Cleveland Clinic's summer research program in reproductive medicine: an inside look at the class of 2014

An online educational model in andrology for student training in the art of scientific writing in the COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020, the COVID‐19 pandemic led to the suspension of the annual Summer Internship at the American Center for Reproductive Medicine (ACRM). To transit it into an online format, an inaugural 6‐week 2020 ACRM Online Mentorship Program was developed focusing on five core pillars of andrology research: scientific writing, scientific methodology, plagiarism understanding, soft skills development and mentee basic andrology knowledge. This study aims to determine mentee developmental outcomes based on student surveys and discuss these within the context of the relevant teaching and learning methodology. The mentorship was structured around scientific writing projects established by the team using a student‐centred approach, with one‐on‐one expert mentorship through weekly formative assessments. Furthermore, weekly online meetings were conducted, including expert lectures, formative assessments and social engagement. Data were collected through final assessments and mentee surveys on mentorship outcomes. Results show that mentees (n = 28) reported a significant (p < .0001) improvement in all criteria related to the five core pillars. These results illustrate that the aims of the online mentorship program were achieved through a unique and adaptive online educational model and that our model has demonstrated its effectiveness as an innovative structured educational experience through the COVID‐19 crisis.

Exploring medically-related Canadian summer student research programs: a National Cross-sectional Survey Study

BACKGROUND

Summer student research programs (SSRPs) serve to generate student interest in research and a clinician-scientist career path. This study sought to understand the composition of existing medically-related Canadian SSRPs, describe the current selection, education and evaluation practices and highlight opportunities for improvement.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey study among English-language-based medically-related Canadian SSRPs for undergraduate and medical students was conducted. Programs were systematically identified through academic and/or institutional websites. The survey, administered between June-August 2016, collected information on program demographics, competition, selection, student experience, and program self-evaluation.

RESULTS

Forty-six of 91 (50.5%) identified programs responded. These SSRPs collectively offered 1842 positions with a mean 3.76 applicants per placement. Most programs (78.3%, n = 36/46) required students to independently secure a research supervisor. A formal curriculum existed among 61.4% (n = 27/44) of programs. Few programs (5.9%, n = 2/34) offered an integrated clinical observership. Regarding evaluation, 11.4% (n = 5/44) of programs tracked subsequent research productivity and 27.5% (n = 11/40) conducted long-term impact assessments.

CONCLUSIONS

Canadian SSRPs are highly competitive with the responsibility of selection primarily with the individual research supervisor rather than a centralized committee. Most programs offered students opportunities to develop both research and communication skills. Presently, the majority of programs do not have a sufficient evaluation component. These findings indicate that SSRPs may benefit from refinement of selection processes and more robust evaluation of their utility. To address this challenge, the authors describe a logic model that provides a set of core outcomes which can be applied as a framework to guide program evaluation of SSRPs.

Building bridges between basic science and clinical medicine: a liberal arts perspective

A critical issue for improving global health care is to better integrate basic science and clinical practice, as such integration will lead to innovative solutions. In this article, I will present models for how to prepare students to participate effectively on multidisciplinary teams that foster cooperation between scientists, medical centers, biotechnology businesses, and governmental bodies. I will provide examples of training programs in the United States (USA) designed to increase the number of and diversity of scientists and clinicians engaged in bridging basic science and clinical medicine, also called translational research. The training programs target different stages in career development, from pre-medical students through early career faculty, and have varied organisational structures. Many of the programs have existed long enough for institutions to be able to evaluate their effectiveness, and despite the different program contexts, there are key characteristics common to all of the programs that correlate with successful outcomes. Many of these characteristics can be adapted to other career stages and settings. I will summarize these and describe an example of an interdisciplinary, integrated science course for undergraduates that introduces students at the earliest stage of their careers to addressing complex problems through teamwork. Finally, I will provide suggestions for how other institutions can implement training programs that will build bridges between basic science and clinical medicine.

Exploring the timing of medical student research internships: before or after clerkships?

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal positioning of the research internship, either before clinical clerkships, at the beginning of the medical Master's programme, or at the end.

METHODS

A mixed methods study was carried out. We compared characteristics such as duration, location and grades for internships performed and students' motives for choosing to perform their research internship before or after clinical clerkships. We analysed students' answers to open-ended questions about the reasons for their choices, using the Self-Determination Theory of motivation.

RESULTS

Students performing their research internship before clinical clerkships (n = 338) opted more often for an extended internship (OR = 3.16, 95% CI = 2.32-4.31) and an international location (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.46-3.36) compared to those performing their research internships after clinical clerkships (n = 459). Neither the internship grades nor the number of international publications differed significantly between the two groups. Most of the students' motives (102 participants) were classified as extrinsic motivation for research. Students performing research before clinical clerkships more often showed intrinsic motivation for research, students performing research after clinical clerkships were mainly motivated by their career choice.

CONCLUSION

To accommodate both groups of students, offering research internships before and after clinical clerkships, is recommended.