Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Medical students should be paid for summer research work

Josh Herigon, MPH
Education
August 1, 2010
Share
Tweet
Share

It’s summertime once again, which for many medical students means helping out with a research project over the next 8 weeks.

Participating in the design, execution and presentation of medical research is an invaluable learning experience for medical students. The growth of evidence based medicine means current and future physicians need to know how evidence is generated in order to effectively evaluate it and judiciously apply it to their practice.

Participating in research projects is the most efficient way to learn the strengths and weaknesses of many different types of medical research. Medical students who materially contribute to research projects should be compensated at fair market value for their work.

Unfortunately, researchers commonly exploit the low status of medical students and use them as free labor. Without the help of medical students, researchers would either have to do this work themselves (for which they are compensated in the form of a salary) or hire a research assistant (who are also compensated monetarily). Medical students should not be treated any differently in terms of compensation simply because of their status as a “student.” If anything, institutions should have specific protections for medical students in such situations.

The status divide between a researcher (who are often professors also) and a medical student precludes the student from demanding fair compensation. Students who do so run the risk (perceived or real) of alienating themselves and losing out on a valuable learning experience. Moreover, research experience looks very good on residency applications, forcing medical students to do whatever it takes (e.g.–work for free) to get such experience.

In these scenarios, medical students should be considered a vulnerable population and fall under specific policies to protect their rights to fair compensation. More specifically, the opportunity for co-authorship on any presentation of research work should not be considered fair compensation.

Students should be included as co-authors if their contribution to the work meets the guidelines set forth by the American Medical Association and other relevant organizations, but this is not sufficient. Monetary compensation for work must also be rendered, as it would be if the assistant was a non-student.

Josh Herigon is a medical student who blogs a Number Needed to Treat.

Submit a guest post and be heard.

Prev

Medical blog posts of the week, ending July 30, 2010

August 1, 2010 Kevin 0
…
Next

How healthcare reform affects women

August 2, 2010 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Medical school

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Medical blog posts of the week, ending July 30, 2010
Next Post >
How healthcare reform affects women

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Josh Herigon, MPH

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Did the NEJM publish a bad study about checklists?

    Josh Herigon, MPH
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    The threat of technology to proper patient care

    Josh Herigon, MPH
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    How social media will merge with electronic medical records

    Josh Herigon, MPH

More in Education

  • Why medical student debt is killing primary care in America

    Alexander Camp
  • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

    Jordan Williamson, MEd
  • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

    Anonymous
  • 2 hours to decide my future: Why the NRMP’s SOAP process is broken

    Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH
  • What led me from nurse practitioner to medical school

    Sarah White, APRN
  • Bridging the rural surgical care gap with rotating health care teams

    Ankit Jain
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • How community paramedicine impacts Indigenous elders

      Noah Weinberg | Conditions
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight

      Marco Benítez | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors

      Dr. Saad S. Alshohaib | Physician
    • Addressing U.S. vaccine inequities in vulnerable communities [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why Canada is losing its skilled immigrant doctors

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Would The Pitts’ Dr. Robby Robinavitch welcome a new colleague? Yes. Especially if their initials were AI.

      Gabe Jones, MBA | Tech

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 9 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • How community paramedicine impacts Indigenous elders

      Noah Weinberg | Conditions
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight

      Marco Benítez | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors

      Dr. Saad S. Alshohaib | Physician
    • Addressing U.S. vaccine inequities in vulnerable communities [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why Canada is losing its skilled immigrant doctors

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Would The Pitts’ Dr. Robby Robinavitch welcome a new colleague? Yes. Especially if their initials were AI.

      Gabe Jones, MBA | Tech

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Medical students should be paid for summer research work
9 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...