General How do I get started with research?

[Goro]

I have not started doing research but it’s partly because I do not know where to go to be apart of something like that. Any suggestions?

You need to look up some researchers and contact them to see if they are willing to take you on. Even starting out at the bottom by washing glassware, autoclaving, making solutions is a start. You can network to then get onto a project.

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[Goro]

What do you mean by look up some researchers? Like an individual person? Or should I look into an actual foundation?

Individual researchers. Are there any at your school? Or at nearby universities?

 

[lord999]

Are you a current undergraduate? If so, then in a large university, there usually is an Office of Sponsored Projects or the equivalent that you can look up current needs for research if you don't know your own department that well. In smaller or teaching focused universities, usually there is a student placement office with faculty for those opportunities or within partnership of a larger university with a Research I-III designation.

I usually recommend in a larger university to consult with your department or advisor first for how that works locally. In a smaller university, definitely the advisor needs to be contacted as you might actually be at a teaching-only school. If you happen to be at a community college at the moment, you probably are better off spending more time volunteering. Research experience is nice but not mandatory for most places, but few applications succeed without a significant and sustained commitment to community service.

 

[lord999]

Thank you that helps a lot. I am at community college still but applying to transfer. And yah currently I’m volunteering for the disaster cycle services. So hopefully that is on the right track for now

You'll be fine then with what you are up to right now. When you get to the four-year, I would start the research part, but I would definitely continue your community service and get shadowing in as more important.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What type of research do you want to do? What is your intended major?

 

[lord999]

I’m hoping it will continue to be bio when I transfer if everything works out. And I was looking at pancreatic cancer research foundations but it seems like you have to either be a physician or have some type of degree

You don't need to be a physician for research (it helps in some circumstances, but today, not even NIH accepts MD's alone without substantial postgraduate training and mentorship), but to be a PI, you have to be at a terminal degree. Honestly, the PhD gets you the furthest with research, but it is singularly that as a PhD is fairly narrow spectrum. I do give the advice that you should pick your undergraduate major in a field that you would not mind working in if you did not make it to professional school. There is no required major for medicine, just the correct prerequisites. You should read the entries medical school admission as I think you probably need different perspectives than just here.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

It's too late but the NIH has a Community College Summer Enrichment Program (CCSEP) that you could have applied for. Watch for it the next time and apply in the fall.