GI research as a resident

[Researchie]

Hi,

So I recently matched to a mid-tier IM program, and was wondering how residents find research projects that enable them to publish so many papers during residency?

I spent one depressing year doing research in medical school in a basic bench lab; I was involved with several projects that yielded no data. I would really like to practice as a physician scientist in GI, but know that if I can’t publish during residency, I can forget about that. Also, it looks like every GI applicant has 10+ papers and 20+ abstracts.

Are there any tips to finding research that would be more likely to be productive? Also, as my residency program doesn’t send too many people to GI and is notorious for working its residents hard, how I can balance residency duties with research to match well?

Thanks in advance.

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[IM2GI]

With no real publications or a phd you are going to be a hard sell as a physician scientist.

All you can do is pubmed the GI division and see who is productive and see if you can latch on early.

 

[GastriqueGraffin]

Hi,

So I recently matched to a mid-tier IM program, and was wondering how residents find research projects that enable them to publish so many papers during residency?

I spent one depressing year doing research in medical school in a basic bench lab; I was involved with several projects that yielded no data. I would really like to practice as a physician scientist in GI, but know that if I can’t publish during residency, I can forget about that. Also, it looks like every GI applicant has 10+ papers and 20+ abstracts.

Are there any tips to finding research that would be more likely to be productive? Also, as my residency program doesn’t send too many people to GI and is notorious for working its residents hard, how I can balance residency duties with research to match well?

Thanks in advance.

Don’t sacrifice good clinical work as an intern with research. Find a project that you can get involved in after a few months and slowly get into it by the end of the year. Reaching out to fellows or fellowship PD in your program is probably best if you have one.

 

[Researchie]

With no real publications or a phd you are going to be a hard sell as a physician scientist.

All you can do is pubmed the GI division and see who is productive and see if you can latch on early.

Thanks—I know some people who’ve completed a post doc following fellowship (this was in cards). Do you think it would be possible to do this—get involved with some research as a resident and fellow, then do a postdoc? I don’t want to give up on the physician-scientist pathway, as I honestly can’t see myself in a 100% clinical career.

 

[GastriqueGraffin]

I might be wrong but I think that your steps in order should be: do well in residency early on (first impressions matter), get involved in some form of research to help you match into a research-heavier fellowship, get involved in more "real" research as a fellow, then when you are done with training pursue an academic position where you will have plenty of opportunity.

 

[Elixir6]

Hi,

So I recently matched to a mid-tier IM program, and was wondering how residents find research projects that enable them to publish so many papers during residency?

I spent one depressing year doing research in medical school in a basic bench lab; I was involved with several projects that yielded no data. I would really like to practice as a physician scientist in GI, but know that if I can’t publish during residency, I can forget about that. Also, it looks like every GI applicant has 10+ papers and 20+ abstracts.

Are there any tips to finding research that would be more likely to be productive? Also, as my residency program doesn’t send too many people to GI and is notorious for working its residents hard, how I can balance residency duties with research to match well?

Thanks in advance.

Obviously you need to be good clinically first, but I think you should send out a bunch of emails to various faculty and/or ask around who is a good mentor. Begin with a small case series or review paper. You can do more once your feet are wet and you and your advisor(s) think of a good project.

If you actually want to go into academia you will need to go to a good academic GI program and be productive. To do that you need a good track record prior to matching. Therefore, it's bad advice to wait until you are faculty to really get into research. Who will hire a faculty member with protected research time who has no to few pubs and no grant track record?

However, I will strongly advise you to very carefully think through your career aspirations. It's great in the abstract to want to be a physician scientist, but you may (likely will) find it is not worth it. It's a lot of struggle and failure (as you already experienced), and you will need a lot of thick skin to toil through that for years before being successful. Years of nights and weekends working more for less pay. I know you think it'll be different for you, but trust me it won't.

 

[Milotic]

Hi,

So I recently matched to a mid-tier IM program, and was wondering how residents find research projects that enable them to publish so many papers during residency?

I spent one depressing year doing research in medical school in a basic bench lab; I was involved with several projects that yielded no data. I would really like to practice as a physician scientist in GI, but know that if I can’t publish during residency, I can forget about that. Also, it looks like every GI applicant has 10+ papers and 20+ abstracts.

Are there any tips to finding research that would be more likely to be productive? Also, as my residency program doesn’t send too many people to GI and is notorious for working its residents hard, how I can balance residency duties with research to match well?

Thanks in advance.

