Shadowing and research experience. How to go about doing those?

[Haye]

Hello, I am currently a freshman in my first semester. I am a Cell Biology & Genetics major and I had a couple questions about doing research and shadowing. I started college spring semester because I needed to go to Brazil to take care of some issues that needed attention.

Anyway, my questions are: 1) How do I go about looking for research positions?
2) Do I need to have taken all introductory courses a typical freshman has already taken?
3) When can I start looking for shadowing and how do I do that also?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ppfizenm]

Hello, I am currently a freshman in my first semester. I am a Cell Biology & Genetics major and I had a couple questions about doing research and shadowing. I started college spring semester because I needed to go to Brazil to take care of some issues that needed attention.

Anyway, my questions are: 1) How do I go about looking for research positions?
2) Do I need to have taken all introductory courses a typical freshman has already taken?
3) When can I start looking for shadowing and how do I do that also?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Usually professors doing research on campus will present their research to the student body at some point during the year. Usually, as a freshman, you do not have enough experience to work in some of the more advanced labs but it is useful to meet the professors doing the research and establish a relationship with them. You can probably find research interests of the school's faculty online and can always ask some of your current professors and older students like TA's you may know as well. The amount of experience each professor requires of you to work in his lab is different but in general they like you to have had all the basics and some advanced level classes as well.

Shadowing is a different matter. You should get in to contact with your school's pre-med committee and find out if they have any relationships with area physicians that you could shadow and also find out if they have any medical internships that you could apply for later. Unlike research you can start shadowing whenever. Also explore family and friend connections seeing if you can get an in shadowing through them. I had very little luck cold calling doctors offices trying to come in and shadow however we did have a physician who was a family friend that let me shadow him and also put me in touch with other physicians in different specialties that I could shadow as well.

Also remember that these relationships you are forming while shadowing and researching need to be maintained. You, most likely will need to be in touch with these people later when you are applying.

 

[Haye]

Thanks for your reply!! It was very clarifying!
I'll start contacting some family friends who are physicians to look for shadowing, since I'll probably only be able to find research positions next semester when I'll have my intro courses all in order!

Thanks again!

 

[alexrgross]

Everything explained about intro courses and presentations is true, another way is to go to the Department offices where you are interested in that field. Usually they have a list of laboratories, where you can see the studies done there, and further information about contacting researchers and what they are looking for in assisstants...I simply became aquaintances with my sceince lecturere who happened o have labs, after finishing their courses it was very simple for me to call or drop by their lab to discuss reserach interests and positions and science in general...

 

[bigdogrob4284]

A good way to get shadowing opportunities is to volunteer at a hospital, and see if you can make connections with docs that you run into, or through the hospitals volunteer coordination staff (If they have one).

 

[grizdad]

At the end of his freshman year, S looked at what research people were doing and found one that appealed to him. He emailed that professor and introduced himself, told him that he was interested in the research he was doing on XYZ, and wanted to know if he could schedule a meeting to discuss the possibility of helping on that research. Professor responded, hired him for the summer and he has been working for money/credit for almost 2 years now. The summer between his FR & SO year, he began working in a lab with 5 Phds.
If you know any doctors, start with them for job shadowing. That's the easy place to start. Also ask them for any referals. S school had a class specifically for premeds that helped set them up with shadowing, too.
Good luck!

 

[Double Trouble]

Go on your schools website

For example, if you want to do biochemistry research, find all the biochemistry professors on the department of chemistry or biochemistry webpage, and just email them. Email as many as you can.

 

[Haye]

Thank you guys! All your contributions have been great. Indeed we do have a website that lists all the hospitals in the DC area with which my school has some sort of relationship and where students tipically go for shadowing. I am in do process of finishing some applications to all of them in the hopes some will give me a response.

Regarding research; I have talked to some people including my adviser and TA for one of my bio classes and they all say the same, which I guess I already knew. They say introduce yourself and ask if you can assist them. There is one person in particular whose research I am REALLY interested in. So right now I am working on a way to introduce myself and hope for the best.

Once again thank you all!