So what's the deal with research?

[pasnsypor]

So this is kind of embarrassing but I don't really understand the whole research in medical school thing. I was a lab assistant for two years prior to coming to med school. I honestly did not enjoy it and was nowhere near involved enough to say I actually did research on any one project. It was more of a generally helping out around the lab with whatever people needed, but it paid well.

I'm seeing lots of posts on sdn lately with people talking about research. So I have a few questions... Why do you choose to do research? Is it more of a checking the box for competitive residency applications or is it something that you really wanted to do and sought out for that reason? What does research even look like in medical school? Is it in the summer? How did you find the project that you're working on? What's the deal with publications?

Clearly I know nothing but I'd like to hear other people's experience if you're willing to share... bottom line: research. What do you do? Why and how?

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[SpartanWolverine]

I'm seeing lots of posts on sdn lately with people talking about research. So I have a few questions... Why do you choose to do research? Is it more of a checking the box for competitive residency applications or is it something that you really wanted to do and sought out for that reason? What does research even look like in medical school? Is it in the summer? How did you find the project that you're working on? What's the deal with publications?

Clearly I know nothing but I'd like to hear other people's experience if you're willing to share... bottom line: research. What do you do? Why and how?

I chose to do research in medical school because it was something I was familiar with going into medical school. I both did it selfishly to 'check boxes' and also wanted to do it because I enjoy the process of potentially being the first person to ever answer a specific question. It's somewhat gratifying to be doing something 'new'.

Research varies by school and you should see what your program offers. I personally did it during the school year (we have classes during the summer as well) and I found a project by directly contacting a PI at my school.

Here's an article directed towards DO students in particular, which is pretty good. Getting into residency: Why research experience can give you an edge - The DO

 

[Betabet]

For me it's both checking off the boxes and actually enjoying it. Right now I'm doing clinical research during the school year, but I also did a research program during the summer.

Honestly, I think everyone should do research. Taking care of patients is great and that's just one way that doctors help the field of medicine. But with research, you take part in progressing your field and possibly discovering something new. All of the stuff we're learning in medicine, both in the clinical aspect and basic sciences is based off research that was done in the past. Someone wrote a paper on how "vitamin C interferes with glucose in a urinalysis," and because of him, we use that knowledge and learn about it during our training. That's just one example but there is so much more.

You wonder why DOs get flack about being "lesser than MDs" in certain institutions, and a part of that is the lack of emphasis on research (among other things). I go to a DO school that neighbors a few MD schools. At one particular MD school, over 70% of the students do research and have presented posters. OMM is great, but it lacks research which is why a vast majority of people don't believe it actually works. Heck, most DOs don't believe it actually works and abandon it after graduation. You can bet that if I read a recent publication, at least as far back as 2015 that showed Chapman Reflexes actually work, that I'd use it.

TLDR: Research because it is important for progressing the field of medicine, but I also do it to check the boxes.

 

[TheaterOfTheme]

Is it worth it if you get presentations BUT NOT publications? I have been trying to find clinical research at various institutions and am now planning on joining a lab that conducts research that is relevant to my intended specialty. I just really don't look forward to the crapshoot of publishing :/

 

[Betabet]

Is it worth it if you get presentations BUT NOT publications? I have been trying to find clinical research at various institutions and am now planning on joining a lab that conducts research that is relevant to my intended specialty. I just really don't look forward to the crapshoot of publishing :/

It is absolutely worth if you can present a poster. When you're filling out residency applications, poster presentation counts as a separate "research experience." So for example, one of my buddies published a paper and did a poster presentation on that same paper. On his application, even though it was the exact same project, it counted as 2 research experiences.

 

[TheaterOfTheme]

It is absolutely worth if you can present a poster. When you're filling out residency applications, poster presentation counts as a separate "research experience." So for example, one of my buddies published a paper and did a poster presentation on that same paper. On his application, even though it was the exact same project, it counted as 2 research experiences.

That's great. I have 4 poster presentations from undergrad too. Alright, well at least that is a possibility!

 

[AlteredScale]

Is it worth it if you get presentations BUT NOT publications? I have been trying to find clinical research at various institutions and am now planning on joining a lab that conducts research that is relevant to my intended specialty. I just really don't look forward to the crapshoot of publishing :/

There are certain places in which an accepted abstract (AKA poster) is also published into a supplemental for a journal and is pubmed indexed. For example, abstract acceptances to ACS are published in the journal of the american college of surgery, whilst acceptances to digestive diseases week/AGA are published in the american journal of gastroenterology (AJG).