Finding Research as an Undergrad
Research is one of the pillars of the medical school application. Why? It is the foundation of how medicine was created and continues to inform current guidelines and practices. Research experience is a significant way to show medical schools that you understand how evidence is generated, and you are able to contribute to the scientific literature. As you dive deeper into medicine, you will be surrounded by ground-breaking research; perhaps you yourself will contribute new findings as well one day. As such, it is helpful to start learning the core principles of research methodology and analysis early on.
Research can be tricky to find; believe me, I know how daunting it can seem to reach out into the email abyss and find a principal investigator (PI). But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start from the (literal) top - the PI is someone who runs the lab (and the lab might actually be named after them). Let’s break down this process even more: here’s a genius step-wise approach to take that will help you optimize your research searching!
Ways to Find Research
Applying to research opportunities posted as flyers, or most commonly, listservs. Listservs are mailing lists, and most majors/departments will have one. Labs send research opportunities to these frequently, and you’ll get the chance to apply and get in.
Some universities offer an honor thesis program that can be departmental or across the whole university. In this, you are typically required to create a senior thesis under the supervision of an assigned faculty member in an area of your interest. This can be more rigorous than volunteering in a lab, but it’s an excellent opportunity to work closely and possibly present your findings at conferences or symposiums.
Alternatively, you could reach out directly to a professor whose research you’re interested in. This can be either a professor you took a course with or cold emailing. In the case of the former, you should make a good impression on the professor before asking about research opportunities. You should also demonstrate a significant interest in the class, whether by showing up to office hours or emailing them questions. When you end up asking, try to make it in person and explain specifically why you’re interested in the research they’re doing. Don’t forget to bring a CV with you so they can evaluate you further. Faculty don’t take undergraduate research positions lightly, so it’s essential to have a well-organized and to-the-point CV before you ask. The following way to get involved directly is to simply cold-email professors whose research you’re interested in. One way to find these faculty is by the directory website for a major/department. You can then learn more about them and eventually send a personalized email with your CV attached. Many professors won’t see the email or won’t reply but be persistent and keep on trying!
When you schedule your meeting with someone in the lab, you should always come prepared when you’re meeting up with a professor about research possibilities. They’re likely going to ask you a couple of questions about why you’re interested in their research specifically, and you could mention several things, such as why their recent publications were fascinating and that you wanted to learn more about them. Make sure to have a prepared response before meeting up so you can make the best impression possible.
Once you’re involved, expect to be paired up with a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow, but the professor may directly mentor you. Some tips for success are to ask questions and continuously demonstrate your interest in the research.
Look out for more posts about what key points to take away from your research experience and how to best email professors!
Good luck, and as always, please reach out with any questions! We don’t bite!
