A novel approach to encouraging medical students into emergency and critical care research using student selected components.
There is increasing pressure on undergraduate medical students to get involved with research at early stages of their careers in order to secure the most competitive training posts. Despite this, an opportunity for undergraduate research varies between medical schools and often there is no consistent way in which research is incorporated into their curriculum.
To encourage medical students into emergency medicine and research, an emergency medicine research student selected component (SSC) was developed in conjunction with Glasgow medical school. Successful students gained teaching and mentoring in the emergency department at the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley, Scotland.
Students were given a research project, and were offered individual support with the aim of giving them early research opportunities and the possibility of presenting and publishing their work at international conferences.
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the SSC on students’ attitudes towards research and a career in emergency medicine. An online questionnaire assessed the student’s level of interest, confidence and SSC research experiences.
Results indicated that the all students found the SSC to be influential or highly influential towards their level of interest in research compared to before completing the SSC. All students said the SSC supervisor was academically stimulating, impressive as role model and supportive. 100% of students agreed that the SSC had an influential contribution towards their level of interest in a career in emergency medicine. All students agreed that it would increase their competitiveness for job applications. All of the students (16) had projects accepted for multiple international conferences including Medicine24, The European society of emergency medicine in Athens, Greece, and to the annual scientific conference for the Royal College of emergency of medicine in Liverpool. In conclusion, emergency medicine research SSC’s may be a novel approach to encouraging medical students into emergency medicine and research.
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