or should I be getting more involved and trying to do more? I see a bunch of people in my class doing a bunch of case reports or multiple projects and I'm not entirely sure whether I should be trying to do that stuff too.

Sorry if this is a stupid question. Thanks for the help.

 

[sovereign0]

You're asking if you need more research, but the answer depends on how competitive you want to be for residency programs. Is your goal just to match or is your goal to be at an academic or prestigious place? Your answer to that is further modified within the anesthesia vs. IM debate.

You're pretty well off with a 1st author pub and 3 presentations, but that's relative. If your goal is just to match, you're above the pack. If your goal is to match academic, you're probably not standing out. If your goal is to match IM and MGH, then you've got a lot of work cut out for you.

The short and safe answer is that more research isn't going to hurt you, so unless you're certain about your career goals and they aren't particularly ambitious, you should keep working. There's nothing wrong with just wanting to match, and there's nothing wrong with gunning for a top residency, but you do need to decide what you want in order to answer your own question. If you dont know the answer, then keep working to cover your bases.

 

[21Rush12]

I’d say keep working on it but recognize as the above poster points out that you’re doing great so far regardless.

 

[deleted87051]

If you go anesthesia, you don’t need any research to match at places like Stanford and MGH.

 

[Low Flow]

Just applied anesthesia and will echo that it’s not super important. My research in a surgical subspecialty came up a few times, but usually only in passing. Maybe it would have been different if the research was anesthesia related. At least at the programs I’ve interviewed at (middle tier), none emphasized research. It was always “we have research here if you want it, but we focus on the clinical aspect of anesthesia”. May be different at those top academic centers, but I’m not sure.

 

[21Rush12]

If you go anesthesia, you don’t need any research to match at places like Stanford and MGH.

Then what am I doing with my life?!?

 

[235009]

You're pretty well off with a 1st author pub and 3 presentations, but that's relative. If your goal is just to match, you're above the pack. If your goal is to match academic, you're probably not standing out. If your goal is to match IM and MGH, then you've got a lot of work cut out for you.

For IM research is basically the icing on the cake. If you don't have your other ducks in order (grades, step 1, class rank, top school) then you just aren't going to get any attention from top programs.
As others have said research is unnecessary across the board for anesthesia.

 

[Raney Schauer]

Then what am I doing with my life?!?

Doing research to impress someone else, which is transparent af. Do research if it's genuinely interesting to you in a field that you're passionate about. Otherwise, it's obvious that you're just checking a block.

 

[21Rush12]

Doing research to impress someone else, which is transparent af. Do research if it's genuinely interesting to you in a field that you're passionate about. Otherwise, it's obvious that you're just checking a block.

I enjoy the research, it’s just a lot to juggle during third year.

I was also joking.

 

[SteyrFWB]

For anesthesiology, just keep your class rank in top 1/3, get Step score in 240’s. Then do externships at places you really want to go, and be enthusiastic and show them you are not “ all thumbs”. You do not need research.

Anesthesia people are not superfluous guys, but very practical guys.

Got show you are not afraid to get your hands dirty. Show them you can do a good set up and a good clean up.

 

[21Rush12]

For anesthesiology, just keep your class rank in top 1/3, get Step score in 240’s. Then do externships at places you really want to go, and be enthusiastic and show them you are not “ all thumbs”. You do not need research.

Anesthesia people are not superfluous guys, but very practical guys.

Got show you are not afraid to get your hands dirty. Show them you can do a good set up and a good clean up.

This is great advice, thank you for sharing!

Do you think 250s is enough for top 10?

 

[deleted875777]

If you go anesthesia, you don’t need any research to match at places like Stanford and MGH.

Having recently interviewed at one of these anesthesia programs and having literally seen the applicant grading sheet and the scoring categories, I can say for certain that this is not true. Any top academic program is going to value research.

 

[deleted87051]

Having recently interviewed at one of these anesthesia programs and having literally seen the applicant grading sheet and the scoring categories, I can say for certain that this is not true. Any top academic program is going to value research.

The vast majority of their graduates go into private practice. Most of the residents have little to no research. Maybe 10% of the class do any significant research and are groomed for academics. I interviewed at both places years ago and I’m in PP with multiple recent grads from both places. While they may indeed value research, many people have matched at those programs with zero research. The top anesthesia programs tend to be very large. There are probably 250+ spots at “top” programs and about 2000 total applicants. They can’t afford to be that picky. They have to fill out their classes with good candidates who are not interested in research. If you ask them, they will readily acknowledge it.

 

[Dwan]

Having recently interviewed at one of these anesthesia programs and having literally seen the applicant grading sheet and the scoring categories, I can say for certain that this is not true. Any top academic program is going to value research.

Just last year, people matched into both those places with 0-1 abstracts/presentations/pubs (Tx STAR data). I'm sure research helps, though.