Author: Sharon Ke
Updated: December 26, 2023
Why do Research?
The truth is, research can be time-consuming. It requires self-discipline, motivation, and teamwork to see a project through from beginning to end while also balancing medical school and various life responsibilities. So why do research? Well there are a multitude of reasons! The main ones include: (1) explore topics/specialties of interest; (2) showcase your knowledge during clinical rotations, sub-internships, and residency interviews (3) strengthen your ERAS application (4) strengthen your critical thinking, scientific communication, public speaking, intellectual curiosity, and leadership skills (5) gain and/or become a mentor. The reasons for allocating your precious time in medical school to research is endless, but the main point: it is oan investment that can benefit your future career as a healthcare provider.
What counts as research experience?
The phrase “publish or perish” is commonly heard in the research world. While it is an amazing achievement to get your research published in a peer-reviewed journal, publishing an article can take forever. Fear not! There are many opportunities along the way to demonstrate your involvement in research:
- Poster presentations/Oral presentations: School research symposiums, conferences
- Online articles: School journals, national association journals targeted towards medical students, opinion pieces
- Case reports: from rotations, grand rounds presentations, a case your mentor has been wanting to write up
Tip: Even if you don’t have a paper, being able to talk in-depth about the current status and trajectory of your research project(s) in residency interviews is also valuable.
The ROADMAP:
1. Where to begin? Brainstorm some ideas
If you have a burning question – a topic you’re curious about – possibly something you may have learned in school, while volunteering, at an event, or heard in passing. This is a great place to start!
If you do not have an idea or any clue on where to begin finding a research topic – here are some places you may look that can spark some specific interests:
-
Journals in your specialty of interest (i.e., Nature ; Science ; Direct Open Access Journals ; New England Journal of Medicine ; Journal of the American Medical Association);
-
Question/research forums on national organization pages;
-
Research programs available to medical students (AAMC Opportunities; CDC Public Health Opportunities);
-
National mentorship matching programs;
-
Residency programs – look at the programs most recent research publications and poster presentations;
-
Conferences;
-
Your medical school’s research advisor/resources and research clubs (if applicable) – don’t be afraid to ask about ongoing projects at the school and if they are looking for additional team members!;
-
Your classmates
The goal of research is to expand on current knowledge that exists within the current literature and fill in any gaps that may be present. Potential databases to start searching (check your school’s library website to see if you have access):
-
Web of Science
-
Specific public databases:
You can also ask your local school librarian! They are a useful resource in navigating the school’s accessible databases and determining which ones are best suited to explore your research question.
1. What type of research do I want to conduct? Literature Review, Benchwork, Clinical, Case Studies
Identifying the research type/format is important to gauge the amount of time and effort needed to complete a research project. (Please note the following is not a comprehensive list of different types of research)
-
Literature Review: Scoping, Systematic, Meta-analysis, etc…
-
Benchwork/Wet Lab (AKA Basic Science Research): Conducting experiments in a laboratory environment. This may be time-consuming and expensive. Research on a cadaver also falls under this category.
-
Clinical Research: Includes conducting clinical trials in a hospital/clinic setting. Usually done in conjunction with a physician.
-
Case Study: A write-up of an interesting or novel/rare patient case.
2. Now what (I have an idea, did a background search, identified the type of research)? Find a mentor and/or recruit team members
While you are developing your idea, talk to your classmates and professors about the viability of your idea.The more you articulate your idea, the more it may develop with feedback from peers and faculty with experience in your research-related topic. Finding a mentor can be done at any point in the process, but finding the right mentor (one who is knowledgeable about the field and/or can provide guidance on how to best conduct your research study) is important. A great mentor can not only help shape the project, but also establish a great mentor-mentee relationship that can turn into a valuable letter of recommendation in the future.
Tips:
-
Don’t be afraid to cold-email a professor you think would be a right fit for the project. There’s no harm in trying. The worst thing that can happen is not receiving a response.
-
Keep an open mind to the directions your project can go.
Look outside of your immediate surroundings – network at conferences, use the national organization’s forums to gauge interest.
