Searching for a research year how to start?

[A-poor-student]

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I am a rising MS3, my husband is a MS2, I am searching for something to do so we can match together and a research year looks like the right thing. Plus I will improve my application. My interest right now are Neurology and Peds. My school is not very research-oriented so I wish to do my year in another medical school.

How hard is it to be accepted into a funded research position? I wish it were in neurology but I haven't seen any research year neuro-specific. can someone help, my messages are always open.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I am a rising MS3, my husband is a MS2, I am searching for something to do so we can match together and a research year looks like the right thing. Plus I will improve my application. My interest right now are Neurology and Peds. My school is not very research-oriented so I wish to do my year in another medical school.

How hard is it to be accepted into a funded research position? I wish it were in neurology but I haven't seen any research year neuro-specific. can someone help, my messages are always open.

FUNDED position is tough, though not impossible. The NIH MRSP program is among the best-known programs that I am aware of, though it is competitive: Medical Research Scholars Program | Clinical Center Home Page . You may be able to find a few others if you look and are not picky about it being neuro or peds specific (neither of those fields is particularly competitive anyways): Careers in Medicine

Outside of that, schools are generally going to take care of their own students before they help someone from another school particularly if you don't have a strong research background. So... ultimately if waiting a year so that you can couples match is important, you may need to pay for that, and/or accept doing that at your home institution.

 

[Dantes]

Is there any possibility for the school to fund a year-out even if they're not research-oriented as you say, even at a different school? You could also take out loans for the year, though obviously try to avoid this if possible.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Is there any possibility for the school to fund a year-out even if they're not research-oriented as you say, even at a different school? You could also take out loans for the year, though obviously try to avoid this if possible.

I suppose it can't hurt to ask, but almost certainly not. If they're going to pay the OP to do research, they're going to want the benefits (i.e. potential aid and publications for their own PIs). And the funding for these sorts of years generally come from grants which are tied to the institution.

You get paid during a research year because it's a job. They're not going to pay you to work somewhere else.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Is there any possibility for the school to fund a year-out even if they're not research-oriented as you say, even at a different school? You could also take out loans for the year, though obviously try to avoid this if possible.

Would this even be allowed? I doubt that any loan provider (assuming non personal loan or reverse mortgage type loan) would give money to a student who isn’t even enrolled in classes. Doubt it would legal for the school to lie about it either

 

[Dantes]

I suppose it can't hurt to ask, but almost certainly not. If they're going to pay the OP to do research, they're going to want the benefits (i.e. potential aid and publications for their own PIs). And the funding for these sorts of years generally come from grants which are tied to the institution.

You get paid during a research year because it's a job. They're not going to pay you to work somewhere else.

True. Some of my classmates have gone to other places but I think their research or PI was still somehow tied to our institution.

Would this even be allowed? I doubt that any loan provider (assuming non personal loan or reverse mortgage type loan) would give money to a student who isn’t even enrolled in classes. Doubt it would legal for the school to lie about it either

Our school does it every year for people who do last minute fellowships if funding runs out. You basically take out loans for living (plus random student fees cause they gotta extort you somehow) but not tuition.

 

[Dr G Oogle]

I have worked with several students from other schools who didn’t match. They did a full year with me and took an extra year of med school. But they didn’t receive any funding. A funded year is tough as someone above said. But I don’t necessarily agree that people with funding would preferentially give it to someone from their own school. I personally have no preference for working with people from my school vs outside of it (even if I did have funding). You could cold email a bunch of neuro people and see if they have funding, or if possible if there’s something driving distance from where you live. You could also try for an MPH. Neuro isn’t super competitive so if it’s more of a “time to kill” thing an MPH might be most useful since you will learn marketable skills.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I have worked with several students from other schools who didn’t match. They did a full year with me and took an extra year of med school. But they didn’t receive any funding. A funded year is tough as someone above said. But I don’t necessarily agree that people with funding would preferentially give it to someone from their own school. I personally have no preference for working with people from my school vs outside of it (even if I did have funding). You could cold email a bunch of neuro people and see if they have funding, or if possible if there’s something driving distance from where you live. You could also try for an MPH. Neuro isn’t super competitive so if it’s more of a “time to kill” thing an MPH might be most useful since you will learn marketable skills.

True for cases where an individual researcher has the funding, though I doubt that funded researchers are having trouble finding students to take their funding. But the question seemed to be focused around funding that was coming from the school or a specific program. I would not anticipate the student would be able to get funding from their school to go work in a lab at another institution.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Agree with @GoSpursGo on the MRSP program being a good option

Another kind of possible side option might be a fellowship with CDC. A lot of the ones for med students are shorter, some paid, some not. But the CDC ORISE Fellowships are longer 1-2 years and paid, not just for med students but people at varying levels so I don’t know how often med students do it. Each posting has different degree requirements ranging from completed bachelors to post doctoral.

The fellowships range from wet/bench lab research to bioinformatics to population/epi to education and policy. Some are more basic or translational research some are more grunt work or non-research so you’d need to read the listing carefully and ask lots of questions when interviewing.

There a lots of different options and new ones are added all the time, start dates vary throughout the year.

Since you’re interested in neuro and peds you could choose a project on a neuroinvasive infection like enterovirus D68 or acute flaccid myelitis which would have relevance to peds, or meningitis, syphilis (congenital is kind of a big thing now), malaria, or maybe even some of the vector borne diseases, childhood lead exposure, toxicology. There are some stroke projects usually listed. Might also be some occ health, prev med, injury prevention, or mental health project options that tie in with neuro as well.

Medical Students and Residents (MD/DO, DVM/VMD, DDS/DMD, etc.) Short-Term Internships for Students | Fellowships and Training Opportunities | CDC

We have a variety of hands-on, short-term internship programs for medical students and residents. All offer a unique experience in one of many public health fields

www.cdc.gov

Current Research Opportunities

Listing of current research opportunities at the Research Participation Program that offer hands-on laboratory experiences and internships for university students and faculty in support of department's mission.

orise.orau.gov

stroke example Zintellect - Climb Higher

Another thing would be to look into psych opportunities that are more neuropsych.