Types of Research

Once you’ve found a mentor you will have to decide what type of project you want to do. Each type of research project has different requirements and processes that you must adhere to.

  • Bench or Clinical Research - Requires CITI training and IRB Review

  • Medical Education - Requires CITI Training, IRB Approval, and should connect with Med Ed department

  • Quality Improvement - If you plan on publishing data then this requires an IRB. Depending on your project, you might be able to find assistance from UC Health

Develop a Timeline

After meeting with your mentor and your initial brainstorm period, it is important to develop a timeline to keep you on track to complete your goals (conference, manuscript, etc.). The image above gives a broad outline of timelines for most research projects. See the Publish Section to see a list of conference dates.

Prepare for a Research Block

Research electives are the best time to get the bulk of your work done. Long block provides great flexibility in scheduling to best coordinate your elective with your mentor and submission timelines/deadlines. Research blocks should ideally be scheduled for a time after your IRB has been approved in order to be the most productive during this time. Along with scheduling your research block, there are a few other things to get out of the way so you can make the most of your elective time.