253As medical students pass through their 4 years of schooling, they must decide
which specialty they want to go into. If they choose to go into general surgery, or
some of its subspecialties like orthopedics, urology, and ophthalmology, the level of
competitiveness intensifies with each level of subspecialty. Through the years stu-
dents have sought out varying ways to differentiate themselves from the pack with
ever-increasing USMLE scores, high-honoring courses, doing volunteer work, and
taking on research. The USMLE scores average above 230 (out of a 192 pass) if not
into the 250s and beyond in order to increase ones chances to obtain a surgical spe-
cialty residency [ 8 , 9 ]. The 2016 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)
charting outcomes report verified that those allopathic seniors matching into the
surgical specialties had two to three times as many abstracts, presentations, and
publications than nonsurgical with specialties with up to 13 recorded research activ-
ities on average [ 9 ]. Those students who matched into surgical specialties also pro-
duced more research than those who did not match into the same specialty [ 9 ]. With
only 49 medical schools requiring research programs and with NRMP reports, stu-
dents are often left to fend for themselves in finding research opportunities at their
perspective schools in order to enhance their residency applications to obtain a resi-
dency position in their desired field of medicine.
It is often used as a means of gaining a competitive edge for medical students
hoping to obtain residency positions in the surgical disciplines, surgical residents
planning further fellowship training, or fellows and residents seeking academic
positions upon completion of training.
Types of Research
Research is difficult to define because it is in itself a broad topic and can be con-
ducted in a myriad of ways. When focused within the realm of medicine, there is
still a plethora of options that fellows, residents, and students can choose to get
involved in. As the AAMC reported in their 2012–2013 survey, students conducted
research in a variety of fields including the basic sciences, informatics, clinical,
translational, and epidemiological. Below we will outline the types of projects that
medical students and residents alike could participate in.
Benchtop Research
Depending on the institution, basic science laboratory work may be an option for
conducting research. Some surgeons may have their own laboratories, or residents/
students can approach faculty in departments like microbiology and immunology,
pharmacy, and physics, in order to help in their laboratories. Benchtop research can
seem daunting and difficult to initiate from the perspective of a medical student or
resident. It comes with its own set of difficulties involving biohazard training, ani-
mal handling training, and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs)
submissions. Another difficulty with benchtop research is the inherent cost factor
with regard to laboratory space, materials, animals, and their associated costs. Many
students and residents often join an already established laboratory to assist in
15 Optimizing Research in Surgical Residents and Medical Students