What did you get out of your research experience

[ichewu]

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hey guys,

I was wondering what are the benefits of having research besides just putting it on your resume. Besides the knowledge about your project, what general qualities make research valuable and how does that make you a better physician?

 

[rHinO1]

I'm working on a faculty mentored research project, and I think in general I've developed better critical thinking skills. I am more proficient at reading journal articles and I know how to find information faster in those articles (relative to before I started this project).

I think research skills are valuable if you are a practicing physician, and you want to investigate something you identify while practicing. If it wasn't for people who have these skills then new innovations in medicine would take longer to develop. Research is important in developing new equipment/products and identifying/researching trends in patient populations. Just my opinion. . .

 

[sully677]

Well I can't speak for how it makes me a better physician as seeing I am an undergrad, but research has improved many aspects of my academic career. I agree that research helps critical thinking skills, reading difficult scientific material, and I also believe it has helped me greatly in my coursework. When I am thinking of problems in class, sometimes I can relate them to my research, and this helps me simplify the subject. Also, I didn't think I wanted to do research for a career when I first began college, but after conducting research for 1.5 years, I want to obtain a MD/PhD. If you are interested, then definitely go for it!

 

[fastnfurious]

I've done research for almost 2 years and here's the good things I can say about it, despite me not being a huge fan of it..

-develop critical thinking skills
-learn to think independently and develop ideas
-learn to readjust experiments when things go wrong
-using previous protocols and relating them to real life applications (ex virus assays)
-time management

 

[Lukkie]

my particular research experience is what MADE me want to be a doctor 😀

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

I'm much better at asking GOOD questions, patience, attention to detail, a good relationship with faculty. It's definitely worth it and I'm getting a publication or two out of it too.

 

[MadEvans]

Mad pipetting skillz.

 

[orrghead16]

Mad pipetting skillz.

Don't try and mouth pipet for a few mls of 6M HCL. Your mouth will taste like sour patch kids for the next three days.

Dry ice in the epi-tubes. Will make the new kids drop a brick in their pants when they hear them go off.

 

[AnotherDork]

Wow, a lot of high-minded replies! My experience with research made me realize that if I had to do it for the rest of my life, I'd stab myself in the eye with a pipette (the 1000mL one).

I think that's just as valuable as any critical thinking skills I might have gotten, because now I know I'm not missing out on anything by staying clinical.

 

[Lukkie]

people still mouth pipet? lol

 

[witness23]

your mom still mouths pipets

 

[Lukkie]

oh SNAP

 

[UVAbme2009]

I wrote a mock R01 and a paper for AJP, so I'd say a lot.

 

[witness23]

yo i had a pub in AJP too, high five

 

[exoslimjim]

people still mouth pipet? lol

you don't do it just becus you dont have a pipetteman...

 

[DrWookie]

hey guys,

I was wondering what are the benefits of having research besides just putting it on your resume. Besides the knowledge about your project, what general qualities make research valuable and how does that make you a better physician?

I learned far more that will stick with me for the rest of my life than any class in undergrad could ever provide. I learned facts for sure, but they were incredibly detailed and specific to a particular area. The most important thing was the critical and independent thinking skills, problem solving ability, experience with failure (it always happens at least once) etc... I valued all of those far more than facts (Which is why on occasion I skipped class to finish an experiment)

 

[DrWookie]

people still mouth pipet? lol

Of course people still mouth pipette. It has uses that a pipetman can't replace. I worked in a C. elegans lab and we had to mouth pipette embryos...you can't suck up embryos into a pipetman...not even a P10. It isn't accurate enough.

 

[SweetButterfly]

I just finished my freshman year (Information Technology major..) and this summer Ill be helping one of the physics professors in his research. Im not really sure what to expect since ive never done this before. I start wednesday. Hours arent bad + i wont be the only one helping so hopefully it goes well. Any advice?

 

[G1SG2]

how to make yeast mutants. And, our lab always smells like bread.