Research is the driving force for all medical advancement. Research experiences teach the critical thinking skills which are vital for evidence-based and value-based medicine. While research experiences are increasingly important for residency applications, they can also provide a start in academic medicine.
Getting Started in Research
Step 1. Assess your free time- It is important that you are honest about the time you can commit to research. Your first responsibility is to passing your classwork. Do not allow research to prevent that. If you can make the time, determine what kind of research experience you would like. There are short-term research experiences, the 8 week summer experience (ASPIRE program), the 4 year research with distinction (formerly DeBakey) program as well as year out experiences and the MD/PhD program.
Step 2. Determine your interests- The goal of performing research in medical school is to have experiences that will allow you to develop intellectually and produce scholarly products (publications, posters and presentations at local and national meetings). Given the time constraints on students, it is strongly suggested that focus on research that you have interest in and that aligns with your career goals.
Step 3. Find a project and mentor- All student research requires mentorship. There are a number of ways to find mentors. You can view the list of mentors by departments here . You can also find a list of program directors here.
