If you are serious about matching into an orthopedic residency, research is a very important component to consider. In my previous post, I laid out some of the different types of research you can participate in as a medical student. Now I want to dive into how to actually get this research. In this post, I’ll share the exact steps I used to find ortho research, including how to cold-email faculty, where to look beyond your school, and how to build credibility even as a first-year.
Know What You Are Looking For
The first important point to consider is what type of research you want to get involved in. You can consider a remote project that would be more flexible with a busy medical school schedule such as case reviews or possibly a more time-intensive project working in a lab or clinical setting.
Where you can look
Home Institution–
The first place you can look is in your home institution. You can use your school’s website to look up Orthopedic faculty, check for surgical clubs, or find find upperclassman who have previously published. These are all avenues to help connect you with clinical staff or older students who may be able to help you find or start your own research project.
Regional and Remote Options–
If your home intuition has limited options, you can look up surrounding hospitals in the area that have orthopedic departments. Reach out to the department’s research coordinators or clinical research managers as they are easier to reach than orthopedic surgeons. You can also find residents and fellows on the department’s website or through social media. Residents and fellows are a great resource to utilize as they usually have projects going on and will always need extra help.
You can also look for published papers with medical student authors at local programs. These papers will have a PI (primary investigator) that can be a good contact to connect with. Another great option is joining national organizations such as AAOS or AOAO. These organizations will have committees involved in helping medical students find and start research.
The method I utilized to get remote research was looking up orthopedic residency programs on Doximity. I would look up an orthopedic residency and find their research/program coordinator to email. I did this for 60~ residencies and was able to get a research project out of it (we will go over how to cold email later in this post).
Online Research Networks–
Another option that can sometimes yield research opportunities is looking at websites such as orthobullets, ResearchGate, and LinkedIn. These sometimes post research opportunities for medical students that you can jump on.
How to Cold Email (With Template)
This is arguably one of the most important skills you can develop as a medical student. Networking is so so so important in the medical field. Most of the time, you and another candidate will have similar credentials, but having an “in” or connection can help you secure research, scholarships, or even a spot in a residency. The first step in networking is Cold Emails. These are foundational to building a great network in the medical field because they can help you reach out to multiple different institutions and physicians around the country, you just need to know how to write a great cold email (which is where I help!).
The “anatomy” of a great cold email consists of”
- Brief Introduction (who you are, your interest in ortho)
- What you are looking for (i.e. “research opportunities, case reports, lit reviews”)
- Why them (reference their paper, clinical area, or project if its a physician / If you are emailing a coordinator, mention why that specific institution)
- Offer to help in any way
Template
Subject: Medical Student Interested in Orthopedic Research
Dear Dr. [Name],
My Name is ____, and I’m a first-year/second-year medical student at _____ with a strong interest in orthopedic surgery. I recently came across your work on [topic/paper] (if you can find a paper), and it closely aligns with my academic and career goals.
I’m reaching out to ask if you’re currently working on any projects where I might be able to assist, even in a small capacity. I’m eager to learn and would greatly appreciate any opportunity to contribute.
I’ve attached a short CV for reference. Thank you for your time and consideration!
Best,
[Name]
Stay Organized & Follow Up
It is important to keep an organized spreadsheet of who you have emailed and when. You want to wait between 10-14 days before following up (keep it brief and polite). Lastly, say yes to small tasks as these often build trust and lead to bigger ones.
Take Home Message
You don’t need to go to a top-10 medical school or have a PhD to get started in research. You just need initiative, persistence, and strategy. It is important to plan out your strategy as it is easy to get overwhelmed. Start with one email a week, then ramp it up as you get comfortable with cold emailing and building your network. You do not want to start doing too much at once especially with a busy medical school schedule.