This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Finding a research project that fits
Choosing a mentor and creating a good hypothesis are two of the keys to a successful research project.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
|
As I approached the end of my clinical year of endocrine fellowship, I was flooded with congratulations from peers, attendings and even family members for finally achieving my long-awaited promotion: research fellow.
Each time I was congratulated, I felt a mix of excitement, pride and … fear. During the preceding four years of medical training, the oftentimes oppressive routine of pre-rounding, rounding, re-rounding and pager coverage had actually become soothing in a strange way. The regularity and predictability of my days provided me with structure, purpose and a sense of belonging within the clinical team.
Soon, however, this routine would come to a halt. Telling people that I was about to start doing “research” felt like when high school classmates would tell me that they aspired to work in “business” or “finance.” What exactly would I be doing?
Picking a research project can be a daunting task. Everything seems so interesting, but at the same time nothing seems quite doable. After talking with some of the mentors and advisors in my fellowship program, some universal suggestions emerged about the common successes and pitfalls in selecting a research project as a fellow.
Who’s who?
Far and away, one of the most important aspects of a project is who will be helping you do it. Some advisors went so far as to say that the mentor is more important than the actual content of the project. A mentor who works with fellows should be available for regular meetings, have experience working with fellows and have projects that fellows could build upon in exploring their own ideas.
A fellow should evaluate the track record of a potential mentor by talking to former fellows and looking at studies conducted by past fellows. Suspicion should be raised if past fellows were tossed into the middle of a long list of authors on prior publications. Fellowship is the time for a fellow to pursue his own research endeavors, rather than to be a small cog in larger machine.
Mentoring has been likened to the delicate balances of parenting. On one hand, mentors must be supportive and vigilant; on the other hand, they must allow fellows the freedom to explore their own ideas and learn (the hard way) about the realities of research. You cannot pick your parents, but you can (and should) carefully pick your mentor.
It’s the thought that counts
Every good project must start with a good hypothesis. “Hypothesis-driven” research sounds like an obvious idea, but in practice, hypotheses sometimes do less driving and more sitting in the back seat. A hypothesis is not merely a question — it should be a well thought-out idea for which one has considered and anticipated alternative results.
Taking the time to design a study carefully allows one to anticipate possible confounders and therefore design a more effective study protocol. A well-designed research project does not necessarily lead to answers but should at least lead to a “next step” rather than a dead end. Most importantly, the idea should be mutually interesting — to both mentor and fellow — lest an interesting two-hour meeting grows into an interminable two-year burden.
Fellow or foot soldier?
The one sentiment echoed by every advisor was that fellows should not embark upon a project in which his primary role will be that of a “foot soldier,” a technician of sorts carrying out the ideas of another.
Although it is advisable that a fellow’s project build heavily upon the prior work of the mentor so as to provide intellectual support for grant applications, publications and future research endeavors, the project should be his own, and the fellow should be allowed and encouraged to explore his ideas. It is not necessary (or advisable) that the fellow independently think of every project idea, so long as the fellow can provide some unique input or contribution to the study.
Similarly, the fellow could work on an ongoing project of the mentor, as long as the fellow asks his own questions within that project. Carving out a unique niche during fellowship can later serve as a springboard for developing a major research focus when ultimately launching an independent research career.
Diversify, diversify, diversify
Any financial advisor will tell you that diversification is the key to constructing an investment portfolio. Most mentors will tell you the same when planning your research years.
Fellows should try to get involved in multiple types of studies (eg, prospective clinical trials, database analyses, epidemiologic studies, bench research) and multiple research topics. You may not know what you will like until you try it, and you may be surprised by which types of projects you ultimately decide to pursue at the end of your fellowship. Similarly, it may take several tries to find a good fit; one project’s failures may lead to an idea or inspiration for another project’s success.
Put your money where your mouth is (and vice versa!)
Several advisors emphasized the importance of participating in a study for which some funding will be available, or a study that is likely to receive funding. Lack of funding does not necessarily mean that a project will not happen, but it definitely does mean that a project will be delayed.
Fellows should be encouraged to apply for additional funding during their fellowship, both to further their current projects and to begin the process of branching off into an independent research career. If you cannot hit the ground running with a project that can at least be started, precious (and already limited) time will be wasted.
Time flies when having fun
A fellow’s research project should be doable within a short and defined period of time. Bigger is not better; part of the fun of research is seeing a project through from design to implementation to analysis and presentation. Mentors must help fellows gain a sense for what types of projects are practical to embark upon within the time constraints of fellowship.
Many fellows successfully participate in a larger ongoing study, but the fellow’s role should be limited to a focused component that could potentially be tackled during fellowship. There is obviously no guarantee that a project will finish on time or even work at all, due to the nature of research itself. Yet fellows can still learn a great deal from a project that has strayed from the anticipated timeline. In addition, this element of uncertainty is another reason why fellows should always try to have at least a few irons in the fire.
As I recall the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, I realize that several lessons about picking a research project can be gleaned from Goldilocks’ adventures, as she methodically rifled through the bears’ belongings in search of a comfortable place to settle for the day.
First, never trespass in someone else’s territory in search of your own, or the bears may not be happy when they return home; you need a space to call your own. Second, it may take several tries to find the best fit for a project: one that is not “too big” or “too small” but feels “just right.” At the same time, although it is a good idea to sample a diversity of research opportunities during the course of a fellowship, one must ultimately commit to a course of action, learn as much as possible and move ahead before the bears return home and time runs out.
For more information:
- Emily D. Szmuilowicz, MD, is a Research Fellow in the Division of Endocrinology and Hypertension at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She is a member of Endocrine Today’s Fellows Advisory Board.