Research teams are a useful option for medical students (spread the work to lessen the load). Research projects can be tackled single-handedly, but if you prefer working in a team – reach out to students with similar interests, who are good communicators, and have a strong work ethic. This can be done through your school’s research club, class group chat, posting on your school’s forum, or even asking your research advisor/director to see if they can connect you to any students who are also interested in your research project/topic.
3. Can I get my hands dirty now? Absolutely!…Well sort of
Make sure your ducks are all in a row! This includes filling out any required school research forms (if applicable) and applying for IRB (Institutional Review Boards) approval.
The first steps to working on the paper depends on the research study you choose to do. However, becoming an expert in your chosen interest begins with a literature review. Start reading papers related to your question. Keep track of each paper by using an Excel sheet or another note-taking device. The information tracked usually includes: date read, author, title of paper, summary, and key points.
Settle on a form/frequency of communication early-on in the project with your teammates and mentor. This can be a bi-weekly check-in or even a monthly check-in.
Begin looking at journals you want to potentially submit the paper to. Journals will have an authors guidelines section, which will explain the exact requirements for your manuscript.
Tip: Keep an ongoing document/excel sheet/powerpoint with updated data gathered for the project tabs dedicated to the background, introduction, methods, results, analysis, and conclusions of your project. This may serve as a reference if asked to present/discuss your project to other groups.
5. Can I start writing the paper now? ‘Bad’ First Draft
Begin with an outline and start filling in what you know. The structure of a paper usually follows the format below:
-
Abstract: This section is commonly written last. It is a summary of the main research topic, main findings of the project and conclusion.
-
Introduction: Provide comprehensive background information on your research topic. This is where the information from your literature search will come in handy. The main purpose of this section is to answer the following questions: why is this research important?
-
Body: This section can take many different forms. It’ll usually include a methods and results section.
-
Results: This section is purely a presentation of data. Leave the interpretation to the discussion section.
-
Discussion: This is where you would share the results of your project, how it’s related to previously published literature, what makes it unique, why it’s different from previous findings in the field, possible mechanisms related to your research findings, etc.
-
Conclusion: Restate purpose of the research project, why it’s important, and the main takeaway, which can be a call to action (i.e., a need for larger placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of a specific medication intramuscularly)
-
References: You may follow the journal’s instructions as each requires a different format (i.e., Vancouver, AMA).
6. When is the manuscript ready for publication? It can take a minute…so be patient!
When the paper is ready for submission, decide on one journal to submit to. It is highly unethical to submit your paper to more than one journal simultaneously! Although there is usually not an article processing fee (APC), check the journal’s FAQs for authors for any other fees (i.e., submission fee, overlength fee, color fee). If the school has a subscription to the journal, any fees may already be waived. Ideally submit to a peer-reviewed journal. Journal finders: Journal Finders: Elsevier Journal Finder ; EndNote Match.
Decision time: Accept, reject, need edits. These are the 3 different outcomes of a manuscript submission to a journal.
If you are accepted, Great! There are no revisions necessary and the journal editors have decided to publish your paper! CONGRATULATIONS ON PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE!
If your manuscript requires revisions, journal reviewers/editors usually send a document or list of comments/suggestions that the authors must address. Make sure to respond to ALL of the reviewers’ comments. A quick turnaround time with the revisions is preferred, too! If your manuscript is rejected by the journal, it would be worth re-evaluating the manuscript.
For most journals, if your manuscript is rejected, they usually don’t allow resubmissions. In this case, you can revise your manuscript and submit it to another journal.
Interacting with the publication company is different from interacting with reviewers. It is highly recommended to ask your mentor or someone who has gone through this process for guidance/advice. Possible items to consider: copyright transfer, APC, any additional fees, open access or not, online or in print form, proof correction (spellcheck, check the graphics and graphs, check the formatting, check the author order, CHECK everything!).
Tips:
-
Before submitting the article: share the final draft with all the authors. Topics to discuss: author order (first author – highest contributor to the project; last author – the PI (private investigator for the project)).
-
Find out if the school has possible funding options for publication fees.
-
Fill out any publication forms required by the school.
Useful Reference Sites:
Contact us if you have any comments, questions, or concerns: somaresearchdatabase@studentdo.com