Throughout your time in college, it is easy to feel bad if you aren't the student that spent 15-20 hours a week running experiments in lab. Even if bench research isn't really what you are interested in, there is always that pressure to feel like you need to be doing what others are doing to get into medical school.
THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Research comes in many forms, whether it is running those wet lab experiments 15-20 hours a week, analyzing patient data online for a couple of hours every week, or visiting your local communities to study the effects disparities in health on different institutions. There is no "correct" type of research you must do - it's completely up to your own preferences and the possibilities for research are truly endless! Here are some examples of different types of research:
In a clinical research setting, you could be doing a number of things, but typically you are working directly with patients or with patient data. As a clinical research assistant, you could be enrolling patients in clinical trials, analyzing patient data from clinical trials and medical records, or helping with the implementation of new clinical interventions. If you are working with patients or patient data, your research can be considered clinical.
Clinical research is a great way to learn about healthcare and consider some of the ways it can be improved on smaller and larger scales. Perhaps your research could lead to the development of a new diagnostic tool, or may prove the benefits of a novel therapeutic drug.
Additionally, some research assistants can help physicians write up case reports, in which a unique patient case is published in an academic journal. While this is less common for undergraduate students to be involved with, a physician you are working with may enlist your help in writing up how a patient with an unusual presentation was treated.
If you want to get involved with clinical research, knowledge of how an institution's IRB works can be extremely helpful, especially if you are directly working with patients. Additionally, knowledge of various statistical methods and programs could also be extremely helpful in this type of research. There are many online resources to learn about how an IRB works and how to use various statistical methods in clinical research, so feel free to check those out if you are interested! Most labs do not expect undergraduate students to have knowledge about either of these, but it can definitely benefit you as an applicant to a research lab if you do.
In these labs, you will work in an experimental laboratory setting. Tasks can include preparing chemical solutions and buffers, working with cell lines or live animals, performing experimental procedures, or designing new technology. These labs allow you to deeply understand the science behind disease models and develop many useful practical skills that can be applied in multiple healthcare settings. Most of this work does not include direct patient interaction or clinical involvement. Projects in these labs can also consume significant amounts of time and publications are not necessarily guaranteed. However, these projects are also very comprehensive and rewarding!
There are also typically many certifications and trainings student researchers must complete, along with a lot of active learning. The environment and expectations of a research lab are very different from other academic settings, so don't be discouraged if you face a steep learning curve - everyone starts somewhere and you will get the hang of it!
This is also a common way that many pre-medical students get research experience. Research assistants in psychology research labs will typically help run experiments in which a variable is manipulated, and research subjects will be asked to perform a task or complete a survey in response. It's a great way to learn more about human behavior, and can be exciting to see the immediate results.
Public health or epidemiology research often involves a lot of statistical analysis. Research assistants on public health research projects can expect to work with large quantities of community data, and look for trends and patterns in relation to various measures, such as socioeconomic status and health. Additionally, people conducting public health research may also conduct field research by testing community interventions, such as implementing a community nutrition class to test its effects on general health and happiness. These can be exciting projects that shed light on important issues you may come across as a physician, such as health disparities.
Competitive applicants to research labs that are doing public health research typically have a background in statistical analysis software. This could be as simple as taking a short online course on SPSS, or taking a longer college course on multiple statistical tools. Again, while this background is not necessary, some PI's are looking for students who have specialized skills.
Pros of a Smaller Lab, Newer PI:
Lots of opportunities for mentorship from PI
PI's are often very invested in undergraduate personal and academic success
Usually get to collaborate with many different labs for various experiments and statistical analysis.
Cons of a Smaller Lab, Newer PI:
Sometimes limited resources, fewer established projects, fewer mentors, and limited funding
Often harder to find a position because they are not actively searching for undergraduate students, but they may be more responsive to emails from students.
Pros of a Bigger Lab, Very Established PI:
Lots of mentorship from graduate students/post docs
Many other undergraduate students to learn from
Ability to publish in high impact journals
Often increases likelihood for receiving certain research scholarships (not proven at all but just based on personal observation)
Cons of a Bigger Lab, Very Established PI:
PI is often busy with administrative roles so fewer opportunities for direct mentorship
May end up doing a lot of menial work without guarantee of a publication
Lots of lab members so also limited time for individual mentorship
A lot of people come into their first quarter/semester of college, and immediately want to start getting involved in research. However, waiting until winter quarter/semester to start research is worthwhile. That first quarter/semester of college is often a huge transition from being a high school student, so giving yourself time to adjust to the pace of school and get acquainted with your other activities could help you a lot later on. We recommend that if you want to start right in your winter quarter/semester, start emailing PI's in mid to late fall quarter/semester. However, there is no harm in starting research later on. Many people start research in their 3rd or 4th years of college!
They are great opportunities to get your projects funded, and having your own funding can really bolster your project (and make it appealing for PI’s that are low on funding).
Places you may find scholarship funding include:
Your lab's department
Your college or university (especially if they have an undergraduate research center!)
Academic and medical organizations or journals
Local, state, and federal government
Local and state clubs that fund students from certain racial or ethnic groups
a) Speaking to your course professors/assigned mentors: This is one of the most common ways people find research positions. Developing a relationship with your professors by doing well in your courses and attending office hours can lead to research positions if you take initiative. Some professors have established research opportunities for undergraduates in their courses, while some may be open to taking a student or two if you inquire. If you have an assigned mentor from a club or other program, definitely try to meet with them, and it doesn’t hurt to ask if they have an opening in their lab!
b) Cold emailing professors: This is one of the most common, but also most difficult ways to find a research position. If you have a specific field of research that you are interested in, look up faculty members doing research within that field and email them, letting them know you are an undergraduate student interested in participating in their research lab as an assistant. You want to keep the email concise but comprehensive. Mention your qualifications, explain when you are hoping to start, and demonstrate interest in their research projects (the more specific you can be, the better). Typically, you may want to request a meeting, and if you give them concrete time windows of your availability, they may be more likely to fit you into their busy schedule. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a response – many PI’s are flooded with emails and may not get around to seeing yours. If you don’t get a response, follow up in a week, and if they still haven’t responded, move on.
c) Applying for positions on a research position posting website: Some colleges and universities have posting websites for open research positions. This is a great way to see exactly what a PI/mentor is expecting out of an undergraduate student (time commitment, lab duties, etc.) and can give you a concrete sense of what you might be doing if you join the lab. While these can be really great, they are often the most competitive way to get a position. You may find that the lab is interviewing many applicants, and it is possible that you will never get a response to your application. Keep your head up and keep trying for positions that pique your interest!
One thing we have heard from many friends involved with research is that they did not have a clear project plan laid out ahead of time with their PI. They were brought on as a team member, but no one was really assigned to help them get started. If you are interviewing with a PI, make sure to ask them who you will be working with throughout the duration of your research project, and maybe even ask to speak with that person directly if you want to learn more about their individual project. Also, establish with your PI what their expectations are and get a concrete sense of what projects are currently available and what projects they are hoping to start soon.