Department of Research Operations, Cook Children's Health Care System, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
J Osteopath Med. 2022 Mar 2;122(6):289-295. doi: 10.1515/jom-2021-0242.
It is important for colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) to provide opportunities for osteopathic medical students (OMSs) to conduct research under the guidance of professional researchers. However, COMs historically lag behind allopathic medical schools in research offerings for medical students. The literature would benefit from a synopsis of research opportunities for OMSs at COMs.
This study aims to assess the availability of research opportunities currently offered to OMSs and to identify structured research programs (SRPs) to provide data that may help COMs expand such opportunities.
Two online surveys were developed. The General Survey asked about general research opportunities, research requirements, and SRPs, which we define as optional, intramural, and mentored research programs. The follow-up SRP Survey sought to understand the history, funding, and organizational structure of SRPs. Between February and June 2021, the General and SRP Surveys were sent to all COMs in the United States. Response data were analyzed descriptively.
Responses were received from 32 (84.2%) of 38 COMs. Nearly all COMs offered research symposia, offered third- or fourth-year research elective rotations, and provided some form of funding for OMSs to participate in research. Fourteen (43.8%) COMs had mandatory research requirements. Twenty COMs (62.5%) offered 31 SRPs, and surveys were completed for 25 (80.6%) SRPs. SRPs were founded a median (range) of 7 (1-43) years prior and accommodated 20 (4-50) OMSs annually. Among the responding SRPs, 12.0% had external funding, 96.0% required applications, 50.0% interviewed applicants prior to acceptance into the program, 72.0% required OMSs to identify their own mentors, 68.0% offered stipends to OMSs, 28.0% offered course credits, 96.0% had clinical research opportunities, and 68.0% offered research-oriented didactics. In 84.0% of SRPs, OMSs worked predominantly in the summer after OMS-I; for these SRPs, students had 4-10 weeks of dedicated time for participation in research.
Findings from our surveys provide a synopsis of the research opportunities currently provided by COMs in the United States. Our data demonstrated wide variability of research opportunities among COMs.
对于骨医学院（COMs）来说，提供机会让骨医学生（OMSs）在专业研究人员的指导下进行研究非常重要。然而，COMs 在为医学生提供研究方面一直落后于全医学院。文献需要对 COMs 为 OMSs 提供的研究机会进行综述。
本研究旨在评估目前为 OMSs 提供的研究机会，并确定结构研究计划（SRPs），以提供可能有助于 COMs 扩大此类机会的数据。
开发了两份在线调查。一般调查询问了一般研究机会、研究要求和 SRPs，我们将其定义为可选、校内和指导研究计划。随后的 SRP 调查旨在了解 SRPs 的历史、资金和组织结构。在 2021 年 2 月至 6 月期间，向美国所有的 COMs 发送了一般和 SRP 调查。对响应数据进行了描述性分析。
收到了 38 所 COMs 中的 32 所（84.2%）的回复。几乎所有的 COMs 都提供研究研讨会，提供第三或第四年的研究选修轮转，并为 OMSs 参与研究提供某种形式的资金。14 所（43.8%）COMs 有强制性的研究要求。20 所 COMs（62.5%）提供了 31 个 SRPs，完成了 25 个（80.6%）SRPs 的调查。SRPs 的成立时间中位数（范围）为 7 年（1-43 年），每年容纳 20 名 OMSs。在参与调查的 SRPs 中，有 12.0%有外部资金，96.0%需要申请，50.0%在接受该项目之前对申请人进行面试，72.0%要求 OMSs 确定自己的导师，68.0%为 OMSs 提供津贴，68.0%提供课程学分，96.0%提供临床研究机会，68.0%提供以研究为导向的教学。在 84.0%的 SRPs 中，OMSs 在 OMS-I 之后的夏天主要工作；对于这些 SRPs，学生有 4-10 周的专门时间参与研究。
我们的调查结果提供了美国 COMs 目前提供的研究机会的概述。我们的数据显示了 COMs 之间研究机会的广泛差异。
