5 W’s of Attending Research Conferences

Written by Elizabeth Bashian, MD

Attending research conferences as a medical student is an excellent opportunity to present your research, boost your resume, and network with residents and attendings. They can be a lot of fun; they can also be a little overwhelming to add to a busy schedule. Below, are some tips to make attending conferences a little easier:

Who is attending? If other students or residents you know are attending, you might be able to practice presentations with each other, share Ubers, and sit together during the conference. If you’re an M3 or M4, conferences are a great way to network, so pay attention to speakers and seek out opportunities to talk with attendings. 

What should you wear? Generally, business casual is acceptable for a poster presentation. If you’re giving a podium presentation, consider a suit or a formal dress. Heels or flats can be appropriate, but make sure your footwear is comfortable enough to be on your feet all day. Overall, the goal is to balance a professional appearance with comfort. 

Where? Figure out travel plans in as much detail to avoid unpleasant surprises—how are you getting to the hotel from the airport and vice versa? Ubers are easy but shuttles may be a lot cheaper. Is the conference providing any meals? Will you need transportation from the hotel to where the conference is being held? 

When is the conference and what else do you have going on those days? Conferences are generally excused absences but check your calendar well in advance to make sure you don’t have exams or anything that will need to be made up. If you’re on clinical rotations, make sure to let your residents know why you won’t be coming. You should also pay attention to the conference schedule—if there are talks you’re particularly interested in, add the times/locations to your calendar so you don’t miss them. 

How are you going to pay for it? Email your school’s research coordinator or talk to older students to find out about funding options. It’s likely there are multiple sources of funding and applying for a couple grants might enable you to attend the entire conference for free. You can also contact the conference directly and ask if there are discounts available for students.

Last tip: pay special attention to the dimensions of posters—from personal experience, it’s much easier to start with the right size than to try and change it last minute.