Unlocking Curiosity
-Rudrakshi Shetty, MBBS
Research…isn’t that just for scientists?! When I entered medical school, I was fascinated to see that medical research at a student level is even a possibility. Although still uncommon, with the increasing number of doctors applying for residency abroad, everyone is focusing on overall development of skills pertaining to the medical field instead of solely focusing on academics.
Conventionally, medical students eager to gain research experience would approach a professor or senior in their department of choice but we now have various options, including local and international programs and student-led projects. These could entail short-term courses/programs, internships, and research jobs. A career in research seems complicated, possibly because it’s the path less chosen. Among doctors, institutional research jobs are the go-to since they help with funding, infrastructure, mentorship, and overall support from the institution which may be difficult for an independent scientist to acquire. The options mentioned can help in providing a direction for such jobs or at least help kick-start the process.
[Source: in.pinterest.com]
1. University-Based Programs: Many medical schools offer research programs in collaboration with clinical or basic science departments. These include summer fellowships and year-long research programs, allowing students to work on projects in various fields under faculty mentorship. To name a few, we have many research internships by AIIMS, NIMHANS, and Harvard Stem cell research for students seeking international exposure.
2. External Fellowships: Programs like the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program and the HHMI Medical Research Fellows Program allow students to work with leading scientists but this is especially intriguing since they offer stipends, housing, and travel.
3. Clinical Research: Students interested in patient-centered research can participate in clinical trials or studies at hospital-affiliated research centres. This exposure is crucial for those planning to specialize in fields that require direct patient care.
4. Basic Science Research: Areas like immunology, genetics, and pharmacology are ideal for students pursuing academic medicine or specialties like pathology. ICMR has an extensive list of programs and internships for students and for doctors looking for something long-term, they offer many job opportunities as well.
5. International Research Courses: Programs abroad offer diverse perspectives and hands-on experience in global health and public health. Popular options include:
• Oxford University (UK): Courses in global health and translational medicine, focusing on data analysis and experimental design.
• Amgen Scholars Program: It’s a prestigious research opportunity that provides undergraduate students with hands-on biomedical research experience at top institutions around the world, offering mentorship and training to inspire careers in science and medicine.
• Karolinska Institutet (Sweden): Research in epidemiology and biostatistics, often involving fieldwork.
• University of Toronto (Canada): Clinical and basic science research, with a focus on hands-on experience and capstone projects.
• Australian National University (ANU): Programs on public health and policy, with opportunities for cross-cultural research experience.
6. Student-Led Research: Some students initiate independent projects, like literature reviews or case reports, and publish in medical journals. Platforms such as AMSA and student-run journals support student-led research and publication. As for some shameless self-promotion, Lexicon has always encouraged various medical students when it comes to medical research and hence we conducted seminars, conferences as well as Lexicon Summer Research Mentorship program.
[Lexicon Conference in 2022]
7. Conferences and Networking: Conferences by organizations like the AMA and AAMC help students learn about recent research, connect with mentors, and explore collaborations. There are conferences conducted by almost every medical college (mostly in the months of July-August) which gives students more freedom in terms of location and options to choose from.
When it comes to research, getting started is the most important thing. It’s important to know your topic of interest since it’ll help you find a mentor easily. You can join various organizations, approach seniors/professors, or start out passively by simply attending conferences. I am so new to research myself but I can tell you with certainty that you always know more about research than you think and you will also never know everything about research so the important thing is to just get started!
