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Research while a medical student

•    Is very useful! However statistical research is difficult to do and even harder to get published. You can try to get it published in Student British Medical Journal (S-BMJ) and The Lancet Student.
 
•    An article publication in these student journals is FAR BETTER than research in non-peer reviewed(that does not go to pubmed.org) local journals, which is very hectic and NO way on level with BMJ or the Lancet! Moreover a publication in any peer reviewed(found in pubmed.org) journal is BETTER than any student journal publication.
 
•    Moreover, it inevitably helps your CV, your electives, your research later, your residency, your fellowship…..and the career in total.
 
•    So start writing articles in your free time. This is both fun leisure work and helps your article and research writing capability, a skill that would help you greatly later on.
 

bhai i would like to bring to ur notice that student lancet and student - bmj DO NOT accept original articles for publication.. (they did not accept mine on this basis)..

i will put up , in a short while the names of few pubmed-indexed and non-indexed journals for undergraduate medical students across the world where it is relatively easy to publish our papers!

cheers

 Andy that would be great if u put up that list.. can u please add to the list journals where we can publish our papers even after we are done wit graduation.. This will be a big contribution for the site.. Thank u.. Looking forward for the list...

since u guys requested, i'v submitted an article containing a list of undergrad journals to umarbhai to be put up on this website... hopefully he'l do it in a day or 2! however, owing to my xams, i'v written in short and promise to give a detailed acoount once m dun wid xams. WISH ME LUCK - i badly need it 2 pass!

and vaibhav, all d conventional journals (for e.g, lancet, JAAD, etc.) accept research from graduated people.. these can be accessed from pubmed (i'v put up the link in my said article). However, obviously these are highly reputed ones and so it wud b dam difficult(but not impossible) to get an article published!

 

surely i'l put up d list vaibhav! actualy hav my univ xams in a few days...will definitely put up a detaild list after dat!

all d best!

so you mean research studies by "original" articles???  yes I know it...  but that's the point I wanted to clear everyone... you dont need a full-fledge research article for publication... you can write about any social/medical issue and still get it published.... a fact which most of the students dont know about... you can still get some publications without working too hard... you just need to be innovative and creative in your writings with some good writing skills in order to get your publication in student journals like student-BMJ, The Lancet Student etc.....

yes bhai... i meant research... sory  i din specify it in my previous post cuz many journals refer to research as 'original articles' for submission...while u in ur section mentioned original articles as a term for any social/medical issue or review or opinion...i realised dat later... sory bhai! hope dat clears d confusion!

god bless umar bhai!

murtaza (not verified)

Sun, 01/03/2010 - 19:23

Salam Alaikum. I'm a 2nd year medical student in Karachi. I will be going to US for summer vacations and was wanting to do some research. I got the names of the faculty and have found their articles on pubmed...however my question is what should I write in my email? I don't have any prior research experience and have not taken USMLE's....and I don't care about getting paid...just want some experience.....thanks for the help.

Salam Murtaza

Just send them an email that you are interested in working any of their research projects. If you are interested in a research elective, then also contact elective co-ordinator... and read various posts in the electives section....

Sufyan Sadiq (not verified)

Mon, 02/22/2010 - 21:51

hi....salam umer bhai

                           i have same question like murtaza,i am also 2nd year medical student and will be going to US in summer vacations,but i donot know how to contact with  the faculty of the research institutions.please tell how i can contact with them.......waiting for u rply

Regards

 hi....Salam Sufyan

Same reply for u as murtaza.... Send emails to various faculty members of the subject of your choice saying you are interested in working any of their research projects. If you are interested in a research elective, then also contact elective co-ordinator... and read various posts in the electives section....

sufyan sadiq (not verified)

Sun, 04/11/2010 - 11:22


salam umar bhai

hope u wil be fine umar bhai.umar bhai i am in 2nd year and want to apply for research elective in john hopkins university.plz tell me

wht is HIPAA security awareness and agreement to comply certificate and how i can get ths certificate.i go through detail related to ths certificate but could nt understand plz guide me how i can get ths

and other one is wht i should write to faculty to get sponcer for research elective in john hopkins university.

Best Regards

Sufyan Sadiq

kiran (not verified)

Tue, 04/20/2010 - 15:27

Dear Umar,

You mentioned that one doesn't have to do a hectic research to get an article published. Kindly elaborate that point for new-comers to research like myself. Secondly, is it acceptable if I write an article for a research in which I am not one of the authors? I mean will that count as my publication?

You can write review articles, elective reports and many more things. check out the lancet student, student-bmj etc. How can you write an article if u r not its author?  I dont understand what do u mean by it?

kiran (not verified)

Sun, 04/25/2010 - 08:58

i have heard about research and getting articles published from quite a few people, and now you have mentioned it here as well. as a newbie, i have a few questions which i'm posting here. kindly have a look at these queries;

1. what is the difference between a research paper and a research report?

