Yet another research thread - social sciences vs. clinical

[TelemarketingEnigma]

Context: MS2 in MD/MPH program. Specialty interests still undecided, but probably EM or IM. Somewhat interested in academics.

Throughout MS1, I was working on a research project in a somewhat niche social sciences/interdisciplinary field, related to work I did during my gap years. The major paper resulting from this project (first author) was just accepted for publication. Since that project is now wrapping up, I'm trying to decide whether I should keep working on a new project in the same field, or try to branch out into something new.

I'm enjoying this work, but one of my concerns is whether my lack of directly clinical research will be a problem. I won't be lacking in overall research - I've also got a paper/number of presentations from undergrad/gap years, but again none of it clinical. But I have no idea how residency programs view social science research in comparison to clinical.

my options at the moment:

option A: Stick with the social science work. This might include the possibility of a paid position/stipend through a grant my mentor just received. The specific topic won't be related to my specialties of interest, but the same type of work/methods applied to specialty-relevant topic is something I could see myself doing in an academic career.

option B: Step back from the social science stuff, and try to pursue more clinical projects. Not too worried about finding any projects, but I'm not really sure if I want to just churn out a bunch of chart reviews unless its important I get clinical work on my resume.

option C: Try to do it all? probably at the cost of my sanity lol.

option D: do none of it and watch more netflix

tl;dr: Should I stick with the (enjoyable, productive, but irrelevant) social science work? Or will a lack of clinical research hurt me for fields like EM/IM? How do residency programs view social science/humanities/interdisciplinary research?

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[seeinghowitgoes]

My general advice is always that it really doesn’t matter the kind of research one does when it comes to residency applications. When it comes to ultimately working in research within academia it can matter (eventually you need to narrow enough to get your grants), but until you’re in fellowship you have the luxury of exploring a variety of esoteric topics without much consequence other than maybe not having the head start some of the people who knew they wanted to study heart failure as a child have. To me that means at early stages on can 1) do what they enjoy even if it’s not in one’s ultimate area of interest and/or 2) try to get out papers even if they aren’t all JAMA level (quantity, within reason, matters at the early stages, and papers are a true “currency” for residency and beyond).

More general point, when you apply to residency (or to anything really) you need a narrative. I have to imagine it’s easy to fit almost any research into one’s narrative (“the methods are ones I’d like to apply to specialty-specific research in residency” or “the topic informed my social justice bent” etc etc). Just keep that in mind with whatever you choose - what is your narrative? Often these are informed by whatever path you choose so you can’t really pick “wrong,” you can only pick “different” (ie pick social sciences and you’ll be talking about social justice and medicine or social determinants of health or whatever- pick the clinical research and you’ll be talking about enjoying helping patients via care and care improvement etc).

Tl/dr no wrong answer, for IM or EM you’re likely fine with whatever path you choose. Get your Netflix in while in Med school.