A difficult question with no single best answer. Research has played a significant part in this year's match, as far as I know of. almost everyone with research experience have gotten good number of IVs, some at significantly better programs. Its time to concentrate on securing a research spot but the bigger question, how to ask for a research position?
Me and some of my friends who are doing research got these enormous number of emails from strangers to recommend them for a research spot. It shouldnt have come to this because there are lots of opportunities out there, waiting for you. As a complete stranger, it would be impossible for us to refer you. It is YOU who have to secure a spot. Though seems tough, it is not impossible. many of us have done it.
and many of you dont seem to understand the meaning of contact. contact is someone who knows you either personally or professionally. Only a referral from a contact will be helpful rather than us.
The best way to secure a spot is definitely to go through contact. It has high success rate and most often works.
there is this majority guys like me with no good contacts. This article will concentrate on how to ask for a position in person rather than email.
Our good friend Dr.Droider has covered the topic as to how to request position by email. Here is the link to his webpage that describes it
http://www.mleresidencytips.com/2012/05/sample-letter-asking-for-research.html
Many of you might have relatives in US and you would like to stay in their home and do research in a nearby university. Here is what you can do
1. browse online and find all the medical universities near the place you prefer
2. browse through the departments that you want to work with. You can find smaller details about research in a particular department in their residency or fellowship website. Eg: if you want to know the research interests of attendings in mayo clinic, you browse their fellowship website and learn about the attendings, dept, current projects
3. Dress formally and take a copy of the things below:
a. your current complete CV
b. personal statement, directed towards an academic career
c. copy of usmle scores
d. ecfmg certificate
e. any unwaived LORs that you submitted for residency
f. your abstracts or publications from previous research work
g. cover letter- stating who you are and what you are looking for
h. letter from your relative telling details about their residence and that they welcome you to stay with them during the research appointment(helps them believe that you will indeed stay in that town or city without any financial constraints and wont expect pay)
i. your full contact information including email written on courier cover
take atleast 5 sets of these documents, put them in separate courier covers.
4. go and find the research coordinator of the dept. they usually sit in a common desk and it is easy to find them. they dont need any appointment to meet. drop in one of these covers with her, explaining about your research interest, what sort of projects you want to work with, which attending in dept is active in research all that.. MAKE SURE YOU TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE OKAY WITH ANY VISA AND YOU ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY WONT EXPECT ANY PAY!! this is very important..
similarly drop in other packets in other universities or departments.
get the email address of the research coordinator. If you dont hear back from her in a week, email her in a very polite manner. This way things may work much easier.
Thing or two about emailing people.
You have to try really really hard to make the attending to reply to your email. You have only 10 seconds before the attending deletes your email. So dont keep talking about I am bla bla bla I did med school in bla bla bla, I am from bla bla bla.. just aim and shoot within first four lines. Only if you impress within four lines, they are gonna read the rest of the email and look into your CV
You have to email atleast 200 people to get a spot. Usual reply rate is only 5 per 100. Some will just reply that we dont have spots. majority wont even reply. so don lose hope and keep trying hard.
I am not an expert in securing a paying research position, so if you have doubts regarding that I wont be the best person to answer them
drop in your questions in the comments section
All the best
Karthik Ragu
IM resident physician- univ illinois college of medicine peoria, IL
Me and some of my friends who are doing research got these enormous number of emails from strangers to recommend them for a research spot. It shouldnt have come to this because there are lots of opportunities out there, waiting for you. As a complete stranger, it would be impossible for us to refer you. It is YOU who have to secure a spot. Though seems tough, it is not impossible. many of us have done it.
and many of you dont seem to understand the meaning of contact. contact is someone who knows you either personally or professionally. Only a referral from a contact will be helpful rather than us.
The best way to secure a spot is definitely to go through contact. It has high success rate and most often works.
there is this majority guys like me with no good contacts. This article will concentrate on how to ask for a position in person rather than email.
Our good friend Dr.Droider has covered the topic as to how to request position by email. Here is the link to his webpage that describes it
http://www.mleresidencytips.com/2012/05/sample-letter-asking-for-research.html
Many of you might have relatives in US and you would like to stay in their home and do research in a nearby university. Here is what you can do
1. browse online and find all the medical universities near the place you prefer
2. browse through the departments that you want to work with. You can find smaller details about research in a particular department in their residency or fellowship website. Eg: if you want to know the research interests of attendings in mayo clinic, you browse their fellowship website and learn about the attendings, dept, current projects
3. Dress formally and take a copy of the things below:
a. your current complete CV
b. personal statement, directed towards an academic career
c. copy of usmle scores
d. ecfmg certificate
e. any unwaived LORs that you submitted for residency
f. your abstracts or publications from previous research work
g. cover letter- stating who you are and what you are looking for
h. letter from your relative telling details about their residence and that they welcome you to stay with them during the research appointment(helps them believe that you will indeed stay in that town or city without any financial constraints and wont expect pay)
i. your full contact information including email written on courier cover
take atleast 5 sets of these documents, put them in separate courier covers.
4. go and find the research coordinator of the dept. they usually sit in a common desk and it is easy to find them. they dont need any appointment to meet. drop in one of these covers with her, explaining about your research interest, what sort of projects you want to work with, which attending in dept is active in research all that.. MAKE SURE YOU TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE OKAY WITH ANY VISA AND YOU ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY WONT EXPECT ANY PAY!! this is very important..
similarly drop in other packets in other universities or departments.
get the email address of the research coordinator. If you dont hear back from her in a week, email her in a very polite manner. This way things may work much easier.
Thing or two about emailing people.
You have to try really really hard to make the attending to reply to your email. You have only 10 seconds before the attending deletes your email. So dont keep talking about I am bla bla bla I did med school in bla bla bla, I am from bla bla bla.. just aim and shoot within first four lines. Only if you impress within four lines, they are gonna read the rest of the email and look into your CV
You have to email atleast 200 people to get a spot. Usual reply rate is only 5 per 100. Some will just reply that we dont have spots. majority wont even reply. so don lose hope and keep trying hard.
I am not an expert in securing a paying research position, so if you have doubts regarding that I wont be the best person to answer them
drop in your questions in the comments section
All the best
Karthik Ragu
IM resident physician- univ illinois college of medicine peoria, IL
