types of research??

[prmdbeach17]

Hey all,

I was wondering what the difference is in the types of research and which kind I should look to do. I've heard of people doing clinical research, bioethics research, summer research, and research with professors. My school has an undergrad research program for credit...should I do the bio one and ask a professor to be my mentor? I would like to avoid straight up lab work where I would just be washing test tubes, preparing solutions, etc. Clinical research sounds interesting, but how would I go about finding something to be involved in? What kind of time committment do the different kinds require? Thanks in advance!

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[prmdbeach17]

Hey that was my 100th post

 

[prmdbeach17]

BUMP...anyone???

 

[ssquared]

Hey all,

I was wondering what the difference is in the types of research and which kind I should look to do. I've heard of people doing clinical research, bioethics research, summer research, and research with professors. My school has an undergrad research program for credit...should I do the bio one and ask a professor to be my mentor? I would like to avoid straight up lab work where I would just be washing test tubes, preparing solutions, etc. Clinical research sounds interesting, but how would I go about finding something to be involved in? What kind of time committment do the different kinds require? Thanks in advance!

Alrighty, I'm gonna do my best to answer your questions...

1) Do what kind of research you want to do. If you like bio, do bio, if you like chem, then do chem. There's no real advantage of one over the other, and if it's something you're interested in you're going to get more out of it.

2) Your undergrad research program sounds like a good place to start. Check out your profs' webpages, see what they do, and ask the ones that do something you think sounds cool if they can take on more research students. Be sure to find one that will allow you to do your own projects (or at least a project in conjunction with other students) instead of just lab chores.

3) Time depends on the type of research and when you do it. During the school year, it can vary from 2 hours a week to 20, depending on the project and your place in the lab. For the summer, it's full time, so expect at least 40 hours a week. It can easily be more depending on your project.

4) I've never done clinical research, so I have no idea! Sorry! But I do imagine that your role would be limited by the fact that you are an undergrad and not a doctor. Just a thought.

 

[Critical Mass]

Start thinking about doing research after you have a 30+ MCAT in your back pocket already.

 

[jstuds_66]

Hey all,

I was wondering what the difference is in the types of research and which kind I should look to do. I've heard of people doing clinical research, bioethics research, summer research, and research with professors. My school has an undergrad research program for credit...should I do the bio one and ask a professor to be my mentor? I would like to avoid straight up lab work where I would just be washing test tubes, preparing solutions, etc. Clinical research sounds interesting, but how would I go about finding something to be involved in? What kind of time committment do the different kinds require? Thanks in advance!

I am doing clinical research right now. I also tried to do it last summer, but didn't get a lot of experience. I think most places want a little bit more of a commitment if you are going to do clinical research. Last summer, they knew I was only going to be there for a short while, so they didn't give me any of my own projects. I got stuck doing a bunch of crap work like entering every single referal the ever got into a database for future use. I didn't learn anything and struggled to learn anything that would actually make me a better doctor.

Right now, I am committed to working for at least a year and I am the coordinator for 7 studies. I really enjoy it a lot and I am learning more because I have more responsability. From my experience (although it is by no means comprehensive), if you plan on doing clinical research, you might want to be able to give a little bit more of a comittment otherwise you won't get much valuble experience.

 

[Joedude1920]

I got a question about research as well and instead of putting it in another thread, I might as well throw it out in here.

I'm doing research for the Orthopedics department at the Hospital I am working for. Full Time (40 hours a week). Clinical Research. Only for the summer.

The doctors I'm working with are really giving me a chance to take part in all of it, and are not trying to hold me back because I only just got done my first year of college. They know I wanna go to med school and they know that one of the specialities I'm looking into is Orthopedics. They even let me go on rounds with them every morning, and sometimes in the O.R. as well.

Two of the projects I'm working on plan on being published within the next year or so.

My question is this -- Will schools look highly at this? Will this make my application stand out?

 

[alman]

I would involve myself in research that I find interesting. Often times, being involved in research requires the individual to dig into the literature to understand the processes/background of the field. Therefore, you want to have some interest in the research. Research the professors working at your school, and determine which ones are doing research in something that interests you. Then, approach them about working in their lab. Don't approach a professor without some background of their research area. You want to approach a professor telling them why you find their research to be interesting. Hope this helps.

 

[prmdbeach17]

Thanks for the replies..I think I might spend next summer doing some research, probably the school program, maybe look into a clinical program at a hospital if it doesn't require like a year committment. To the poster who is doing clinical research, what types of things do you get to do?

 

[Joedude1920]

Thanks for the replies..I think I might spend next summer doing some research, probably the school program, maybe look into a clinical program at a hospital if it doesn't require like a year committment. To the poster who is doing clinical research, what types of things do you get to do?

Right now I'm in the process of doing 3 different projects. I basically get to look at charts to get some info, look at x-rays and CAT scans, interact with patients, etc. Anything you would normally do for clinical research. I'm only doing it for the summer, and they are perfectly fine with it, but none of my projects will be long, drawn-out types that would require a year's worth of work (at least from me).

If you know someone in a hospital that can help you with doing research there, then go for it. I knew who the doctor was and talked to him about working with him over the summer to get experience and all that. He told me some things I can do and hired me, on the spot. I guess you can say I got lucky since I have the connections that not many people have.