Research in dental school with no research experience

[free99]

I searched around but didn't find an answer to this question... is undergrad research basically a pre-requisite to doing research in dental school?

I took all the pre-reqs and many upper level bio courses as a post-bacc, non-matriculated student, and haven't yet searched out research opportunities (not sure if I can as non-matriculated), but am interested in learning more about the process behind conducting and presenting research. Would it be totally unheard of to get involved in research in dental school without prior undergrad experience? Thanks in advance for your answers!

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[UCLAzy]

I don't think so. Most, actually all, of the students I've had the "opportunity" to train likely lied to the PI when they said they had research experience. A lot of "oh yeah, I think I did it, but can you refresh my memory" or "they didn't really teach me how to use a pipet lol, can you?" type deals. I'm sure if you show interest early a PI may take you on. It will take more work to get a poster if you are green, just due to the mistakes you will make.

 

[Koalafied]

I don't think so. Most, actually all, of the students I've had the "opportunity" to train likely lied to the PI when they said they had research experience. A lot of "oh yeah, I think I did it, but can you refresh my memory" or "they didn't really teach me how to use a pipet lol, can you?" type deals. I'm sure if you show interest early a PI may take you on. It will take more work to get a poster if you are green, just due to the mistakes you will make.

This is bad.

 

[ktran17]

Just be upfront with the PI. You don't have research experience, but you genuinely want to research X topic. Show him that you have a history of sticking through a project and getting results. It can be anything. Prove to him that you have the work ethics to do well in a lab.

You will be trained to do anything you don't know. Don't worry about it.

 

[canine89]

With anything, having prior experience doesn't hurt, but (in my experience thus far) I've seen a lot of people delve into research for the first time in dental school... and do really well!

Just present yourself and qualities well to the PI, approach them early, show genuine interest and you should be good. You can get involved in bench-work or go more of the public-health realm... whichever most interests you. The PI's I've worked with seem patient with newcomers

 

[diasIItema]

There are research programs at dental schools that openly welcome people with absolutely no lab research experience. I worked in a lab this summer and have never done research before, save for social science research which is obviously a completely different field. The post-docs train you and in many cases even can perform several experiments, etc.

It was the easiest tax-free $4000 I ever made and paid for my trek in Peru.

 

[tjung789]

There are research programs at dental schools that openly welcome people with absolutely no lab research experience. I worked in a lab this summer and have never done research before, save for social science research which is obviously a completely different field. The post-docs train you and in many cases even can perform several experiments, etc.

It was the easiest tax-free $4000 I ever made and paid for my trek in Peru.

Hope your not doing research just for trips and tax-free profits.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Hope your not doing research just for trips and tax-free profits.

I don't think he said that at all...

Plus, uh, people make money for a reason, ya know? Sort of impossible to do anything without it, whether that be a trip to Peru or buying gas for your car so you can drive to help at a soup kitchen.