Transcript INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH ELECTIVES Umer Latif Uqaili Clinical Electives Nephrology (NUH) Clinical Electives Transplant Surgery (NUH) Research Exchange Student – Ped.

INTRODUCTION
AND
RESEARCH ELECTIVES
Umer Latif Uqaili
Clinical Electives Nephrology (NUH)
Clinical Electives Transplant Surgery (NUH)
Research Exchange Student – Ped. Cardiology (NUS)
Medical Electives
Research
Clinical
Laboratory
Clinical
Observer
ship
Elective
SubInternship
What is a ‘Research
Elective’
• It is basically a fixed amount of time (optimally 8 – 10
weeks) that you spend in any university under the
guidance of a mentor working on a specific or a
number of ongoing research projects.
Research Electives
• Can be done virtually in any country
• 2nd or 3rd year of medical school
• Having contacts is an advantage
• Available in almost every university in the US
• Foreign Exposure + Lab Exposure + LOR + Networking
Before Applying
• Research Background VERY IMPORTANT
• Set a good impression about Dow.
• Learn about research Methodology.
• PMA – Seminars and Workshops
• Basic Laboratory Procedures (not in Dow).Research Elective at
AKU/SIUT in first year.
When to Apply
• 2nd or 3rd year
• Students usually have a background and experience regarding
research
• DO NOT waste time in 4th and Final Year on research electives
– do Clinical Electives or Sub-Internships.
When to Apply
• No fixed time (optimally 6 months)
• Having a contact is an advantage
• If no contacts (Don’t worry)
• Some universities have lengthy application
procedures for research programs and others have
almost no application requirements once a
supervisor approves you
Where to apply
• Anywhere you want (US, UK, Singapore, Australia)
• Certain institutions are more research oriented –
Greater chances of securing a research placement.
Institutions
USA:
Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Washington University, UPenn,
University of California, Columbia University, Duke University,
University of Michigan, Yale University, Cornell University,
Stanford University, Baylor, UCLA, Vanderbilt University, Mayo
Medical School, Pittsburgh University, University of Texas,
University of Chicago, Emory, Northwestern, Case Western
UK:
Cambridge, Oxford, Kings College, Imperial.
Singapore:
National University of Singapore, Duke-NUS Medical School,
Johns Hopkins International Medical Centre.
Impact
• PUBLICATIONS (most important)
• Foreign Exposure
• Foreign Contacts and Networking (will help during
residency process)
• LORs
• Laboratory Exposure (we hardly get any in Pakistan)
• Awareness about research practices abroad
PUBLICATIONS
• Name gets published as an author in the research project
• Publications in an indexed journal with a high impact factor
have the most value
• Number of Publications (After Step Scores and US Clinical
Experience) in indexed journals are the most important
aspect when applying for the match.
• Nobody will just gift you a publication – YOU NEED TO
EARN IT
PUBLICATIONS
• Does not necessarily means greater ‘number of hours’
• It is the intellectual and working input that you give to the
research project which determines whether your name
gets published or not.
• Optimal time to spend on a research elective (8 – 10
weeks)
Pre-Requisites for research
electives
• No pre-requisites (Unlike Clinical Elective Programs)
• You only need approval from an Attending or
Research Professor
• Most important step is finding a research supervisor
– rest is just university formalities.
Other factors
• Offerings
• State/city
• Climate
• Finances
• Relatives
• Visa status
Research
Electives
Clinical
Research
Basic Science
Lab Research
• Done in a departmental clinical setting and the
student is involved in all areas of research ranging
from patient follow up, data collection and data
analysis e.g. Value of Ambulatory Blood Pressure
Monitoring in an ESRD Paediatric Cohort
• Lab research: student spends time in a lab and gets
to learn basic lab procedures
• A combination of both clinical and lab optimal. Talk
to your mentor about this beforehand.
How to Apply
• Lets divide it into 5 simple steps
- Interest in Specific Specialty and Medical School Website
Search
- Drafting a correct Cover letter
- Making the right CV
- Emailing
- Following up after acceptance
Specialty and Medical
School
• Think of what field interest you (If you want to do your
residency in Pediatrics, a pediatrics related research will go a
long way in achieving that goal)
• Medical school departmental website where you want to
apply.
• Search for Associate/Assistant Professors who are involved in
various research projects (Professors and HODS usually don’t
have time to reply)
• Best mode of contact – EMAIL (DO NOT call)
• Medical School websites almost always have faculty
names and email addresses and their research
interests.
Cover letter
• First mode of contact with potential research mentor
• Brief and to the point (Professors might even close
your email on the basis that it is too long)
• DO NOT send the exact same email to every
professor (be specific)
• Salient points to mention in your cover letter
- Basic introduction (Name and year of medical school)
- Mention when you are available
- Convince your research mentor that you are interested in
their research specialty and that you will be able to
significantly contribute to the research project
- You are considering the specialty as your future career option
- You will be responsible for all lodging, boarding, finances and
fulfillment of application procedures
- What you hope to learn from your experience
Making the Right CV
• For your potential research mentor your CV is what you are
since he has never met you and has no idea about your
capabilities
• Your CV will make you stand out
• RULE OF THUMB – Mention the most relevant data FIRST
• Simple and professional
• Don’t hurry
• Give it multiple reads and get it reviewed by various
people.
• Professional font and template (MS WORD)
• Don’t worry if you don’t have much to write about.
Your CV becomes better as you progress through
medical school.
• Relevant headings could be your Educational
Background, Research Experience, Clinical
experience, Basic Laboratory Skills, Volunteer ship
• Question yourself. Never overlook any of your
achievements
• Be relevant and concise. If you are applying for your
research electives, state your research experience
and capabilities first.
Emailing
• Email your cover letter, CV and if possible (an LOR) to around
15 associate/assistant professors.
• DO NOT MASS EMAIL.
• Do not send the same email to every professor.
• Do not repeatedly email.
• NEVER call the professor..
After acceptance
• Once a professor is willing to sponsor you, thank
them
• Their secretary will guide you to the right person in
the university for completion of further formalities (if
any)
• Invitation letter so you can apply for your visa right
away
• Some universities have extensive application
requirements (Bonafide certificate, LORs, Immunizations,
Grade Transcripts, HIPA) and other have almost none.
These are generally the same documents you need for a
clinical elective.
• Getting the documentation from Dow – Akbar will speak
about this in detail
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• Dr Faraz Khan Luni and Dr Muhammad Ali Khan for their
guidance, support and encouragement.
• Akbar Arif Herekar for his editing capabilities.
• Principal, Dr Junaid Ashraf without whom this seminar would
not have been possible.