INTRODUCTION AND

RESEARCH ELECTIVES

Umer Latif UqailiClinical Electives Nephrology (NUH)

Clinical Electives Transplant Surgery (NUH)Research Exchange Student – Ped. Cardiology (NUS)

Medical Electives

Research

Clinical Laboratory

Clinical

Observer ship Elective Sub-

Internship

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.

InstitutionsUSA: 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.