Junior Resident

PGY1

• Focus on developing your clinical skills. These are important not only to become a great resident and eventually independent physician, but your strong clinical background will help inform your research questions. Some residency programs have tracks that strengthen your education in specific content areas; if one of those is research, consider pursuing that track.
• You will find that attending physicians and/or upper-level residents offer opportunities to get involved in their research projects. As a PGY1, consider getting involved in small projects that allow for you to focus on your clinical skills. These small projects can help you get to know the research faculty at your institution and help you identify mentors. If you have previous research interests, you can try to focus in these areas, but do not be afraid to branch out as you might find a new passion.
• For those who have the question of "do I start a project from scratch or sign on to a sub-project of a faculty member?", there is technically no right answer. Either way, you need a mentor or faculty member to help support your research project. Ideally, you find a faculty who already has a project started in your area of interest to launch your personal research easier in the future.

PGY2

• PGY2 is a great opportunity to use elective time to explore longer-term or more in-depth research projects. Often, you are able to dedicate several continuous weeks to a project by using elective time. However, be prepared to continue working on the project after that time period as very few projects are completed in a few weeks. Also, try to plan ahead as you may need institutional review board (IRB) approval and this process can be time consuming.
• Spend time developing relationships with the research faculty at your institution. These mentors are invaluable as you develop your research career and are also potential future collaborators. Also, consider becoming involved in SAEM academies if you have a specific area of interest; you may be able to join a committee or run for election to their executive board.
• If you have a large project in mind that would require funding, consider applying for a resident research grant through organizations like SAEM, the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA), or the Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF). These applications are often due in the fall and winter for funding that begins in July; please see the individual applications for a timeline as they all vary slightly and by year. Preparing these is time consuming, so plan ahead and communicate with mentors early if you're interested in applying. See the SAEM Residents and Medical Students (RAMS) Research Resources page and the SAEM Grants page for resources and links to grant application information.