research v case reports and the fellowship app

[GlassPusherJack]

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i have heard that for fellowship (i am applying gi), case reports are not nearly as valued as hypothesis-based publications. is this true? or is the general idea to show interest in the field? is it worth it to put research that has not yet been submitted or published on your cv/ application?

also, is it still valuable to do research in a surgpath subspecialty that is different than the one in which you want to do fellowship?

thx for any clarifying advice in advance.

 

[2121115]

i have heard that for fellowship (i am applying gi), case reports are not nearly as valued as hypothesis-based publications. is this true? or is the general idea to show interest in the field? is it worth it to put research that has not yet been submitted or published on your cv/ application?

also, is it still valuable to do research in a surgpath subspecialty that is different than the one in which you want to do fellowship?

thx for any clarifying advice in advance.

If you haven't published in NEJM or Nature then don't bother. You will never get a decent fellowship.

 

[KCShaw]

OP, GPJ: Basically, I think the answer to every one of your questions is "yes." More is more, and will generally look better than less.

 

[GlassPusherJack]

crap. there goes my entire career.

jk. thanks.. am semi-relieved.

 

[zao275]

If you haven't published in NEJM or Nature then don't bother. You will never get a decent fellowship.

Nice.


On a serious note, I agree with KCShaw and his succinct way of putting it. Yes to all of the above. I think a few case reports might look better than one hypothesis driven paper, particularly if the more researchy paper is not particularly interesting or useful. At the resident level, case reports do seem to count for something, showing that you can and will write and that you are interested and motivated. The further you go in academics, the less important they become, or so I have been told.

I advise the junior residents to start with an easy case report. It lets them get used to research/writing/poster presentation and is a relatively painless way to get something under your belt (on your CV) and get your feet wet. Then you can try something more glamorous and "scientific" (read: difficult and time consuming).

I personally really like doing case series of unusual tumors. Not everyone has the material to be able to do this, but it is interesting and can be really useful if you have clinical follow up.

 

[2121115]

In residency, just do whatever gets something on your CV the fastest. You need to fill that empty space under "publications" on your CV with pathology related stuff. No one is expecting a resident to have some high profile publication record of studies and research. There is no time for that and any truly meaningful project is not going to be started in first year and completed in second year. Trust me.

Just get involved with GI any way you can to show interest and get some meeting posters. If you can get involved with a hypothesis driven project then great but don't sweat it. If you are a hard worker and get along well with people that will go sooooooo much further than clinical projects done in residency. Don't get me wrong, you have to do research just don't get too caught up in how high profile it is.

 

[KCShaw]

👍

 

[zao275]

In residency, just do whatever gets something on your CV the fastest. You need to fill that empty space under "publications" on your CV with pathology related stuff. No one is expecting a resident to have some high profile publication record of studies and research. There is no time for that and any truly meaningful project is not going to be started in first year and completed in second year. Trust me.

Just get involved with GI any way you can to show interest and get some meeting posters. If you can get involved with a hypothesis driven project then great but don't sweat it. If you are a hard worker and get along well with people that will go sooooooo much further than clinical projects done in residency. Don't get me wrong, you have to do research just don't get too caught up in how high profile it is.

This is all excellent advice and could be applied to dermpath, hemepath, or any competitive subspecialty.