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do you think helping to come up with strategies and recruitment of participants would be an OK research experience?
what has your clinical research experience consisted of?
- Thread starter efjayen
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Is the recruitment for your own project purposes, or are you just trying to get people for your lab's purposes? I don't think I'd count just recruiting people as "research experience." Research is actually doing some kind of study or experiment. If your project was studying strategies and design of recruitment techniques or something like that...then that might count. But from what it sounds like, you're just hanging flyers and what not to get people to come? On a bench lab position...that'd be similar to what...grabbing mice out of the cage? I don't think it counts...
You can work in that lab and list that as one of the things you helped them do...however, hopefully there would be more core research stuff for u later on.
You can work in that lab and list that as one of the things you helped them do...however, hopefully there would be more core research stuff for u later on.
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There is precious little true clinical experience one can have prior to entry into med school. I had absolutely none, and was able to get in. I suggest, however, that folks try the following:
1. Try the local ER, and see if you can help to check in patients... take vitals, etc.
2. Try the local free clinic, and try the same.
3. If you have a family friend, or other connection, try going to his/her clinic a few times, to get a sense of it.
Really, if you don't have any clinical experience, you can still get in. but when I have interviewed, I have asked about it (based on the AMCAS essays) because it gives me a good sense that the applicant has "tasted" medicine, so to speak, and knows a bit about what he/she is getting him/herself into.
(You'll get plenty of experience in med school and beyond... believe me!)
1. Try the local ER, and see if you can help to check in patients... take vitals, etc.
2. Try the local free clinic, and try the same.
3. If you have a family friend, or other connection, try going to his/her clinic a few times, to get a sense of it.
Really, if you don't have any clinical experience, you can still get in. but when I have interviewed, I have asked about it (based on the AMCAS essays) because it gives me a good sense that the applicant has "tasted" medicine, so to speak, and knows a bit about what he/she is getting him/herself into.
(You'll get plenty of experience in med school and beyond... believe me!)
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Hmmm...at my undergrad they won't give bio credit for clinical research experience so I chose to do research in psychology so I could work with people. The bio department makes you do real "lab work" which I'm not really interested in.
I think that you could find something better don't you?
Do you definately want to do "clinical research" because there are also plenty of really good clinical experiences that are not research that you could do instead. Things like being an EMT, phlebotomist, voluteering in a hospital come to mind.
I guess it depends what you are looking for. If you want clinical "research" you should look into other things because it would seem to me there would be much more interesting things out there.
I think that you could find something better don't you?
Do you definately want to do "clinical research" because there are also plenty of really good clinical experiences that are not research that you could do instead. Things like being an EMT, phlebotomist, voluteering in a hospital come to mind.
I guess it depends what you are looking for. If you want clinical "research" you should look into other things because it would seem to me there would be much more interesting things out there.
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I agree that showing you know what being a doctor is really all about (thru volunteering, shadowing, EMT etc) is important. At the same time, your recruitment stuff is not off the mark; I think it depends what it's for. I recruited participants for a public health study and got asked about it in interviews; just make sure you understand the research and the outcomes. You can also talk about what you would do differently, why it is difficult to recruit from certain populations (if applicable), and what implications that has for medicine.
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efjayen: if you (or anyone else) is looking for clinical research experience you don't have to look far and wide. Contact your state medical school. They can tell you where to find facilitites that are conducting clinical trials. Find one that interests you. Call that facility and speak with the person in charge of clinical trial management. They are always looking for volunteers. You may have to do menial jobs like photocopying, filing,etc. but the perks are worth it. You can get recommendations or be able to attend seminars or presentations. Try it, i am sure it will be worth your time. 
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I just wanted to add my two cents...
As far as clinical research goes, I think I have had sufficient experience in a hospital setting doing clinical research. Just wanted to share my experiences with you.
I worked in an OB/Gyn dept working with couples with infertility problems and high risk pregnancies. You name it, I feel like I've done it. Included in procedures like pap smears, some outpatient procedures, hydrosalphingograms, blood work, vitals, history, and health monitoring, subject tracking, etc over for each person over a 6 month period. I did this job for 3 years, and started as a college sophomore with NO EXPERIENCE in the field.
I am currently working on another kind of research project, in patients with alzheimer's disease, and getting experiences I didn't think I would have. My point is, any experience is what you make out of it. I also have an EMT licence, yet I don't want to use it to practise yet b/c of all the bureaucratic BS some EMT's have to put up with in metro areas (basically, we are treated like cab drivers). My best advice--be true to yourself. Don't do photo copying b/c you think it will get your foot in the door and you may get a rec letter out of it. Don't just do subject recruiting, when you know that are capable of more..ASK if you will be allowed to do other things, since you are looking for a good experience. Realize that in every recommendation letter, the person has to mention WHAT it is that you did for them, and "photo copying and faxing" don't sound like adequate healthcare experience, even if the LOR is from a doc. Atleast, that's my opinion. Furthermore, I am not sure if I would be willing to wait, while I do the office assistant job, to see if I can get a break and be handed more stuff to do that's clinically related. If you think that you would like a job that involves much more responsibility, it IS possible. I did it without any experience on my resume. Just be true to yourself and think that you deserve nothing less.
Hope it helps.
Tweetie
As far as clinical research goes, I think I have had sufficient experience in a hospital setting doing clinical research. Just wanted to share my experiences with you.
I worked in an OB/Gyn dept working with couples with infertility problems and high risk pregnancies. You name it, I feel like I've done it. Included in procedures like pap smears, some outpatient procedures, hydrosalphingograms, blood work, vitals, history, and health monitoring, subject tracking, etc over for each person over a 6 month period. I did this job for 3 years, and started as a college sophomore with NO EXPERIENCE in the field.
I am currently working on another kind of research project, in patients with alzheimer's disease, and getting experiences I didn't think I would have. My point is, any experience is what you make out of it. I also have an EMT licence, yet I don't want to use it to practise yet b/c of all the bureaucratic BS some EMT's have to put up with in metro areas (basically, we are treated like cab drivers). My best advice--be true to yourself. Don't do photo copying b/c you think it will get your foot in the door and you may get a rec letter out of it. Don't just do subject recruiting, when you know that are capable of more..ASK if you will be allowed to do other things, since you are looking for a good experience. Realize that in every recommendation letter, the person has to mention WHAT it is that you did for them, and "photo copying and faxing" don't sound like adequate healthcare experience, even if the LOR is from a doc. Atleast, that's my opinion. Furthermore, I am not sure if I would be willing to wait, while I do the office assistant job, to see if I can get a break and be handed more stuff to do that's clinically related. If you think that you would like a job that involves much more responsibility, it IS possible. I did it without any experience on my resume. Just be true to yourself and think that you deserve nothing less.
Hope it helps.
Tweetie
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you don't need credit or internship notation for anything in order for it to count. because med school don't see your transcipts with those kind of notations. i say do something with chronically sick people: convalescent hospital, alzehmier's. hospice. the ER thing is sooo old. or something aboard, belieive me, it will change your life.