2. in order to get what they call 'an internationally published research' do i have to submit the whole research paper/report to a journal? i mean is that even possible to get the whole paper published? or just the abstract?

3. what are 'review articles'?

4. and when you say 'write articles in your free time', please explain how to do that.

i can not conclude without mentioning what a wonderful website this is. one of the most precise and concise of all. Gob bless everyone involved in this work.

anxiously waiting for the reply.

surbhi (not verified)

Tue, 08/31/2010 - 12:43

sir,

i am a 2ed yr medical student was planning to go to US in june-july next year. i wanted to knw 

a)wat should in do to get RE in john hopkins

b)i gave my toefl bt i hv scored ,low in speaking section (23/30)...bt my total score is 101 (iBT)

c) is toefl required for getting research elective

d)wat should i write in the email that i must send to the various professors of the universities

sir if possible rply to me as fast as possible

thank u

a. send email to faculty members and once u get a positive response, then apply for the same specialty!

b. u cannot apply in NIH but it is ok for all the rest

c. no it is not...

d. just introduce yourself, give them the dates you are interested for research electives, attach your CV

Hesham (not verified)

Sat, 10/23/2010 - 17:07

Salam Umar Bahai,

first of all thank you so much for your efforts and all the help you provide us with.

I am a fifth year medical student in Jordan, this year I applied for a scholarship for research in Holland in one of the most recognized medical schools and research centers in Europe, I got initially accepted but according to their regulations I have to join the research team right after I finish my fifth year which means I have to take a year off before the sixth year which is the last one, the research period is 5-6 months and I will be working on 2 projects, the project leader I am working with is a figure in the field of endocrinology and molecular imaging, I want to  do this research because I want to strengthen my future residency chances in the states, so I am wondering if you can advice me on how much it helps if you have a research experience from a high reputation institute outside the states.

I also had another Idea which is, if I go to this research for 6 months then I will be having another free 6 months before I go back and resume my 6th and last year, so Is it possible to do electives in the states during these 6 months?, I heard that the more US experience you have and the  more LORs the better chances you get!!  I am already planning to take my step 1 exam by the end of 5th year so will it help in getting good chances in electives although I will be in a sort of a probationary status by that time?

Thanks for your kind words. 

1. Usually any experience outside US is not of much significance in US but even then, having a good research experience with some publications in a reputable international journal definitely helps.

2. You can certainly go for electives in remaining 6 months... if you can find acceptances for 6 months. 6 months USCE is definitely something great to have on your CV.

3. Make sure you get good scores in USMLE Step 1. It would definitely increase your chances of acceptance and you would also be able to apply to more places.

wenskyrose (not verified)

Mon, 04/04/2011 - 16:45


I m planning to do electives soon. just to boost my cv...i want to do some research work in India simultaneously with internship.. does it require a whole lot of time? does research work done here really count? n what if my college has no ideal background for it..

kindly advise

Research work in any country other than US does not carry as much importance in US as research work done in US; timing highly varies... it can be anything like a full time job to half an hour per week.

Visitor (not verified)

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 10:25

Im from Pakistan & was selected for research elective. I've got B1 Visa. problem is Im no longer a student. My supervisor & my uni where Im going dont know that I passed. I want to avail this research period Ive been given. I was supposed to graduate a bit late by leaving out one subject or two in Final Prof MBBS but I failed to do so.
Now please guide me is there anyway around. Like can I go there and ask them to convert it into a short research project instead of an elective?

hi . 

i am a 2nd year medical student and i am interested in doing a research elective next year. could u pls suggest some places where i could apply and would be eligible.(most places require final year students)

firstly tell the place you live, for karachi i know the best place to go for research electives is Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.They will accept students for research electives from 1st to 3rd year later they give clinical electives

Usman (not verified)

Tue, 07/19/2011 - 15:32

Hi,

How significant is a published research in a local journal in Pakistan (like JPMA) which are Pubmed indexed..

Thanks.


pranav (not verified)

Thu, 01/05/2012 - 12:19

hi, i am a 3rd year medical student and want to go for a research elective this summer to the states. is it futile to apply for research electives in US while still in med college?? and if not where all can i apply so that i can have a realistic chance of getting accepted ?? 

sarah mirza (not verified)

Wed, 08/28/2013 - 19:31

hello sir, thanks a ton for helping out your fellow international medical students for pursuing the common goal. its a very selfless and kind thing to do. i am currently doing a research elective in johns hopkins in medicine, immunology. asthma and allergy centre. my period is soon to end. i was wondering a.if i should ask for LOR from my professor? b.if yes then what should i ask him to include as the sample LORs on internet are all for clinical electives c.will this still count as i can only apply for residency after 3 years (i am a 3rd year student)? d.i want to be a gynecologist, will LOR in this subject help me in future? e.professor is interested in getting my name in a paper..if this happens will it help me in my gynecology residency application? thankyou, sarah

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