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Government Medical College Chandigarh Old Students Association |
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The Dummy's Guide To Medical Research
Let it be in a format that we are all familiar with: Q&A! So what’s the jazz about this medical research? What does it imply? In simple terms it is an attempt to shed light on the unexplored areas of medical science. The researcher attempts to answer an unsolved query. A medico defined it the best (expectedly!) as: what we are doing when we have no idea what we are up to! However, it is a very logical and scientific process (unlike the send-ups!) in which a proper procedure and protocol is adopted. What does it include? Medical research has many facets. It ranges from trials of drugs to surveys in the community, from trends in the past years to unusual cases in the clinic. Briefly, research can be of many types: case control studies, cohort (follow up) studies, case reports, reviews, etc. It can be done in the community at large or in the clinic (hospital setting). How to begin doing research? What if I have no experience? Lack of prior experience should not be an impediment to research. There are various approaches to medical research. The ideal one is that you start racking your brain and think of a possible research topic. Another related one is that you think of a topic, review the literature (meaning, go through the work that has already been done on the topic) and work on the gaps in the existing knowledge. These approaches are ideal, and hence, very tough. The other approach is to gather courage and go to a faculty member and request him/her to give you a problem to work on and guide you. This is good for first timers and can even be combined with the previous approach. Your guide can be a renowned researcher in that field or an expert in the field which you want to specialize in. The last way out is to meet a PG/JR and ask them if they need a helping hand in their research. In return, you could get your name included in the publication. In any event, pulling off a research without guidance from the faculty is like attempting to secure a distinction without attending a single lecture of the HoD! Don’t try! So, getting guidance from the faculty is essential and should be an early step. When to begin research? The first and last years of medical college are hot enough to fry an egg! The time in between is the best. The best timeline is: Think of a topic or meet a faculty member in the second half of the first prof. and get a research problem which is short and not overly difficult. Work on the problem after the university final exams are (thankfully!) over (meaning the first 6 months of second prof). Then in the remaining year of the second prof., work on another topic. The Third Prof (part 1) also gives enough time for another shot at research. Else, think of a major project and work on it for the entire time span. The attempt should be to do the maximum research. Is all this feasible considering that the curriculum of MBBS is so tough? In one word: Yes. This is feasible, though not easy and rather challenging. All in all, it boils down to a matter of priority. You can always watch the latest movie flick sometime later and can go on a date on another evening. Academics do not suffer from research. There is enough space for both. Moreover, research and academics are complimentary- each stimulates interest in the other. There is enough time to invest in research if you have the willingness. What is the protocol for research? The protocol, as also the finance and time needed, varies with the type of research. Broadly, review the literature, decide why you want to do the research, define the method of carrying out the research, document the results and discuss the findings in comparison with other studies. Your guide is the best person to approach for help and guidance. You will get a fair idea of the protocol and also a broad overview. What all do I need to do research? First and foremost, the will and devotion towards research. No one is born as a researcher, everyone learns. Second, you require a dedicated computer system (not the one at IT centre) to record everything and organize the same. A word of caution: computers are not infallible; always keep a back up in the form of CD. Next, ensure that you have access to libraries at GMCH and PGI (for the older journal issues). Importantly, you need a mentor (for obvious reasons). Most essential is careful fore-thought and planning. Are there any agencies which can help in this regard? Yes. GMCCOSA is an obvious one! Others include the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR- http://www.icmr.nic.in/shortr.htm) and the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre, Bangalore. The big daddy of them all is the Kishore Vigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY-http://www.iisc.ernet.in/kvpy) which is the holy grail of UG research. The ICMR STS is the most popular one in the country. It gives a stipend of Rs. 5,000 to work on a project within the college. The downside is that one cannot have a co-guide nor can one work in collaboration with someone from another institution. The JNC program is also good and they guide students towards doing good quality research. The KVPY is extremely competitive and hence, the most sought after. It is not open to the students of the senior profs. For those of you who have the will to fight it out, this is the grandest and toughest one! So far, only one student from GMCH (as far as I know) has got it. It is for those who can hit a sixer out of the stadium! What is the outcome of research? Apart from the knowledge and experience (of a lifetime), if your guide is happy with your work you can get a publication in an indexed medical journal. That adds weight to your resume. Also, it is quite likely to firm your desire to specialize in that particular field. The bottom line: Medical research is the best way to spend free time. It is not something which is in the exclusive domain of Einstein or Newton. This Q&A is bound to leave a number of queries unanswered (no answer is ever complete!) and hence, suggestions, additions and queries are most welcome. Good luck! Divyanshoo Rai Kohli ('03 batch) |
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Website created and maintained by Navneet Majhail ('91 Batch) |
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