If you’re a college student looking to go to med school, getting involved in research during college can be an important thing. There are many reasons to do research — it looks good on the resume or medical school application, you can network with peers/professors, you’re learning more about medicine as a science, you get a better understanding of the field, etc. The list goes on.
When I was a pre-med student in college, I started research in my freshman year. It’s been a long journey. I’ve made many mistakes and learned a lot along the way. In this post, I share the lessons I’ve learned to help you find a research experience that is both meaningful and productive. Here are my tips —
1 — Think carefully about taking on your first research position
I didn’t put in that much thought when I locked in my first research position. It was during my first semester in college and my first time looking for a research experience. My criteria was as long as the research topic/question was interesting, I’d email whoever was listed as the contact. But there’s so much more to think about. Does the lab publish research often? Does the PI support undergrads in terms of opportunities — grants, scholarships and authorship? What type of research will I be doing — bench or clinical? How does this relate to what I want to do in the future? These are some additional questions I wished I thought about before actually starting.
For those searching for a research position now, think about why you want to do research and what’s important to you. Make sure the lab you join addresses these values. For example, if getting authorship is important, make sure the lab you join has been publishing recently. Ask the PI if you have a good chance of getting your name on a research paper.
2 — Set goals for yourself
During my first two years of college, I didn’t really know what I wanted to get out of research. To me it just seemed like a chore — an extracurricular that sapped away 10 hours every week. I didn’t have goals and just did whatever my mentor asked me to. It took me a while to learn that research is really what you make of it. To get the most out of your research, it’s important to have goals and take advantage of opportunities. Examples include presenting a poster, submitting an abstract for a conference, being an author on a paper, writing a grant, etc. Think about achieving these things as you gain more research experience. Speak to your PI regularly about these opportunities.
3 — Make sure your PI and mentors know your agenda
This is really a follow-up to the point above. When you want to achieve something (i.e. writing a grant), don’t be afraid to speak to your mentors and PI. Let them know what you’re trying to accomplish and see what they say. This is important because they’re busy people. They can be so preoccupied with their own work that your priorities can go unnoticed. I’d make sure to talk to them regularly about your goals so that all of you are on the same page and can work something out.
4 — Think of your research lab as a resource
Learn as much as you can from everyone in your lab. They have so much to share with you from their own experiences. If there are physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers in your lab, that’s even better. Reach out to them with questions and learn more about the medical field. Your mentors and PI are also a great resource to think about when you’re looking for recommendation letters to add to your medical school application.
5— Take advantage of research conferences
Many of these happen every year. For most conferences, you’d have the opportunity to submit an abstract and present a poster, both of which look great for medical school. You also have an awesome opportunity to network with others and learn about a field you’re interested in. As you gain more research experience and have something to show for your research, you should ask your PI about research conferences that you can participate in.