One thing that I’ve discussed a lot at interviews this cycle that I hadn’t really thought about before: are there mechanisms for continuing your research post-graduate school in your final clinical years?
Especially if you are going into a clinical field with a long residency or into a non-PSTP, there will be a long layoff between your last significant research output (i.e.: non retrospective/case report fluff) and when you’d be applying for external funding to continue as an independent investigator. Shortening that time/otherwise staying productive in your field will make you more competitive for a K, and at least some schools are starting to think about these things. I’ve heard of some schools allowing a “mini post-doc” as an M4 elective(s), or providing funding for a tech in your thesis lab to continue doing some experiments that you design after you re-enter clinical medicine.
Edit: I don’t necessarily expect a program to have established mechanisms or to have all these solutions figured out, but I think it is important that someone is seriously thinking about this.