The value of "one month" away clinical research rotations?

[Transformers]

Hey guys, random question (kinda posted something similar in another thread)...so I'm basically taking a year off to do funded clinical research at my home-institution after 3rd year. But I had a general question about doing away one-month research rotations especially in some of the more competitive specialties-derm, neurosurg, plastics, radonc- etc...Networking is starting to become more and more important as I talk to residents who recommend trying to do a year-long clinical research fellowship elsewhere to get my foot in the door elsewhere since I'm already at my home institution. I'm trying to strike a balance here. Fortunately with my upcoming year-off project at my home program, it is clinical and won't encompass an entire 12 months after 3rd year- basically I'll get some good downtime. With that in mind, in addition to the 2 regular aways I anticipate on doing anyway, purely from a networking standpoint, are away "one-month research rotations" valuable to do at programs during the year-off? Will it look bad if I invest so many months in one specialty? I could see the time-crunch if I didn't take a year off- basically I would have time to just do the aways, but with this newfound time, I was wondering if such one-months would valuable to invest.

Thanks so much.

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[Instatewaiter]

You can't get anything meaningful done in a month. So an away research rotation is kind of worthless. I say it's a waste of time.

 

[BurberryDoc]

You can't get anything meaningful done in a month. So an away research rotation is kind of worthless. I say it's a waste of time.

+1

If you don't do it during M1 and M2 or during the summer between - it probably has no business on your ERAS. However, if following match, you do an away research rotation at the hospital of your match, that may be beneficial for setting up some long term project for during residency, if you plan on pursuing a competitive subspecialty or going into academics.

 

[JJMrK]

Agree. You'll probably end up writing a review article or something, which you can just as easily do from home. Why not just do another traditional away rotation?

 

[Evil_Abed]

+1

If you don't do it during M1 and M2 or during the summer between - it probably has no business on your ERAS. However, if following match, you do an away research rotation at the hospital of your match, that may be beneficial for setting up some long term project for during residency, if you plan on pursuing a competitive subspecialty or going into academics.

The thing underneath your screen name says you're an "MS-0." Considering you haven't even stepped foot in a med school class yet, I would refrain from giving advice on what goes on ERAS and anything regarding residency if I were you. I would say that pretty much your entire post is wrong.

You can absolutely do research beyond just the summer between M1 and M2 years -- that would definitely go on ERAS. Quite a number of people end up during research throughout M1 and M2 years. Even during M3 year, you can work with attendings and put out case reports, etc. While they're not "true" research, case reports can absolutely go on ERAS. That isn't even considering retrospective studies some people do during M3 year -- tough to do, but I've seen people do it. Not only that, you would also absolutely put down any publications/posters/whatever you have from prior to med school on ERAS.

As to your last sentence, what? I get the sense you don't entirely understand the time-frame of the Match as well as VSAS applications. Plus, I would make the argument that doing a one-month away rotation there isn't going to give you a significant leg-up in terms of setting up projects in the grand scheme of things (considering you'll be there for several years during residency anyways).

Normally, I really don't care if premeds change their status to med student or not, but at the very least, do not give out advice on topics that you haven't really been exposed to. Oftentimes, it's wrong and annoying. Thanks.

To stay on topic: OP, I don't think it's worth it to do that. I will disagree with others that, depending on the clinical question you're trying to answer, how hard/efficiently you work, and how easily accessible a database is, you can pull off a retrospective chart review in one month. I can't say how tough it would be, because I've never done it in such a time-frame, but I do know of people who have pulled it off.

 

[Wordead]

I've gotten papers published in <1 month. It requires everything to be set up (IRB done, well organized patient files, a supportive PI) but you can pound out a retrospective in that time if you're dedicated and efficient. I suppose it depends on your definition of "meaningful" research. It's not a RCT or basic science pub, but it's a publication all the same. And definitely better than a case report. Not to mention doing your research away with 1 or 2 attendings would likely give you a lot more face time with someone that can give you a good letter or pull some strings for you.

And +1 to STFU premeds.

 

[Transformers]

Well a few clarifications...

1)

I've gotten papers published in <1 month. It requires everything to be set up (IRB done, well organized patient files, a supportive PI) but you can pound out a retrospective in that time if you're dedicated and efficient. I suppose it depends on your definition of "meaningful" research. It's not a RCT or basic science pub, but it's a publication all the same. And definitely better than a case report. Not to mention doing your research away with 1 or 2 attendings would likely give you a lot more face time with someone that can give you a good letter or pull some strings for you.

And +1 to STFU premeds.

Yeah to clarify a bit:

1.) This will be in my gap year. As I mentioned, I will already be doing a clinical research project at my home place and will have downtime to devote to "research months" given the flexibility of my schedule.

2.) I will already be doing my traditional "2 aways + 1 home rotation" in my 4th year starting June 2015. I don't want to overdo more than the standard "3 traditional rotation" because I have heard it is overboard and comes off negatively, but perhaps opting for research months is a bit more rational. As a personal goal, I would like to pursue research academics as a career and teach.

Big picture: These "research rotations" I hope on doing to be honest are solely for networking. I have been fortunate to already work with productive researchers and have been able to put out a lot of publications in the area I am interested in. However, based on some advice I have been getting, it's good to have just somewhat of a face in the door at other programs even if its for a month prior to the initial review just to procure as many interview invites down the road. True, I agree that something like a literature review, which I have done, can easily be done at home. However, the angle as to which the type of research project I am trying to do in a month as someone mentioned would be nice in the form of a retrospective +/- case report and heck maybe some shadowing experience...def not basic science/RCT. The angle I as to which I am approaching who to contact (and I am only contacting chairmen) are:
a.) Contact basically people based on the area of research (and I have a good foundation in two areas in the field I am going into) I have already done as opposed to just scouring for any research.
b.) Alumni have always been a plus and there are a couple of alums (both ugrad and med school) who are chairmen at several programs. I hope it would be a good idea to contact them and see what input they had in mind.

 

[evilbooyaa]

You can get something done in a month if everything is set up, as Wordead said. Depending on the size of the institution, there will always be projects that a med student can come in and do chart review on.

As for your second point above about coming off negatively by doing too many aways... I'm not sure where you heard that. Yeah maybe doing 5 or 6 is overboard, but that's because (at least my school) MS4 has 3 blocks dedicated to aways. Anymore and you're taking away from your own vacation blocks. There were a few MS4s in my class that did 4 aways (or 3 aways + a research away), but they lose a month of vacation because of it.