While I am still hoping that someone could offer some advice about the questions posted above, I have another one that might be easier for ya'll to answer:

For the bench:step I ratio, is that with a pause, or just touch and go? I work out solo, and because of this, I won't pause. But if this is a norm, then I will be on the look-out for a spotter. Additionally, what is a prime ratio to shoot for? 1.5 seems a little hardcore, but I have the time.

Thanks

For the bench]

Not sure why you haven't gotten a response, so I'll give you my best shot at it ... but note that I'm a lowly, relatively clueless 3rd year student. First of all, re the B:S1 ratio ... proper workout technique requires no pausing whatsoever, and a slow, steady, 1:2 ratio for pos:neg parts of the action (e.g., 1 second up, 2 seconds down, no pause at any point). As far as the ratio itself, I personally question the validity of the ratio altogether, since a lowly student with 285:190 would have the same ratio as me, with my most excellent 420:280 ratio.

Where I am seeking advice is this]

My best guess at this is based on my experiences, having gotten an advanced degree in engineering prior to med school. Most surgeons *love* engineers, from what I've encountered, and love to talk shop with engineers. I don't think you'll run into tag-along problems unless your personality is such that you always come across as a tag-along anyway. I would say be proactive but use your common sense to not annoy people.

My personal experience (which will be different from yours of course) went like this ... as a first year, I contacted the orthopods at my home hospital via email to see if anyone had research opps. I included my CV, which showed my engineering background. I received several responses, but one in particular was looking for someone with engineering know-how. Since then, he has always shown a lot of interest and respect for my background, and has been a huge help in building my medical CV. In addition, during my surgical rotation, my background has always been a subject of at least some interest, and in a few occasions resulted in lengthy correspondences about various surgical engineering topics. In more than one case, the surgeons applied gentle persuasion to try to get me to work with them on ideas that they had.

In your case ... can you tell us a couple of things first? Do you come up with a research topic in first year, or do you do that in your first research year (after 2nd year, right?)? Secondly, what kind of engineering will you be doing -- mechanical, tissue, etc? Do you expect to be working on an ortho-related project?

b

Just wondering if there is an intentional association between your handle prefix and the instituition with the well respected orthopedic biomechanics lab that you will be attending.

If so, then I am a student there who could give you some basic advice. Please PM me.

If not, then good luck and relax. You are way, way ahead of the curve.

Thanks for the replys. Farmer_ted, I PM'd you.

In your case ... can you tell us a couple of things first? Do you come up with a research topic in first year, or do you do that in your first research year (after 2nd year, right?)? Secondly, what kind of engineering will you be doing -- mechanical, tissue, etc? Do you expect to be working on an ortho-related project?

We have three mandatory research rotations before we officially choose an advisor/topic. However, I have heard that these can be quite flexible and often very narrow-focused rotations. Regardless, you are correct in that we don't officially start our research project until after the second year. I have vistited the lab twice, and have spoken to PIs on several topics of interest. Most of these are FEA biomechanics type projects, which I think I would enjoy. But, my masters is in chemical engineering, so biophysical engineering and/or synthesis might be a better fit. However, these are all ortho-related research issues, all of which interest me greatly. I realize I will know much more about the situation when I start, but these are my current expectations.

I asked the bench question because when I used to compete, we were always required to pause with the bar across the chest until the judge signaled the lift (usually ~2 seconds). Like most people, this significantly decreased my maxed lift.

Again, thank you for the responses and advice. I will certainly follow suit.

So if you don't start research stuff until after 2nd year, and you're anxious to get going ... there should be plenty that you can do in the first 2 years. First, our school (and perhaps this is common?) has a couple of "courses" where you work with a doctor 1 afternoon a week ... basically a shadowing opportunity. I spent one of them with an orthopod in 1st year, and went to the OR with him a few times. I didn't get to scrub because I spent most of my time with him in clinic, but if you have OR experience already as a tech, then I'm sure you'd get some scrub time.

If you don't have a course like that, it never hurts to just contact orthopods in your home hospital to see if you could work with them a little bit. Generally, you won't have more than a few hours every other week or so to do this, so it's unlikely you would annoy them ... unless, as I mentioned before, you're just that type in the first place. If you study ahead and show some competence (they rarely expect more than just anatomy at this stage ... and for me not even that since I hadn't had anatomy yet), your enthusiasm should be well-received. Plus, with your OR experience, it's unlikely you'll be "that" med student -- the one who barges in and contaminates everything, holds everyone back, and is generally a nuisance.

Beyond those experiences, you can also get an early start to your research. Considering many if not most students who go into 4th year with ortho publications had to do that in the first 2 years, it's obviously possible to get meaningful work done in your first 2 years. Contact orthopods and see if they have work for you ... if you can offer special expertise, even better ... but even if not, as is the case with most students, you should be able to find something. If you do research with an orthopod in the first couple years, s/he should surely be glad to have you accompany them to the OR occasionally as well.

From my brief experiences, orthopods, and surgeons in general, enjoy their work greatly and generally love to show others what they do -- with the caveat that they also hate wasting time and dealing with puppy-dog type med students. Even more than that, they love discussing the technical aspects of the job with people who show some competence in that regard.

From what you've said, sounds like you'll have a blast. Relax and enjoy the ride.

b