Research while in medical school?

[NoUse4aName1286]

I known medical students can and do undertake research while in school. I was wondering if anyone [preferably medical students] could inform about how this works. Is it done as an EC like it is as an undergrad. [pardon the naivety], or is it taken as an elective course? I am not referring to the summer between yrs 1 and 2, but during the actual school year. I know that you can do some of your rotations in research, but ppl. do research during MS1 and MS2 as well, correct/how?

Thanks to anyone w/info. Apologies if this is a thread elsewhere.

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[NoUse4aName1286]

Any one at all, or should I have posted in the Allopathic forum?

 

[Jolie South]

If you had posted in Allo, it would have been moved here.

I hope someone answers though as I am interested in this as well, but the more I think about it the more I think I will just wait until summer between M1 and M2 when I have more time to devote to this.

 

[UFMed]

This is a great question. I can't wait to see the responses for I too have been interested in this option. Yet I am afraid to make any sort of commitment, just in case I won't have any free time to handle it all.

Here is a link to how the University of Florida COM has it set up http://www.med.ufl.edu/oea/osa/cat-research_option.shtml

Hope that sort of helps

 

[Jolie South]

This is a great question. I can't wait to see the responses for I too have been interested in this option. Yet I am afraid to make any sort of commitment, just in case I won't have any free time to handle it all.

Here is a link to how the University of Florida COM has it set up http://www.med.ufl.edu/oea/osa/cat-research_option.shtml

Hope that sort of helps

Yikes! I don't want anything that formal. I don't want a career in research, just some clinical research experience.

I don't want a thesis, etc hanging over my head.

 

[LizzyM]

This is a excellent interview question. At some schools the bulk of the research is done during the summer after first year. In some cases, students take a year off & do research after 3rd year (to buff their applications for residency) and some students take a "research elective" during 4th year.

I think that it is less common to do research during the academic year but I suppose that some people manage it.

Do a little digging before you go for interview and ask an informed question about it during the interview.

 

[UFMed]

Yikes! I don't want anything that formal. I don't want a career in research, just some clinical research experience.

I don't want a thesis, etc hanging over my head.

I know what you mean! Sounds like a lot of commitment...

 

[Jolie South]

I know what you mean! Sounds like a lot of commitment...

I'm just thinking about research for if I decide to pursue a competitive specialty like ENT. I've been looking into that and research is pretty much required to get a residency spot.

Anyways, I'm not even sure if that's something I'll like yet. I just want to be prepared.

 

[NoUse4aName1286]

Anyone else got some info?

 

[45408]

The vast majority of people either do research between M1/M2 or during an M3/M4 research elective. It would be fairly difficult to do research during the school year, but I suppose it's possible. I just don't see why you'd put that stress on yourself. Other than the schools that have integrated research components (I think Duke, Yale and Stanford do), like LizzyM said, you can take a year off to do research. That's fairly hard core though - you should probably only do that if you're pretty sure you'd like to do research on a consistent basis throughout your career. If you're just trying to get into a competitive residency, that's probably not necessary. Individual residency programs may vary!

I'm considering an M4 research elective, but about 35% of my class did M1/M2 summer research of varying success. Some were lame chart reviews, and others were more worthwhile. None of it was for credit, and most people were paid a modest stipend.

 

[Corker]

I am certainly not an expert on this, and I would love to hear from some med students who know more, but....

I know at UCSD, each student is paired with a faculty mentor in their area of interest who can guide them to research opportunities (this is what I was told by my interviewer.) Also, I spoke with an M2 at University of Utah who was going for Ortho residency, and I know he was doing research during the school year with an Ortho doc. He said he saw his wife about 20 min. a day (SERIOUSLY!) because he was so busy with getting excellent grades and doing research on the side. But, I'll bet he gets a great residency when the time comes!!!

Thats my info...love to hear from anyone else. I'm going to look for research opportunities, but probably not until summer after M1 or during M2, because I want to see how I do academically first year. For me, M1 and M2 isn't just about good grades/honors...it's about learning the material for the boards (and for future medical practice, of course!) I don't want to jeopardize my mastery of the material for research that can be done outside of the regular school year.

 

[CCLCMer]

I known medical students can and do undertake research while in school. I was wondering if anyone [preferably medical students] could inform about how this works. Is it done as an EC like it is as an undergrad. [pardon the naivety], or is it taken as an elective course? I am not referring to the summer between yrs 1 and 2, but during the actual school year. I know that you can do some of your rotations in research, but ppl. do research during MS1 and MS2 as well, correct/how?

Thanks to anyone w/info. Apologies if this is a thread elsewhere.

CCLCM is a five year research MD program, and a lot of the students here do research during the academic year. Probably most of us do, especially during first year.

I don't know how serious you are about doing research in med school and beyond, but if you are looking to have a physician scientist kind of career, you might want to apply here. A lot of people like this program because it's very research-intensive but you don't have to spend as much time as it would take to do an MD/PhD. We spend the summer before first year doing a basic science research rotation, and the summer after first year doing a clinical science research rotation. We also have research seminars and other research activities integrated in our regular medical school classes throughout the first two years. We are expected to do a 12-15 month research project with thesis at some point during years 3-5. Scheduling is flexible for years 3-5. Many people do their third year rotations first, then do research their fourth year. Other people do their research year third year. I'm planning to split the difference and alternate clinical and research blocks. (So, I'll do four months of rotations starting in July, then four months of research/electives in November, then back to rotations.) If you're interested in learning more, check out the school website.

 

[NoUse4aName1286]

Thanks very much for the info everyone. Much appreciated.