FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 330:1530-1533 May 26, 1994 Number 21 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

	Full Text Purchase this article Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

There is probably no question that plagues investigators, especially young investigators, more than how to pick a research project. This decision is not one that must be faced only once in a lifetime; rather, it must be continually revisited. Although it is easy to assume that success in research is just the difference between good and bad luck (and indeed there is a certain amount of luck in research), most highly regarded investigators will have many successful research experiences during their careers.

For the new investigator and junior faculty member just starting his or her career, the decision about a . . . [Full Text of this Article]

I. Anticipate the Results before Doing the First Study

II. Pick an Area on the Basis of the Interest of the Outcome

III. Look for an Underoccupied Niche That Has Potential

IV. Go to Talks and Read Papers outside Your Area of Interest

V. Build on a Theme

VI. Find a Balance between Low-Risk and High-Risk Projects, but Always Include a High-Risk, High-Interest Project in Your Portfolio

VII. Be Prepared to Pursue a Project to Any Depth Necessary

VIII. Differentiate Yourself from Your Mentor

IX. Do not Assume That Outstanding, or Even Good, Clinical Research Is Easier Than Outstanding Basic Research

X. Focus, Focus, Focus

Address reprint requests to Dr. Kahn at Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Pl., Boston, MA 02215.

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Rogge, J. (2009). An ounce of prevention?. Br. J. Sports. Med. 43: 627-627 [Full Text]  
• Engebretsen, L, Bahr, R (2005). An ounce of prevention?. Br. J. Sports. Med. 39: 312-313 [Full Text]  
• Coverdale, J., Louie, A., Weiss Roberts, L. (2005). Getting Started in Educational Research. Acad. Psychiatry 29: 14-21 [Full Text]  
• Good, A M T, Driscoll, P (2002). Clinical research in emergency medicine: putting it together. Emerg. Med. J. 19: 242-246 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Jadoul, M. (2001). Ten ways to ruin or market your oral scientific communication. Nephrol Dial Transplant 16: 2119-2123 [Full Text]  
• Fuster, V. (1999). Epidemic of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke: The Three Main Challenges : Presented at the 71st Scientific Sessions of the American Heart AssociationDallas, Texas. Circulation 99: 1132-1137 [Full Text]  
• RANDALL CURTIS, J., RUBENFELD, G. D., HUDSON, L. D. (1998). Training Pulmonary and Critical Care Physicians in Outcomes Research . Should We Take the Challenge?. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 157: 1012-1015 [Full Text]