Research: What kind?

[JDAD]

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I want to match into one of the competitive specialties, so research is pretty much a requirement. I have a quick question regarding the type of research needed.

I am an MS1, who is leaning towards ortho, but in my limited experience, I know I have a lot more to learn before deciding on a specialty. This summer, I have the opportunity to do research with two of the most influencial medical researhers in the country. Both have nobel prizes, and they have won almost every award there is. Should I do research with them, and have an excellent opportunity to publish something, or should I find an orthopaedic project?

 

[Tallguy]

I want to match into one of the competitive specialties, so research is pretty much a requirement. I have a quick question regarding the type of research needed.

I am an MS1, who is leaning towards ortho, but in my limited experience, I know I have a lot more to learn before deciding on a specialty. This summer, I have the opportunity to do research with two of the most influencial medical researhers in the country. Both have nobel prizes, and they have won almost every award there is. Should I do research with them, and have an excellent opportunity to publish something, or should I find an orthopaedic project?

You mean that you are a pre-MS1...j/k

anyway...It may be tough for people to give advice unless we know what type of research you would be doing with these influential medical researchers.

Sorry that I could not help you out more.

 

[synapse lapse]

Hey JDAD, where u been? Anyhow, I don't have any advice to give you obviously as I am in the same situation as you. You going to SW for sure?

 

[ninebillion]

I want to match into one of the competitive specialties, so research is pretty much a requirement. I have a quick question regarding the type of research needed.

I am an MS1, who is leaning towards ortho, but in my limited experience, I know I have a lot more to learn before deciding on a specialty. This summer, I have the opportunity to do research with two of the most influencial medical researhers in the country. Both have nobel prizes, and they have won almost every award there is. Should I do research with them, and have an excellent opportunity to publish something, or should I find an orthopaedic project?

It will be tough to publish under Brown & Goldstein, especially if you'll only be working for them for one summer. You may be able to get onto a publication as a junior author (3rd or 4th, maybe 2nd) but you won't have much opportunity to conduct your own experiments and really flesh out a definitive body of work that will culminate in a 1st author. Also, since you're interested in orthopaedics, it is tremendously more useful to publish in Journal of Orthopaedic Research and present at conferences like ORS than it is to work on cholesterol metabolism under Brown & Goldstein. It may even be *easier* to publish in orthopaedics, simply because of the nature of the work. You might also want to consider the fact that cholesterol may be uber boring to you, so you may not be as successful if you don't feel any particular connection to your research. Working for Nobel laureates is all well and good, and makes for powerful connections/letters of recommendation, but if you don't care for the work then you may rue the entire experience. Getting a big name ortho residency may be easier to swing if you work for a big name orthopaedics researcher who has friends at places like MGH, HSS, Mayo, etc. and sees them once a year at conferences of the AAOS and ORS.

Good luck... You can't go wrong at UTSW, whatever you decide! 🙂

 

[JDAD]

Thanks for the advice. I don't expect a 1st author publication, I was just hoping to get my name on something. They put out over 12 papers a year, so I figured I had a shot. I saw them talk in San Diego at the ASBMB conference at the begining of the month, and I found their research interesting. I am a molecular biology major, and I am confident I would be happy working on their project. If I could get a rec letter, that would be bonus because I don't think I will be there that long.

I intend on doing some ortho research, but all the projects at UTSW were either full, or boring retrospective chart reviews. I don't want to be looking at charts all day for two months. I would much rather be working in a lab.

I agree that ortho research would be better, what I am asking is: Will working for B&G hurt me? Assuming I get ortho research over the next two years, should I pass on the opportunity to work in their lab where I will learn a lot?

It will be tough to publish under Brown & Goldstein, especially if you'll only be working for them for one summer. You may be able to get onto a publication as a junior author (3rd or 4th, maybe 2nd) but you won't have much opportunity to conduct your own experiments and really flesh out a definitive body of work that will culminate in a 1st author. Also, since you're interested in orthopaedics, it is tremendously more useful to publish in Journal of Orthopaedic Research and present at conferences like ORS than it is to work on cholesterol metabolism under Brown & Goldstein. It may even be *easier* to publish in orthopaedics, simply because of the nature of the work. You might also want to consider the fact that cholesterol may be uber boring to you, so you may not be as successful if you don't feel any particular connection to your research. Working for Nobel laureates is all well and good, and makes for powerful connections/letters of recommendation, but if you don't care for the work then you may rue the entire experience. Getting a big name ortho residency may be easier to swing if you work for a big name orthopaedics researcher who has friends at places like MGH, HSS, Mayo, etc. and sees them once a year at conferences of the AAOS and ORS.

