Which research project to do?

[muleta4]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So I'm trying to decide which research project to work on this summer. I know it's early, but at my school we have to declare our project this semester. I have the opportunity to do a big chart review (the doc I'm working with is thinking in the realm of 300-400 charts) with an ENT attending reviewing the outcomes of a unique surgical procedure, or a project with an ortho attending that sounds more interesting to me, where we're going to be studying various pre-op techniques to see how they affect the patient's surgical experience.

The project with the ortho doc sounds more interesting to me, and he says that if we do it well, should be something we can publish; whereas the ENT project doesn't sound as interesting, but the attending is a pretty big name and I think right now ENT sounds more interesting as a field to me. I don't know how good of a research mentor the ENT attending will be, but the ortho attending sounds like he's pretty on top of his stuff.

What would be good things to consider when making a decision about a summer after 1st year research project? Thanks for your help.

 

[VisionaryTics]

So I'm trying to decide which research project to work on this summer. I know it's early, but at my school we have to declare our project this semester. I have the opportunity to do a big chart review (the doc I'm working with is thinking in the realm of 300-400 charts) with an ENT attending reviewing the outcomes of a unique surgical procedure, or a project with an ortho attending that sounds more interesting to me, where we're going to be studying various pre-op techniques to see how they affect the patient's surgical experience.

The project with the ortho doc sounds more interesting to me, and he says that if we do it well, should be something we can publish; whereas the ENT project doesn't sound as interesting, but the attending is a pretty big name and I think right now ENT sounds more interesting as a field to me. I don't know how good of a research mentor the ENT attending will be, but the ortho attending sounds like he's pretty on top of his stuff.

What would be good things to consider when making a decision about a summer after 1st year research project? Thanks for your help.

If you're interested in ortho, do the ortho project. If you're interested in ENT, do the ENT project.

If you are split down the middle, do the ortho procedure because it seems like a trial rather than a chart review. Prospective trials are higher quality research, and are a bigger bonus to your CV.

 

[Hemichordate]

If you are split down the middle, do the ortho procedure because it seems like a trial rather than a chart review. Prospective trials are higher quality research, and are a bigger bonus to your CV.

But they also take much longer to finish.

 

[VisionaryTics]

But they also take much longer to finish.

He's an M1. He's got plenty of time to finish the project up before submitting his ERAS.

 

[evilbooyaa]

He's an M1. He's got plenty of time to finish the project up before submitting his ERAS.

Agree with this. Unless you are more interested in ENT, do the prospective research.

 

[Smokemont]

So I'm trying to decide which research project to work on this summer. I know it's early, but at my school we have to declare our project this semester. I have the opportunity to do a big chart review (the doc I'm working with is thinking in the realm of 300-400 charts) with an ENT attending reviewing the outcomes of a unique surgical procedure, or a project with an ortho attending that sounds more interesting to me, where we're going to be studying various pre-op techniques to see how they affect the patient's surgical experience.

The project with the ortho doc sounds more interesting to me, and he says that if we do it well, should be something we can publish; whereas the ENT project doesn't sound as interesting, but the attending is a pretty big name and I think right now ENT sounds more interesting as a field to me. I don't know how good of a research mentor the ENT attending will be, but the ortho attending sounds like he's pretty on top of his stuff.

What would be good things to consider when making a decision about a summer after 1st year research project? Thanks for your help.

Don't use this as a deciding factor because every research project done by faculty has the intention of obtaining something publishable. Quality research is difficult so choose whatever project is more interesting to you. I would also advise choosing the attending that you would prefer to work with over who is the bigger name, unless you know for sure you want to do ENT.