If you wanted to do GI and do research for GI, why did you rank a place like this? Or did you unfortunately fall pretty low? I know someone who went to a decently known county program that is technically "Academic". They sacrificed a lot of clinical experience to get enough research to publish in GI, but told me to stray from the overworking programs. However, they did it and there are lots of overworked county-esque programs that send some people into GI every year so it must be doable. You may just need to sacrifice. Unlike what some posters are saying, some people go into IM residencies with the intention of matching into GI fellowship, not so much to be the best internist they can be, despite what they spew on the interview day. People play the same song and dance when they applied to medical school how holistic they want and keep an "open mind" for primary care, but strived for Ortho on Day 1.

 

[Researchie]

I fell to the middle of my list—Baylor, Houston. It’s a great program, just not that strong on GI fellowship matches and the residents work harder. I honestly didn’t go into interviews thinking only of GI, but my interest in it has grown after a clinical rotation in it.

I know a career in research will be an uphill battle, but even after a difficult research fellowship year, I know it’s what I want to do. I agree than finding a good mentor after the first few months of residency will probably be where I start.

 

[#Future.MD.12]

What is the difference between an abstract and a manuscript? Which is more important?

 

[1Cor1557]

I fell to the middle of my list—Baylor, Houston. It’s a great program, just not that strong on GI fellowship matches and the residents work harder. I honestly didn’t go into interviews thinking only of GI, but my interest in it has grown after a clinical rotation in it.

I know a career in research will be an uphill battle, but even after a difficult research fellowship year, I know it’s what I want to do. I agree than finding a good mentor after the first few months of residency will probably be where I start.

Not that strong? this year they kept all their inhouse candidates and sent one to Wash U

 

[IM2GI]

I fell to the middle of my list—Baylor, Houston. It’s a great program, just not that strong on GI fellowship matches and the residents work harder. I honestly didn’t go into interviews thinking only of GI, but my interest in it has grown after a clinical rotation in it.

I know a career in research will be an uphill battle, but even after a difficult research fellowship year, I know it’s what I want to do. I agree than finding a good mentor after the first few months of residency will probably be where I start.

If you don't match into GI it has nothing to do with Baylor.

 

[jhamaican]

I fell to the middle of my list—Baylor, Houston. It’s a great program, just not that strong on GI fellowship matches and the residents work harder. I honestly didn’t go into interviews thinking only of GI, but my interest in it has grown after a clinical rotation in it.

I know a career in research will be an uphill battle, but even after a difficult research fellowship year, I know it’s what I want to do. I agree than finding a good mentor after the first few months of residency will probably be where I start.

Are you delusional?

Dr. El-Serag?
Dr. Kanwal?

Is it your goal to do the least amount of work possible and weasel your way into GI?

Good god...

 

[Researchie]

Not that strong? this year they kept all their inhouse candidates and sent one to Wash U

If you don't match into GI it has nothing to do with Baylor.

Are you delusional?

Dr. El-Serag?
Dr. Kanwal?

Is it your goal to do the least amount of work possible and weasel your way into GI?

Good god...

This makes me feel a little better—I actually ranked Baylor higher than a more well-known program that had a ton of fellowship matches to GI, but was said to be more cush. I want the best training possible, and neither expect nor hope to coast through residency.

I just observed that they had only four GI matches out of a class of 40; this could be due to a lack of interest in that year, or that GI research opportunities were harder to come by there.

 

[jhamaican]

This makes me feel a little better—I actually ranked Baylor higher than a more well-known program that had a ton of fellowship matches to GI, but was said to be more cush. I want the best training possible, and neither expect nor hope to coast through residency.

I just observed that they had only four GI matches out of a class of 40; this could be due to a lack of interest in that year, or that GI research opportunities were harder to come by there.

Do you know how many they matched to GI the year before? Did you even ask during interview day?

 

[Researchie]

Do you know how many they matched to GI the year before? Did you even ask during interview day?

I wasn't as interested in GI when I interviewed there earlier in the interview season, so I didn't ask. Their website shows just this year's matches and a compilation of all matches 2003-2017.

 

[RollTideMD]

Met with my research mentor to get started on a project, and just got an email asking if still interested in a HSP? What does HSP stand for? Thanks.

 

[gutonc]

Met with my research mentor to get started on a project, and just got an email asking if still interested in a HSP? What does HSP stand for? Thanks.

Henoch-Schonlein purpura? Highly Sensitive Person?

Why don't you ask your research mentor?

 

[adagio]

Heat shock proteins?

 

[adagio]

High stakes project?

 

[Gastrapathy]

Halkin Sesi Partisi?

 

[Elixir6]

it's definitely Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.... and if not, then urban dictionary says it's Halal Snack Pack... don't look at the other top results on hospital wifi

 

[steelblue89]

Met with my research mentor to get started on a project, and just got an email asking if still interested in a HSP? What does HSP stand for? Thanks.

HSP or HPSP? The latter is Health Professions Scholarship Program which is through military: army, navy, air force

 

[GIorDIE89]

Honorary Smock Project - Smcoks for everyone