The Medical Student's Field Guide to Research

A practical, empowering guide to help medical students embark on research projects with confidence.

Practical advice for medical students, based on the premise that every student can participate meaningfully in research and scientific discovery. This guide supports learners through every step—from preparation and project design to publication and presentation.

The authors bring together the essential perspectives of a senior and junior faculty member and a current medical student, resulting in an accessible resource tailored to the realities of academic medicine today. Whether students are new to research or seeking innovative ways to enhance their current projects, this guide delivers strategic advice on securing mentors, identifying goals, managing time, navigating team dynamics, and producing impactful written work. Case studies highlight how students have shaped medical history and address the practical challenges they face, such as limited experience, uneven mentorship, and competing demands. The authors present helpful tools to overcome these barriers and reinforce the importance of sustaining resilience and well-being. The Medical Student's Field Guide to Research fills a significant gap in the way students are trained and offers them the confidence and clarity needed to become physicians and vital contributors to the scientific community.

Paul B. Greenberg, MD, MPH, is a professor of surgery at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

John C. Lin is a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

Victoria L. Tseng, MD, PhD, is an assistant professor in residence and the residency program director in the ophthalmology department at the University of California, Los Angeles.