Research in a different specialty

[123123AD]

Hi everyone!

 

I needed some advice on research in med school. I am a second year student and am still unsure about what specialty I want to do... (which in itself has made me beyond anxious when thinking about choosing rotation orders and electives). 

I did research after my first year in a specialty that I thought I might be interested in, but I am fairly sure I don't want to pursue it anymore (although it's not fully ruled out). However, I found the work to fit my skills and really liked my supervisor (very productive and I got a lot out of the experience).

I'm wondering if I should continue this research after my second year summer even though it's in a specialty that I might not pursue? Or should I drop it and find research projects that are more diverse and in fields that I might be more interested in (currently thinking internal, family, psych, peds...)

 

 

[Lactic Folly]

What would be your reason for continuing with research? Because you want to build your research skills, or you don't want to let your supervisor down?

Sounds like your main issue is career selection. Have you thought about spending more of the summer doing preclerkship electives?

[gangliocytoma]

1 hour ago, Lactic Folly said:

What would be your reason for continuing with research? Because you want to build your research skills, or you don't want to let your supervisor down?

Sounds like your main issue is career selection. Have you thought about spending more of the summer doing preclerkship electives?

Can you expand on the preclerkship electives thing more?

[123123AD]

12 hours ago, Lactic Folly said:

What would be your reason for continuing with research? Because you want to build your research skills, or you don't want to let your supervisor down?

Sounds like your main issue is career selection. Have you thought about spending more of the summer doing preclerkship electives?

I wanted to continue because I'm finally a bit more comfortable with what's going on in the research topic and starting a new project (with another supervisor) would kind of be a pain. But also to build my research skills and get the summer scholarship. I don't think I'll let my supervisor down; they're really open and nice about it.

 

I'm going to be doing more observership in second semester, but I don't find that observing helps me much for career selection. I think immersing myself in one specialty for longer in clerkship would help me.

So, I'm just wondering if doing this research would hurt me in any way.... for example, if I were to apply to a competitive specialty, then would they look unfavourably on research in another specialty (especially for 2 summers?)?

[Lactic Folly]

I don't think that it would necessarily hurt you - it would just look like you had changed your mind during clerkship. However, if you were to apply to a competitive specialty as you have said, it would be more advantageous to have research in that specialty, not only in terms of demonstrating interest, but making connections and obtaining references.

The issue with waiting for clerkship rotations to decide on a specialty (not that they aren't helpful) is that:

• there are a number of fields, some of them quite competitive, that aren't included in the core clerkship rotations
• of the rotations included in clerkship, you may not encounter some until late 3rd year or early 4th year, at which time it becomes even more difficult to switch electives 
• a clerkship rotation is a limited form of exposure that doesn't convey the full scope of practice within a specialty, and can be unduly influenced by singularly positive/negative experiences or personalities, which may not reflect what your satisfaction with the career might be once in practice. For example, you mentioned internal medicine as an interest. This may mean spending 8 weeks as a medical student on a clinical teaching unit in an academic hospital, performing a student's role, and juggling learning the hospital system, call, and studying. It is unlikely to expose you to the full scope of practice options available in internal medicine, such as the practice of a general internist in a smaller community, or that of an interventional cardiologist, rheumatologist, hepatologist, geriatrician, intensivist, etc. which may all be quite different. Some of these people may act as your attendings on CTU, but you won't see their specialized practices firsthand except through electives and dedicated weeks for clinic or subspecialty rotations, and again there will be a limit to how much you can do.

That is why I mentioned preclerkship electives, which are simply electives that students do before the official start of clerkship. It might be helpful to explore why you haven't found that observerships have been helpful for career decision making. Have you been reading around different fields and coming prepared with specific things you wish to see and ask about to confirm your initial impressions? Have you been able to interact with staff/residents directly and ask them about career decision making?

[goleafsgochris]

3 hours ago, Lactic Folly said:

I don't think that it would necessarily hurt you - it would just look like you had changed your mind during clerkship. However, if you were to apply to a competitive specialty as you have said, it would be more advantageous to have research in that specialty, not only in terms of demonstrating interest, but making connections and obtaining references.

The issue with waiting for clerkship rotations to decide on a specialty (not that they aren't helpful) is that:

• there are a number of fields, some of them quite competitive, that aren't included in the core clerkship rotations
• of the rotations included in clerkship, you may not encounter some until late 3rd year or early 4th year, at which time it becomes even more difficult to switch electives 
• a clerkship rotation is a limited form of exposure that doesn't convey the full scope of practice within a specialty, and can be unduly influenced by singularly positive/negative experiences or personalities, which may not reflect what your satisfaction with the career might be once in practice. For example, you mentioned internal medicine as an interest. This may mean spending 8 weeks as a medical student on a clinical teaching unit in an academic hospital, performing a student's role, and juggling learning the hospital system, call, and studying. It is unlikely to expose you to the full scope of practice options available in internal medicine, such as the practice of a general internist in a smaller community, or that of an interventional cardiologist, rheumatologist, hepatologist, geriatrician, intensivist, etc. which may all be quite different. Some of these people may act as your attendings on CTU, but you won't see their specialized practices firsthand except through electives and dedicated weeks for clinic or subspecialty rotations, and again there will be a limit to how much you can do.

That is why I mentioned preclerkship electives, which are simply electives that students do before the official start of clerkship. It might be helpful to explore why you haven't found that observerships have been helpful for career decision making. Have you been reading around different fields and coming prepared with specific things you wish to see and ask about to confirm your initial impressions? Have you been able to interact with staff/residents directly and ask them about career decision making?

I agree with this.

From people I have known, "waiting until clerkship to decide what I like" got people 100% of the time to go into family medicine.  Sometimes because its what they wanted, and sometimes because they had no choice.  You will not have time to plan enough electives to get into a competitive specialty if you wait until clerkship, unless you are an extreme outlier.

My recommendation would be--ask yourself why you are doing the research you are now "good at."  What is the point?  What is its end?  Doing unrelated research may at best marginally help you, but I can almost guarantee you are better off spending your time deciding what you want to do, and then actually going for it.

 

Edit: I just realized you want to spend TWO SUMMERS doing the research?  Why?!?  Organize some community electives in things you think might interest you.  Even do a week in like 5 different specialties.  Do anything except waste your time on unrelated research, please take a step back and evaluate this choice, from what I am reading you have severe blinders on that are going to waste precious and critically important time in early med school

[Bambi]

Enjoy your summers! This is your very last chance.

[123123AD]

Thanks for the super helpful advice guys. It's good to know research in a different specialty won't hurt my application, but may not be helpful either!

I do agree that career exploration might be more important for the summer. I understand how important it is to take the time to reflect on and evaluate each observership. I've also ruled out some specialties and already decided medicine over surgery. I just had heard from upper years that it might be more apparent what specific specialty I want to go for after some clerkship rotations. I'm definitely looking to doing more observerships this coming semester though!