Type of research projects

[thone2k]

I posted a few times before. I am a first year medical student interested in radiation oncology. I am in the process of finding a radiation oncologist to do some summer research with. My question is regarding the type of research project I should be thinking about that can be undertaken with in 2 months time. I wanted to have some idea of what I am talking about before meeting these docs. From my experience so far, all I can do is a retrospective study. Any comments on what else can be done? I did research at my undergraduate institution regarding role of tPA in glioblastomas. I would like to stay in the realm of brain tumors. Any ideas?

Thank you so much.
MS I

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[Mulletfluf]

I posted a few times before. I am a first year medical student interested in radiation oncology. I am in the process of finding a radiation oncologist to do some summer research with. My question is regarding the type of research project I should be thinking about that can be undertaken with in 2 months time. I wanted to have some idea of what I am talking about before meeting these docs. From my experience so far, all I can do is a retrospective study. Any comments on what else can be done? I did research at my undergraduate institution regarding role of tPA in glioblastomas. I would like to stay in the realm of brain tumors. Any ideas?

Thank you so much.
MS I

In addition to a retrospective study, a literature review might also be possible. While I have not personally worked on one, I have seen quite a few published when cruising pubmed. Others in this forum may comment on this one.

 

[Gfunk6]

The easiest thing to do would be to work on a retrospective study. You could possibly do a dosimetric study but the learning curve is steep and you would need a dosimeterist or physicist to work with you closely. A scientific review may be difficult at your level because it requires a firm grasp of the literature which may be tough to gain in only two months.

A lab project is probably out of the question due to the extremely limited time involved. However, you could try to "piggyback" on a wet project that others are currently working on -- just do not expect to be first author.

 

[thone2k]

Thanks for that advice guys. Can some one recommend a reading that will give me an introduction to dosimetrics?

Any other ideas regarding specific research aspects of brain tumors would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Gfunk6]

For all of your radiation physics needs, the grandaddy of the field is The Physics of Radiation Therapy by Khan. Your friendly RadOnc department should have plenty of copies circulating amongst the residents and faculty.

As to brain tumors specifically, that subject is ridiculously broad. First you need to specify what grade you are talking about (I assume grade IV - GBMs?). Then you need to decide what kind of project you want to do.

 

[radonc]

For all of your radiation physics needs, the grandaddy of the field is The Physics of Radiation Therapy by Khan. Your friendly RadOnc department should have plenty of copies circulating amongst the residents and faculty.

As to brain tumors specifically, that subject is ridiculously broad. First you need to specify what grade you are talking about (I assume grade IV - GBMs?). Then you need to decide what kind of project you want to do.

a better book for those starting out is by bentel called 'radiation therapy planning' and hendee & ibbott "radiation therapy physics'.

 

[stephew]

For all of your radiation physics needs, the grandaddy of the field is The Physics of Radiation Therapy by Khan. Your friendly RadOnc department should have plenty of copies circulating amongst the residents and faculty.

As to brain tumors specifically, that subject is ridiculously broad. First you need to specify what grade you are talking about (I assume grade IV - GBMs?). Then you need to decide what kind of project you want to do.

to begin with, i would NOT begin with Khan. I find it a poor way to introduce yourself to it particularly as a med student. And its not a book of dosimetry; its physics. Try stanton/Stinton or Bentell as a starter and for dosim.

As a CNS person myself I can tell you there is a lot of work going on; you need to decide if you want to do basic sci or clinical stuff research wise.

 

[Gfunk6]

a better book for those starting out is by bentel called 'radiation therapy planning' and hendee & ibbott "radiation therapy physics'.

to begin with, i would NOT begin with Khan. I find it a poor way to introduce yourself to it particularly as a med student. And its not a book of dosimetry; its physics. Try stanton/Stinton or Bentell as a starter and for dosim.

This, of course, is why it is important to have some real radiation oncologists perusing these forums. You learn something new everyday.

 

[thone2k]

I really want to do some clinical research for a couple of reasons. First, I don't think the summer would be enought to complete a basic science lab research project. Secondly, I want to see patients if possible. I had been thinking of a retrospective study and dosimetrics was mentioned. Can some one provide a link to a dosimetrics retrospective study? I just want to read one in detail to see what's involved.


