Summer Research before Medical School

[mclysek]

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Does anyone know of research opportunities specific, or available, to students accepted to medical school. I am interested in conducting research the summer before I start medical school, and have not found any programs that allow this.

 

[cwrig14]

Does anyone know of research opportunities specific, or available, to students accepted to medical school. I am interested in conducting research the summer before I start medical school, and have not found any programs that allow this.

Very interested in this too.

 

[MedPR]

Does anyone know of research opportunities specific, or available, to students accepted to medical school. I am interested in conducting research the summer before I start medical school, and have not found any programs that allow this.

Email every PI at your local medical schools.

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[typicalindian]

Am I the only one who wants to relax before med school starts? Will I be behind in the game if I don't do this?

 

[Frazier]

Am I the only one who wants to relax before med school starts? Will I be behind in the game if I don't do this?

No and no...

That's the nice thing about knocking out "research" before med school -- you don't need to subscribe to the "OMGZ MUST FIND MS0 and MS1 research projects NOW!!!" mentality.

If you and Jim were both in a vacuum with identical knowledge and competence with conducting investigations, Jim's "extra summer" of research before med school isn't going to yield much of a lead on you. Doubtful a pub is going to magically result from 2-3 months of picking up a research gig cold...if you are a seasoned researcher/clinician/med student -- yea, you could probably get a chart review or case report in during that time. But, more likely, as a MS0 it would have to be an ongoing endeavor...

I guess the main utility is that, if the potential project is at the school you are going to attend, perhaps you will have a foot in the door and be prepared to hit the ground running when MS1 begins (already know the lab, your colleagues, the protocol, etc). But, is that really worth it? I say, Jim, I don't believe so...

 

[Narmerguy]

Does anyone know of research opportunities specific, or available, to students accepted to medical school. I am interested in conducting research the summer before I start medical school, and have not found any programs that allow this.

Did you actually ask and then get told "you are not allowed to start research early" or are you just assuming this?

Either way, while it's certainly unusual to want to start researching with what little free time you have remaining, I can't say it doesn't sometimes make sense. A few hours of research a day probably beats sitting at home all day watching TV, which can get old if you don't have much else to do over the summer.

 

[mclysek]

First off, I have already graduated from college and have a full year off. I am currently employed in a local ER, so I have plenty of time to relax and travel (I work 3 12s a week, so 4 days off in a row). I am interested in conducting research throughout medical school for many reasons. I am not looking to "get it out of the way", rather I am looking to start sooner rather than later. Also, I am very interested in working abroad the summer after my first year, so I would like to conduct research during at least one summer. If I started the summer before med school it would open more options for me, since my future goals include international medicine. Also, what I mean by "programs do not allow this" is that most programs specify "undergraduate" or "medical students" I am neither an undergraduate nor a medical student. I finished a post-bac last year and now have a year off while I am in the application cycle. I have contacted some schools, and they do not have programs specifically for this. However, I know someone who performed research the summer before he started med school, but it was at the school he attends. I am more interested in going to another institution (ie. University of Washington) or some other school I am interested in applying for residency at.

 

[487806]

Am I the only one who wants to relax before med school starts? Will I be behind in the game if I don't do this?

That was my strategy initially... I hope it won't change. It's probably the last time to relax until after MS-4.

 

[sinombre]

That was my strategy initially... I hope it won't change. It's probably the last time to relax until after MS-4.

More like PGY4.

 

[DAPI]

Yeah, the only reason I would ever do that is if I could find a fairly relaxed work environment at the school I would be matriculating at and they could possibly provide a stipend to cover my housing expense during the summer. The research would also have to be in the area I ulitmatly see myself and not just something "close enough". Basically I would want to use it as a foot in the door to start a research project over my four years in med school and get a decent leg up on it while I have 2-3 three months to fully dedicate to it.

 

[487806]

More like PGY4.

Ok. My decision is final..i'm relaxing before entering med school. No work. Just relax.

 

[augeremt]

First off, I have already graduated from college and have a full year off. I am currently employed in a local ER, so I have plenty of time to relax and travel (I work 3 12s a week, so 4 days off in a row). I am interested in conducting research throughout medical school for many reasons. I am not looking to "get it out of the way", rather I am looking to start sooner rather than later. Also, I am very interested in working abroad the summer after my first year, so I would like to conduct research during at least one summer. If I started the summer before med school it would open more options for me, since my future goals include international medicine. Also, what I mean by "programs do not allow this" is that most programs specify "undergraduate" or "medical students" I am neither an undergraduate nor a medical student. I finished a post-bac last year and now have a year off while I am in the application cycle. I have contacted some schools, and they do not have programs specifically for this. However, I know someone who performed research the summer before he started med school, but it was at the school he attends. I am more interested in going to another institution (ie. University of Washington) or some other school I am interested in applying for residency at.

I completely understand your reasoning and totally agree with it.

Try cold emailing professors at the med school and ask for a position. Emphasize that you're interested in whatever they're studying and all that jazz.

While there may not be any formal programs for someone in your position, you should be able to find a prof who is willing to take you on if you email enough people.

It might be a bit tricky if you're not planning on being there for that long (I misread your post the first time around). Can you start the research earlier, like in January? That would give you more time to do something meaningful than just a couple months before matriculation, and would make people more likely to let you into their lab.

 

[IlDestriero]

Every academic department has a faculty member in charge of research, possibly several if they have separate divisions. Call every department's administrator at your new school and get the contact information for these people. Then call and email your CV and find out what projects are going on in the department. Every spring our research director emails the faculty to find out who has projects that would benefit from a summer research student. Some of these projects turn into longer commitments and follow on projects.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I had severe soon to be medical students work in my lab. Try to get a hold of a few current students at your future school and see if they can help you find a lab known for taking an and everyone.