Getting a Research Project/Contacting Labs

[BlondDoctor]

Hi!
I am currently doing a MD/PhD program in Sweden (but I am a US citizen, came here to study for personal reasons). I want to come back to the states for residency, and have been preparing for this since MS1.
I have been doing research on the side of my degree and I have one publication as 3rd author. As a part of my MD/PhD program I'm supposed to do full time research for 1 semester, thing is I can do it anywhere. This feels like a great opportunity to come back to the states. I am completely financed by my school for all of Spring and Summer 2012.
Now my question is how do I get in contact with the labs? I figure it might be pretty attractive to have a student with research experience come work (hard) for free?

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[evy]

I would research the people you'd like to contact first and send them an email. Make sure to talk about your interest in their research and your own credentials, maybe include your CV.

I would also mention your citizenship since it will probably be a plus. Unfortunately, researchers at top schools get a tremendous number of emails for research opportunities from foreign medical students so you'll want to come across as unique. Being MD/PhD and a US citizen is helpful.

The next most important thing is to ensure that there's a project that you can do for 6 months that's actually productive. While your PI may be able to write you a letter, it'll be even better to get some form of publication out of it and you should ask about such a potential when you speak with them on the phone.

Finally, not at all sure what the requirements are to match back in the states, but it sounds like US clinical experience is very important. I'm sure there are tons of posts on this in the other forums on residency matching, but I would seriously consider doing externships back in the US during your final year in Sweden. Good luck!

 

[gbwillner]

Hi!
I am currently doing a MD/PhD program in Sweden (but I am a US citizen, came here to study for personal reasons). I want to come back to the states for residency, and have been preparing for this since MS1.
I have been doing research on the side of my degree and I have one publication as 3rd author. As a part of my MD/PhD program I'm supposed to do full time research for 1 semester, thing is I can do it anywhere. This feels like a great opportunity to come back to the states. I am completely financed by my school for all of Spring and Summer 2012.
Now my question is how do I get in contact with the labs? I figure it might be pretty attractive to have a student with research experience come work (hard) for free?

What do you want to do a residency in? This is a very imprtant quesiton for you. Also, what kind of career do you want to have? Primarily research or clinical? I ask because you basically have no publication record, and calling yourself an MD/PhD is basically begging the question.

You can definitely do residency here without any "US clinical experience" or what the above poster said. It will just be more difficult for you than a US grad, but it happens all the time. For example, 60% of ALL family medicine residents are FMGs. about half of internal medicine ones too. Having a research interest will help, but unless you want a research career, forget about lab rotations and just take step1/2/3 and apply for residency.

 

[BlondDoctor]

What do you want to do a residency in? This is a very imprtant quesiton for you. Also, what kind of career do you want to have? Primarily research or clinical? I ask because you basically have no publication record, and calling yourself an MD/PhD is basically begging the question.

You can definitely do residency here without any "US clinical experience" or what the above poster said. It will just be more difficult for you than a US grad, but it happens all the time. For example, 60% of ALL family medicine residents are FMGs. about half of internal medicine ones too. Having a research interest will help, but unless you want a research career, forget about lab rotations and just take step1/2/3 and apply for residency.

Thank you both for taking the time to answer my post!
I want to go into general surgery and work mainly as a clinician. My MD/PhD is 5,5 years and I'm only 2,5 through, but I do know I need to produce more publications. I am currently at a lab doing research in angiogenes and vascular pathologies, but it takes time to get publications and there is a bit of a delay between when the research is done and when an article is published.

My plan is to continue research at this lab this year, and hopefully next spring be able to do research in the states. This summer I am taking the USMLE step I and I'm studying like a nut for it
Then 4th year apply for a US clinical externship. I have done an observship in the states MSI, although that doesn't have the same merit as actual clinical experience of course.

I do realize there are other important pieces to my residency application but I think do a research project in the US really could help me as well. So I guess cold calling to find a research position might work...

 

[smy]

blond doctor i am a fresh graduate from pakistan and want to get into a research program in sweden...can u tell me that am i supposed to apply for masters or phd and whats the procedure for that