开发一个基于网络的工具，用于让本科生参与医学研究；ProjectPal 的经验。

Development of a web-based tool for undergraduate engagement in medical research; the ProjectPal experience.

机构信息

Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.

Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.

出版信息

BMC Med Educ. 2018 Jul 13;18(1):166. doi: 10.1186/s12909-018-1272-5.

DOI:10.1186/s12909-018-1272-5

PMID:30005595

原文链接:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6044023/

Abstract

BACKGROUND

We report the development and evaluation of a web-based tool designed to facilitate student extra-curricular engagement in medical research through project matching students with academic supervisors. UK based university students were surveyed to explore their perceptions of undergraduate research, barriers and facilitators to current engagement. Following this, an online web-based intervention ( www.ProjectPal.org ) was developed to support access of students to research projects and supervisors. A pilot intervention was undertaken across a London-based university in January 2013 to February 2016. In March 2016, anonymised data were extracted from the prospective data log for analysis of website engagement and usage. Supervisors were surveyed to evaluate the website and student outputs.

RESULTS

Fifty-one students responded to the electronic survey. Twenty-four (47%) reported frustration at a perceived lack of opportunities to carry out extra-curricular academic projects. Major barriers to engaging in undergraduate research reported were difficulties in identifying suitable supervisors (33/51; 65%) and time pressures (36/51; 71%) associated with this. Students reported being opportunistic in their engagement with undergraduate research. Following implementation of the website, 438 students signed up to ProjectPal and the website was accessed 1357 times. Access increased on a yearly basis. Overall, 70 projects were advertised by 35 supervisors. There were 86 applications made by students for these projects. By February 2016, the 70 projects had generated 5 peer-review publications with a further 7 manuscripts under peer-review, 14 national presentations, and 1 national prize.

CONCLUSION

The use of an online platform to promote undergraduate engagement with extra-curricular research appears to facilitate extra-curricular engagement with research. Further work to understand the impact compared to normal opportunistic practices in enhancing student engagement is now underway.

摘要

背景

我们报告了一个基于网络的工具的开发和评估，该工具旨在通过项目匹配学生和学术导师来促进学生课外参与医学研究。我们对英国的大学生进行了调查，以探讨他们对本科研究的看法、当前参与研究的障碍和促进因素。在此基础上，我们开发了一个在线网络干预（www.ProjectPal.org），以支持学生获得研究项目和导师。2013 年 1 月至 2016 年 2 月，在伦敦的一所大学进行了一项试点干预。2016 年 3 月，从前瞻性数据日志中提取匿名数据，以分析网站参与度和使用情况。对导师进行了调查，以评估网站和学生的成果。

结果

51 名学生对电子调查做出了回应。24 名（47%）学生报告说，由于缺乏进行课外学术项目的机会，感到沮丧。报告的参与本科研究的主要障碍是难以确定合适的导师（51 名中的 33 名；65%）和与之相关的时间压力（51 名中的 36 名；71%）。学生报告说，他们在参与本科研究时机会主义。网站实施后，有 438 名学生注册了 ProjectPal，网站被访问了 1357 次。访问量逐年增加。总体而言，35 名导师共发布了 70 个项目，学生对这些项目提出了 86 项申请。到 2016 年 2 月，这 70 个项目已经产生了 5 篇同行评议论文，另有 7 篇论文正在进行同行评议，14 篇在国内发表，1 项在国内获奖。