Basic vs Clinical Science Research Considerations
Written by Kaitlyn Thomas, DO
If you’re thinking about research – whether out of your own interest or because you want to bolster your residency application, here are some things to consider.
If you’re a novice to research, here’s an article to check out to understand the different types of research that are out there, primarily basic research vs clinical research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2689572/
Understand the responsibilities – for basic research you may need to have more base knowledge in lab techniques or knowledge in the basic sciences. Sometimes lab experiments can take a long time to conduct. Do you have the resources or the ability to learn the skills that you may need to do research? Both types may require that you have strong biostatistical skills at some medical schools but other schools may have a dedicated staff for that and rely on you for other things.
Make sure that you have the time – will this project occur over months or weeks or even years? Both types of research can have projects that vary widely in their length. Will this take you away from your regular medical student or resident responsibilities at a critical time such as board studying?
Does this project interest you and meet your goals? – make sure that when you take on a project you’re interested in it, and it helps with your application or other goals. Basic research entirely unrelated to medicine may have less of an impact than a project that’s related to your specialty of interest. However, if you’re passionate about it, the endeavor may still be worth it even if it isn’t as hugely related to your future desired field.
How long will the project take to get to publication? – if you really want the project to get published while you’re working on it, this may be a big difference between basic and clinical research. Basic science research can take significantly longer to yield publishable results, whereas clinical research tends to be faster.
Does your school have the resources for the project? – Some schools may have large setups to do a wide variety of lab-based projects and solid mentorship, but if your school does not have those resources, it may be much more difficult for you to design and conduct basic science research projects. Those individuals may feel it's easier to seek out clinical research opportunities.
This free article from Wolters-Klower also gives some tips about getting involved in research in medical school: https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/how-to-find-research-opportunities-while-in-medical-school
Overall, both have their challenges and considerations for each researcher in their journey.
