Research? How do I start

[deleted673284]

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I'm a sophomore in High School and I'm really eager to do research but I just don't have ideas. I'm really interested in the genetic mutation known as Microtia but I don't knoe how to pursue research. If I email a doctor who specializes in the field, how would I go about asking about research opportunities. I just don't have any proposals and while I'm willing to work, don't have any ideas

 

[Stagg737]

Never met a high school student that knew a condition I was unfamiliar with, well done.

It can be pretty tough to get into specific research like that as a high school student. Typically, physicians and major labs will look for people with prior research experience med students, Phds, undergrads from their own/nearby institutions for positions like that. I would try looking up local physicians and institutions doing research on the subject and contacting them about helping out. If you can't find anyone/no one will take you, contact places near you and ask what kind of research they do and if there is any way you can get involved.

As a high school student, no one expects you to be proposing your own ideas. This is the time for you to find a lab where someone will teach you the basics and just build up some experience. If you have any research experience in a lab when you're applying to colleges you will be way ahead of most of your peers. So at this point, I would just try and get into any lab, get some experience under your belt, and learn the everything involved in doing research (writing grants, running basic tests, writing up reports, etc.). There is much more to creating and running your own research than you would expect, the best thing you can do right now is just to get your foot in the door and learn about the process.

 

[URHere]

I agree with Stagg - coming up with research ideas is not something you would reasonably be expected to to as a high school student, so you should focus on trying to find a lab that will take you on as a volunteer/tech/research assistant. Summer is a good time to start in a lab because you'll have enough free time to actually learn techniques and the graduate students teaching you will have a little bit less on their plates.

Unfortunately, finding your first research experience is likely to involve quite a few emails on your end. Look at websites and pick people you would like to work with. You can keep these messages short and sweet: introduce yourself, tell them that you are interested in their lab's research, ask if they would consider taking on a high school student for the summer, and send a CV/resume. At the high school level, your resume can include things like your high school, the science courses you've taken, any research/leadership/volunteer experience you have, and other things like specific computer skills. Most guidance counselors will have templates that you can use.

If you have friends or family members who work in research labs, you could also try asking them to talk to their research mentors for you. In my old lab, we took on about 3 high school students every summer - usually people who knew someone already working in our lab. Good luck!

 

[caffeinemia]

What? You mean he can't find a mouse homologous gene, use some old neo cassettes, knock it out, do confirmatory PCR, Southern blot, Western blot, and then phenotypic evaluations to creat a murine model of microtia (mice with no ears?). I would totally do that! 😀

Kidding. agree with above. Email your local college professor to see if they have any opportunities.

 

[Chemistry>Physics]

A route which I've taken in Highschool is going through a local mentorship program. If you want you can PM me about them but they're all around the country and normally set up in urban areas. You do 12 months of 1 on 1 research with a guiding physician. It has gotten me published twice (1x 2nd author 1x first author, both mid tier journals). I came up with the second publication and approached a psychiatrist about it. The first time I was with an oncologist and the research was entirely his idea, but I did all of the grunt work, like data collection and hours of staring at MRIs (by the time I had seen my 250th MRI of avascular necrosis, I wanted to ***).

The possibilities are endless if you pose the question right. Because physicians like to hear "free labor" rather than spending time teaching a high school kid.

, "Hi Dr. X, my name is chemistry>physics, and I'm interested in the clinical interests of yours that you mentioned on the hospital web page. I have been looking for opportunities to be exposed to some form of research, and your study sounds amazing.

I'd just like to say that if you need any monotonous or dull parts to be done, I would be willing to do so. I am HIPAA certified in bioethics (this is easy to get), and I can give you references/resume upon request. If you're interested I would do any work you wished for free! Thank you again Dr. X.

- c>p"

If anything you'll get a very kind rejection, or hopefully some low grade research!! (all us HS kids can hope for).