SOARinG to New Heights Through a Structured Medical Student Research Program

Erin Walker,1,* Dieu Thao Nguyen,1,* Adam Brockway,1,* Kyle Russi,1,* Shannon Ellis,1 Arwen Declan,2 Sudha Garimella,3 Renee J Chosed1 1University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Greenville, SC, USA; 2Prisma Health,...

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Main Authors: Walker E, Nguyen DT, Brockway A, Russi K, Ellis S, Declan A, Garimella S, Chosed RJ
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2023-08-01
Series:Advances in Medical Education and Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/soaring-to-new-heights-through-a-structured-medical-student-research-p-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-AMEP
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author Walker E
Nguyen DT
Brockway A
Russi K
Ellis S
Declan A
Garimella S
Chosed RJ
author_facet Walker E
Nguyen DT
Brockway A
Russi K
Ellis S
Declan A
Garimella S
Chosed RJ
author_sort Walker E
collection DOAJ
description Erin Walker,1,* Dieu Thao Nguyen,1,* Adam Brockway,1,* Kyle Russi,1,* Shannon Ellis,1 Arwen Declan,2 Sudha Garimella,3 Renee J Chosed1 1University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Greenville, SC, USA; 2Prisma Health, Department of Emergency Medicine, Greenville, SC, USA; 3Prisma Health, Department of Pediatrics, Greenville, SC, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Renee J Chosed, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA, Tel +1 864-766-2033, Email chosed@greenvillemed.sc.eduIntroduction: Since the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 became Pass/Fall in 2022, medical students competing for residency spots must distinguish themselves with alternative criteria. Research experiences and output offer valuable skill development and objective metrics to support competitive residency applications.Objective: We describe the methodological development of a structured program to support, enhance, and track medical student research efforts at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, explain the implementation of the program, and summarize initial program outcomes.Methods: The Student Opportunities for Academic Achievement Through Research in Greenville (SOARinG) Program was established to serve as a centralized hub for rising second year medical student research. The program matched medical students with mentored research projects scheduled during the summer following first-year coursework. The program included a required weekly seminar series on research basics and current biomedical literature. SOARinG culminated with a student research symposium for which students submitted abstracts and presented a poster or a talk. Quantitative and qualitative program outcomes of student and mentor satisfaction with the program were measured through surveys.Results and Discussion: The program was successfully implemented in summers 2021 and 2022. Most students (80– 95%) in each class engaged in mentored summer research projects. Students reported overall satisfaction with research projects and mentor support. Overall, 69% of students rated their overall research experience in the program as extremely good or very good. Each student submitted an abstract and presented at the program’s symposium or alternate research venue. Overall, 97% of research mentors reported that students were adequately prepared for summer research and suggested that students would benefit from additional skills-specific research training.Conclusion: The SOARinG Program provided a formalized process for tracking and showcasing medical student research and allowed for increased student participation in research. Additionally, each participating student produced objective research output, thus enhancing future residency applications.Keywords: medical student summer research, student research deliverables, student research output
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spelling doaj.art-51012f5a71a74473b91b6f12ecb726642023-08-03T19:02:12ZengDove Medical PressAdvances in Medical Education and Practice1179-72582023-08-01Volume 1482783685628SOARinG to New Heights Through a Structured Medical Student Research ProgramWalker ENguyen DTBrockway ARussi KEllis SDeclan AGarimella SChosed RJErin Walker,1,* Dieu Thao Nguyen,1,* Adam Brockway,1,* Kyle Russi,1,* Shannon Ellis,1 Arwen Declan,2 Sudha Garimella,3 Renee J Chosed1 1University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Greenville, SC, USA; 2Prisma Health, Department of Emergency Medicine, Greenville, SC, USA; 3Prisma Health, Department of Pediatrics, Greenville, SC, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Renee J Chosed, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, 607 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA, Tel +1 864-766-2033, Email chosed@greenvillemed.sc.eduIntroduction: Since the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 became Pass/Fall in 2022, medical students competing for residency spots must distinguish themselves with alternative criteria. Research experiences and output offer valuable skill development and objective metrics to support competitive residency applications.Objective: We describe the methodological development of a structured program to support, enhance, and track medical student research efforts at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, explain the implementation of the program, and summarize initial program outcomes.Methods: The Student Opportunities for Academic Achievement Through Research in Greenville (SOARinG) Program was established to serve as a centralized hub for rising second year medical student research. The program matched medical students with mentored research projects scheduled during the summer following first-year coursework. The program included a required weekly seminar series on research basics and current biomedical literature. SOARinG culminated with a student research symposium for which students submitted abstracts and presented a poster or a talk. Quantitative and qualitative program outcomes of student and mentor satisfaction with the program were measured through surveys.Results and Discussion: The program was successfully implemented in summers 2021 and 2022. Most students (80– 95%) in each class engaged in mentored summer research projects. Students reported overall satisfaction with research projects and mentor support. Overall, 69% of students rated their overall research experience in the program as extremely good or very good. Each student submitted an abstract and presented at the program’s symposium or alternate research venue. Overall, 97% of research mentors reported that students were adequately prepared for summer research and suggested that students would benefit from additional skills-specific research training.Conclusion: The SOARinG Program provided a formalized process for tracking and showcasing medical student research and allowed for increased student participation in research. Additionally, each participating student produced objective research output, thus enhancing future residency applications.Keywords: medical student summer research, student research deliverables, student research outputhttps://www.dovepress.com/soaring-to-new-heights-through-a-structured-medical-student-research-p-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-AMEPmedical student summer researchstudent research deliverablesstudent research output
spellingShingle Walker E
Nguyen DT
Brockway A
Russi K
Ellis S
Declan A
Garimella S
Chosed RJ
SOARinG to New Heights Through a Structured Medical Student Research Program
Advances in Medical Education and Practice
medical student summer research
student research deliverables
student research output
title SOARinG to New Heights Through a Structured Medical Student Research Program
title_full SOARinG to New Heights Through a Structured Medical Student Research Program
title_fullStr SOARinG to New Heights Through a Structured Medical Student Research Program
title_full_unstemmed SOARinG to New Heights Through a Structured Medical Student Research Program
title_short SOARinG to New Heights Through a Structured Medical Student Research Program
title_sort soaring to new heights through a structured medical student research program
topic medical student summer research
student research deliverables
student research output
url https://www.dovepress.com/soaring-to-new-heights-through-a-structured-medical-student-research-p-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-AMEP
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