The Evolution of a Required Research Program for Medical Students at the University of Washington School of Medicine

Abstract

The concepts and tools clinicians use to understand disease and treat patients are the direct product of basic and applied scientific inquiry. To prepare physicians to participate in this tradition of medical science, the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) created a research requirement in 1981. The objective was to provide students, during their clinical years of medical school, with first-hand experience in hypothesis-driven inquiry and an understanding of the philosophies and methods of science integral to the practice of medicine. A comprehensive curriculum review in 1998-2000 identified several limitations of this requirement. Although many students completed it successfully, others struggled to find mentors, funding, or time as coursework became more demanding. Other students found they had no interest in or aptitude for the research process itself. Accordingly, UWSOM has reaffirmed its commitment to independent inquiry but expanded the ways in which students can meet the requirement. Three research options are now available under the Independent Investigative Inquiry (III) program, generally completed the summer after students' first year of medical school. These are the hypothesis-driven inquiry, a critical review of the literature, or an experience-driven inquiry in community medicine. The goal of UWSOM is to shape new physicians who can manage rapidly changing medical science, information technology, and patient expectations in clinical practice and/or laboratories. The role of III is to teach students to develop personal methods of acquiring new knowledge and integrate it into their professional lives. Faculty support, program oversight, and funding have been increased.

Student Scientific Inquiry in the Core Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum: Critical Issues in Designing and Implementing a Student Research Program

“…As some experiences have shown, without a unitary goal and without programmatic consistency, the program risks to run "erratic, as an unfunded mandate without an established curriculum" 18 . Some programs in medical education, after experimenting for several years with less structured, multiyear longitudinal "exposure to research" that allowed students to select from a range of available electives to fulfill their research requirement, reverted to a more structured, goal-oriented program with a focus on hypothesis-driven research experience 40,41 .…”

“…The ACCP Task Force on Research in the Professional Curriculum makes it clear in "The Essential Research Curriculum for Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Programs" that the curricular competencies in research revolve around hypothesis-based research 6 . Some schools incorporate into their "scholarship concentrations" or "capstone experiences" options such as a community experience in a primary care clinic, international rotations 18 , journalistic, business, law, advocacy and art projects 5 ,creating a business plan, updating a policy or hospital protocol, distributing patient education materials 16 , internships or field experiences, service learning, portfolio development, community service, and health fairs 43,44 . While such activities have the potential to nurture students' abilities of critical thinking, creativity, innovation, analysis and synthesis, such options need to be carefully examined by each institution adopting such models.…”

“…Are they perceived differently by students? For instance, allowing students to perform a critical review of medical literature as an option in a mandatory research program, was perceived as a "second class citizen" compared to the hypothesis-driven inquiry option in the same institution, an opinion held by both students and faculty 18 .…”

“…Other formats include writing a research proposal or a publishable article. Additionally, most research programs organize a Student Research Day 16,18,40,45,46 . Students are required to present their work in poster format and in some instances as a podium presentation.…”

“…Medical education, with student research experience ranging from 5 to 40 and even 173 years 3,5,17,18 , has generated considerable published information and exchange of ideas in the medical community. The natural history and extensive analyses of such experiences proved rich in "lessons learned".…”