Good luck... You can't go wrong at UTSW, whatever you decide! 🙂

 

[JDAD]

Hey JDAD, where u been? Anyhow, I don't have any advice to give you obviously as I am in the same situation as you. You going to SW for sure?

Yeah, I will be there for sure. I just have to find a place to live! How have you been?

 

[synapse lapse]

Yeah, I will be there for sure. I just have to find a place to live! How have you been?

Been good. I haven't found a place to live yet either, though I do have a list of places to check out and plan on going to Dallas in a few weeks. Just have to finish up this semester and get back to Austin (2 more weeks! 😀 ) Anyhow, have fun with the research this summer, I am going to work and hopefully either 1) go across Europe or 2) Learn to fly.

 

[omarsaleh66]

They publsh over 12 papers a month? man u gotta milk that for all u can get.
If u start publishing in ur first year, imagine how many pubs u will have by the time u graduate. Imagine when u are interviewing for ortho residencies and u got more publications than some of the attendings interviewing u. That will help u alot man. You can do this now and add some ortho stuff later on (maybe after ur M2 year)??

Holla

 

[JDAD]

They publsh over 12 papers a month? man u gotta milk that for all u can get.
If u start publishing in ur first year, imagine how many pubs u will have by the time u graduate. Imagine when u are interviewing for ortho residencies and u got more publications than some of the attendings interviewing u. That will help u alot man. You can do this now and add some ortho stuff later on (maybe after ur M2 year)??

Holla

12 a year, one a month - my bad

 

[omarsaleh66]

Hey thats still good. Think of it as this way. There are people who match ortho without any research or any pubs. Getting with people that are known to publish alot and if u think that u can get published with them, thats great. And u never know, maybe ask them if u can do some of your own projects for 1st author and they can just review it and u can put some pubs out that way as well. Sounds like a great situation.

gluck

 

[amelie]

hey jdad. have you thought abuot doing a project at scottish rite hospital for children? it's a pediatric orthopedic hospital ~1 mile from utsw. nearly all the orthopods are on faculty at southwestern & the hospital has a pretty big research program...

 

[JDAD]

hey jdad. have you thought abuot doing a project at scottish rite hospital for children? it's a pediatric orthopedic hospital ~1 mile from utsw. nearly all the orthopods are on faculty at southwestern & the hospital has a pretty big research program...

I have spoken with a few physicians at TSRH, but they were all full.

 

[amelie]

I have spoken with a few physicians at TSRH, but they were all full.

well, it's just a shot, but you might call rich browne

Dr. Richard Browne
Research Program Administrator
Phone: (214) 559-7879
E-mail at [email protected].

he will know about all the current projects & might be aware of some other docs with opportunities.

good luck either way.

 

[JDAD]

well, it's just a shot, but you might call rich browne

Dr. Richard Browne
Research Program Administrator
Phone: (214) 559-7879
E-mail at [email protected].

he will know about all the current projects & might be aware of some other docs with opportunities.

good luck either way.

Thanks, but I have committed to working with B&G. I have spent the last four years learning about biochem and molecular biology, i figure i should put it to use for at least a little while. I fully intend to get involved with ortho research next year.

thanks again

 

[MadameLULU]

Thanks, but I have committed to working with B&G . I have spent the last four years learning about biochem and molecular biology, i figure i should put it to use for at least a little while. I fully intend to get involved with ortho research next year.

Then what was the point of starting this thread? 😉

 

[JDAD]

m

 

[MadameLULU]

Looking for different opinions. If something new came up that I didn't think about, I might change my mind.

What is the point of your post? Why did you feel the need to interupt?

i was fooling around-- hence the wink. Although, I do find it interesting (and sometimes somewhat rude) when someone looks for advice on a forum, yet shoots down every suggestion that other posters give...what's the point of asking if one doesn't give their advice any thought?
I didn't mean to derail your thread, so that is the last thing i'll say...

 

[JDAD]

m