Start Research as MS2? Or just forget about it?

[kl323]

I know the general advice is to do research and get publish if you are aiming for very competitive residencies. For other specialties, those aren't strict "requirements" but they can certainly help.

My concern is I've only had research experience in undergrad and I have ZERO publication. I thought about doing research during the summer before MS2, but I would much rather recover and enjoy my last summer instead. For the most part, I didn't regret it. In retrospect, I'm starting to worry whether or not that was a disservice to my future.

I'm only aiming for IM or EM or EM/IM. While those may not be competitive, I do want to leave myself options especially if I want to stay in NYC or at least in the tri-state area.

I spoke with my dean and she basically told me... doing research can help, but not an absolute requirement. If research during MS2 causes me to do poorly, then it is simply not worth it. And the most obvious piece of advice was to do well on Step I and rotations. While I certainly agree with those suggestions, I can't help but worry about the lack of research.

I've read "charting the outcomes" already so I have a sense of what some specialties look for.

Any other advice? Should I really push myself to do research this year? Honestly, I can do it, but there's too much on the plate. I feel like research just might nhibit my academics to a degree....

Thanks for reading!!!

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[URHere]

In order to answer your question, I think that we need more information on the type of research you wish to conduct.

If your aim is to conduct clinical research, it should be fairly simple to nail down a project with flexible requirements (journal article compilation, analyzing survey results, etc), or even drop down the number of hours that you devote depending on how things pan out for you academically. In most cases, clinical research is also more likely to land you a publication, or a good LOR in a short amount of time.

"Wet lab" research could be more of a gamble in your case. Those projects tend to require longer time commitments, and supervisors are less likely to be understanding if you start to skive off your lab work to make more time for academics (in PhD-land, lab comes first and courses come second...and it is hard for some PhDs to comprehend that this is not the case in medical school).

With all that in mind, I think that you need to ask yourself one more basic question: do you actually want to spend part of your year on research? For the specialties you have mentioned, you don't absolutely need it, and you need to remember that you have no guarantee of a publication. Unless it's something that you really want to do, you stand a good chance of regretting it.

 

[kl323]

I'd definitely want to do clinical research.

I spoke with one of the research directors at my school. He says that there are always project that I can jump on to get involved and I can easily get published (just by writing something, data collecting, and things like that). He says that there are many projects that are already in the works and simply need med students to get on board to do the things I mentioned before.

I'm definitely not passionate about research. I'd avoid it if I could. But if it helps me and opens more doors for me.. then I'd be willing to suck it up and do it.

 

[sunset823]

I'm definitely not passionate about research. I'd avoid it if I could. But if it helps me and opens more doors for me.. then I'd be willing to suck it up and do it.

then please, don't do it. You don't need it for the specialties you're interested in at all, and NYC has tons of residency options. It sounds like you would be happier in a residency that DOESN'T have research requirements. Instead of wasting your time doing something you don't enjoy, take some time to volunteer in the community, or maybe get some EMT training or something. That would help show residencies that you are passionate about the clinical aspects of the field.

Bottom line, if you don't want to do research as a career, don't do it as a med student. It's not going to help you if you hate doing it. (The exceptions are certain extremely competitive specialties, radonc (where half of the applicants have PhDs), derm, neurosurgery, maybe ortho, etc.).

Personally, I love doing research in the area I'm interested in (health outcomes/policy), but I HATE labs, and would never step foot in one just to show that I can do research. I've gotten some pubs in the outcomes area, and if residencies like that cool, if they don't and only like science-y stuff, oh well, wouldn't want to be there anyway.

 

[ar2388]

I thought along very similar lines as you OP. I just started working with a radiologist on a case report that i hope to write and maybe maybe if i get lucky i can publish it.
I did quite a bit of research in college, no pubs, only a poster, and I am kind of on teh fence about research. However, i really want to stay in NYC and am seriously considering radiology (with #2 being gastroenterology, which requires an IM residency I believe) so I figured i may as well maximize my chances as much as i can. it only take a few hours extra a week and these are hours i would probably spend sitting on the couch and watching TV.

 

[Doc013]

i wouldnt do it. especially at a cost to your grades. i know two students who did absolutely no research and it did not seem to hinder their applications...one matched to gen surg and one to anesthesia (both were AOA thou, so it may not be the best example). either way, if you're not going to enjoy it, don't do it. we have so little free-time during ms2 anyway. id rather be doing something i enjoy in my spare time.

 

[kl323]

That's for all the advice. Certainly puts some ease in my mind!