Tips on - Organising summer research
The last thing most of us want to do is spend
the summer in a laboratory. Anything different can be helpful when
applying for senior house officer posts, however, and the
experience may persuade you to intercalate or follow a career in
academic research.
What institution to select
Some funding bodies encourage projects outside
your home institution. If you do this, however, make sure that you
aren’t left without access to the library or computer
network.
What subject to pick
Obviously, pick an area that interests you, and
to flatten the learning curve, it helps if you’ve studied it
already. Don’t forget to consider clinical research groups as
well as academic ones—their research will be more relevant to
you.
Which researcher to approach
If you want to apply to work with one of your
lecturers, first look at their teaching style. Eccentricity and
disorganisation might be forgivable in a lecture, but can be
very frustrating when trying to get signatures.
Most lecturers are approachable, so just ask.
You won’t see them very often anyway, so it’s essential
they have a friendly PhD student who can help.
Check if they have a new project or research
group starting, or are about to move to new premises. If so, you
could spend most of your time packing.
Make sure there is something concrete for you
to do. Live animal work requires an animal license, which you
won’t get, so be prepared to spend your time observing, if
you apply to an in vivo laboratory.
When to apply
Early—in your course, and in the academic
year. January is a good time to enquire, as it often works on a
first come, first served basis
Where to get funding
Try organisations like the Wellcome Trust, as
well as professional bodies such as the Physiological Society (make
sure the researcher is a member). Charities also support research
into specific areas (see www.amrc.org.uk for a list). Increasingly,
medical schools are also funding these projects.
If you can’t find funding, consider doing
the project anyway to get that valuable reference.
Thomas Mac Mahon, third year medical student, University College Dublin
Email: tomacmahon@hotmail.com
studentBMJ 2006;14:1-44 January ISSN 0966-6494
