By Waqas Qureshi
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July 19, 2022
Frequently students ask me if I have a research project and if they can be a part of it. I used to do the same. However, the response that I used to get was pretty bland. Perhaps you also deal with similar response when you approach an attending. How can you change this response? How can you come up with a clever way to ask and be a part of the project? I did not know that and that's why for several years I was not able to find a mentor. There are few steps you can take to find a mentor. Enhance your knowledge of statistics. You can text me at 5165122605 and we can discuss this further Search on https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ your interest and the seniors authors that are publishing in that particular interest. The senior author is usually the last author on a publication. This is a sign that this author has published enough papers and willing to let you take the steering and work with her/him. Email that person and discuss about your interest. Search on https://www.linkedin.com/ your field related researcher/mentor. Just text them using LinkedIn. You can do the same on Twitter. Some of the seniors researchers and mentors may not be available on social media. Do the old way. Call or actually visit the mentor after scheduling 15-20 minutes with their administrator. Find that person that you are looking forward to be your mentor in a meeting and prepare and "elevator speech" for them to impress them in 2-3 minutes. I can help prepare that elevator speech. Keep reading this blog and you will find the elevator speech in it. Many professional societies are now actively helping their members to seek professional mentorship. Examples are: https://www.acc.org/Membership/Sections-and-Councils/Fellows-in-Training-Section/Membership (Cardiology) https://gastro.org/fellows-and-early-career/mentoring/ (Gastroenterology) https://kidney360.asnjournals.org/keyword/mentorship (Nephrology)