Thanks
P.S.: I appreciate all the help so far. I spoke to the local radiation oncology department and am supposed to see one of them soon. Hopefully, some thing will come through.

 

[stephew]

I really want to do some clinical research for a couple of reasons. First, I don't think the summer would be enought to complete a basic science lab research project. Secondly, I want to see patients if possible. I had been thinking of a retrospective study and dosimetrics was mentioned. Can some one provide a link to a dosimetrics retrospective study? I just want to read one in detail to see what's involved.


Thanks
P.S.: I appreciate all the help so far. I spoke to the local radiation oncology department and am supposed to see one of them soon. Hopefully, some thing will come through.

remember, if youre doing chart reviews, youre not likely to see pts in associaion with that. Certainly not in context of a dosimetrics related study. In fact most dosimetric stuff would likely be prospective, not retrospective. A clinical chart review I think would be worthy if retrospective, but if you really want to do dosim, SERIOUSLY consider a prospective review. the nature of how the use of technology evolves is such that you're much less likely to find a useful retrospective review.


you might have your doc take you along however to shadow if you ask him/her.

 

[thone2k]

Thanks again for that reply. Whats the usual time frame for follow-up after a treatment in a prospective study? Wouldn't that require a time commitment in terms of years rather than months?

thanks

 

[kp99]

I was wondering if being a co-author on 2-3 Rad Onc papers would carry enough weight to help put together a realistic competitive residency application or is first authorship really a necessity these days in the field.

 

[Gfunk6]

I was wondering if being a co-author on 2-3 Rad Onc papers would carry enough weight to help put together a realistic competitive residency application or is first authorship really a necessity these days in the field.

Well it depends on a few factors:

1. Where are you placed on the author list? A second-author paper is very different than second-to-last-author in a list of ten authors.

2. How much did you contribute to the paper? A couple of interviewers were very careful to ask me what, specifically, I contributed to my publications. They want to hear that you did the nitty-gritty bench work, obtained/crunched the raw data for retrospective studies, contoured targets for dosimetric studies, etc.

3. What journal are we talking about? The Red Journal is a very common place for RadOnc to publish, but there are much better places for basic research. Journals like Cancer Research, Oncogene, JCI, PNAS, MCB, etc. are all fairly high-impact.

4. Are these papers mentioned in your LORs? If the senior author on the paper mentions that you spent hours toiling away in the lab on weekends this speaks well to both your contribution and work ethic.

 

[Thaiger75]

I was wondering if being a co-author on 2-3 Rad Onc papers would carry enough weight to help put together a realistic competitive residency application or is first authorship really a necessity these days in the field.

Yes, all the things that Gfunk mentioned are considerations, but the bottom line is that most applicants (not counting mudphuds) will not even have their name on A paper, much less 2-3. Most will have their names on abstracts, publication pending or submitted, or involved in a research project. In most cases, it takes nearly a year before a publication is out in print from the time of submission.

 

[kp99]

Yes, all the things that Gfunk mentioned are considerations, but the bottom line is that most applicants (not counting mudphuds) will not even have their name on A paper, much less 2-3. Most will have their names on abstracts, publication pending or submitted, or involved in a research project. In most cases, it takes nearly a year before a publication is out in print from the time of submission.

That makes me feel a little better as a non-mudphud. I was getting worried already about the need to find some way to get a definite first author publication out there in the next two years. I've been given the chance to do some retrospective work that should turn into at least a few abstracts or submissions in the next year or so. We'll have to see how it goes.

 

[CNphair]

That makes me feel a little better as a non-mudphud. I was getting worried already about the need to find some way to get a definite first author publication out there in the next two years. I've been given the chance to do some retrospective work that should turn into at least a few abstracts or submissions in the next year or so. We'll have to see how it goes.

Always take what is said on this board with a grain of salt....Often when speaking of "must-haves" for the application process, we talk in terms of the ideal candidate...Ivy league MD/PhD in radiobiology, 4.0, 260 step 1, former member of the peace corps, last name D'amico.

Just get some research...most applicant CVs are not going to be littered with first author citations.