Enrolling in a career in health research is a lofty prospect, even if it is somewhat difficult. Every researcher dreams of even part of a team that leads a major breakthrough in treating, discovering or preventing disease or health problems. But how to build a career in the usual competitive field?
Associate Professor Lawrence Mbois of Health Research Methods and Evidence and Impacts at McMaster University, and the Center for Research Methods at St. Joseph Health Care Hamilton, shared some of the suggestions from his 2013 paper; Tips for Mapping the Progress of a Career in Successful Health Research.
1. Start writing early
The skills required to write a manuscript, simply explaining complex scientific concepts and presenting data in an easy-to-understand form takes time to develop. The earlier you start, the better. This also applies to granting applications, as writing these skills is a skill in itself and you should practice it as early as possible.
2. Find a tutor
It is important to distinguish between supervisors and mentors. While the supervisor will let you account for specific deliverables, the mentor will provide more overall advice and guidance. Many people are asked to be asked, so don’t be afraid to reach out to potential mentors through your alumni network, institutions, or even LinkedIn.
3. Develop your specific interests
While early career researchers should not develop specialist areas too early to limit their options, they should avoid becoming “Jack of all industries.” Having an area of interest helps focus your work on situations where there is no limit to future collaboration or access to funding.
4. Network, network, network
Connecting with your peers and colleagues (junior high school and senior) not only helps to grow your profile within the industry, but also opens the door to collaboration opportunities. The internet doesn’t have to be in person, and sites like LinkedIn and ResearchGate are great forums for professionals to meet and share ideas. NIHR also operates dedicated incubators that help researchers build competent and professional communities.
5. Shout what you do
It’s never too early to start communicating your work. Even if you are relatively young on the research team, the skills to convey research results in a clear and understandable way will help you throughout your career. Register with the Science Media Center, a database of experts from different scientific fields that help journalists ensure their reporting of scientific stories is accurate.
6. Become a reviewer
Being a peer reviewer is not only a way to give back to the scientific community and promote scientific knowledge. It helps to build your own knowledge base, keep you up to date with the latest scientific developments, and helps hone your own scientific writing skills.
