Rapid Adaptation and Remote Delivery of Undergraduate Research Training during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Creating an Undergraduate Research Program in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Oto-HNS) for Students Underrepresented in Medicine

Objectives

To report implementation and outcomes associated with a novel paid Summer Undergraduate Research Education Program (SREP) over the first 2 years in an academic otolaryngology program recruiting students underrepresented in medicine (URiM).

Methods

A 10-week program including a research bootcamp, curriculum, mentoring, and clinical shadowing was created. Grant funding to provide salary and support for transportation, conference attendance, and graduate school preparation or applications was procured. Primary objectives included (1) development of successful mentorship relationships; (2) increasing student-reported outcomes using pre- and post-program surveys to assess confidence, career planning, and overall satisfaction; (3) increasing exposure to medicine; (4) completion of an oral presentation; and (5) submission of a manuscript. Secondary objectives included abstract submission and completion of a graduate exam course or graduate school applications. Tertiary objectives included conference attendance and graduate school matriculation.

Results

One hundred thirty-five total applications were reviewed (89 from year 1 and 46 from year 2). Twelve students were interviewed for 3 spots in year 1, while 11 students were interviewed for 6 spots in year 2 (median application score, 9.25 (range, 1-14); median interview score, 8.7 (range, 5.4-10); acceptance rate, 6.7% (9/135)). Students met all primary objectives. Mean program survey scores increased from 3.8 to 4.77 (p < 0.0001). Eight of nine students submitted an abstract to a national conference, with five of eight students accepted for a presentation. Two students were accepted into graduate school, while five others are on track for graduate school application.

Conclusion

Identifying mentors, curriculum, and opportunities to meaningfully strengthen graduate school applications for URiM students through a clinically rigorous, financially supported, and research-focused summer program in an academic otolaryngology program is feasible and may be an effective means of increasing diversity in medicine and otolaryngology.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-024-02021-z.

A US National Study of Barriers to Science Training Experienced by Undergraduate Students during COVID-19

Undergraduate research is a high-impact practice on college campuses. How the COVID-19 pandemic has affected undergraduate researchers' progress is poorly understood. We examine how demographics, academic characteristics, research disruptions and faculty mentorship are associated with four barriers to research progress. Data are drawn from a survey of over 1000 undergraduate student researchers across the US. We examine students who actively continued to conduct faculty-mentored research during mid-March/April 2020 (n = 485). Using generalized estimating equations that control clustering by institution, we found economic hardship, discomfort teleconferencing, lower quality mentors, sexual minority status and higher grade point averages were associated with motivation problems. Economic hardship, serious illness, Internet connection issues, a lack of face-to-face meetings and lower a frequency of mentor-mentee communication were associated with a time crunch with regard to conducting research. Discomfort teleconferencing, Internet connection issues, a lack of face-to-face meetings and decrease in research workload were associated with task uncertainty. Economic hardship, serious illness and being an engineering major were associated with lacking needed tools for the research. In sum, economic hardship was an important correlate of research barriers, as were communication challenges and sexual minority status. Results can inform practical actions by research program directors and faculty undergraduate research mentors.