480 Mentor experience with the transition to remote learning in a summer research program

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: This study examines faculty mentor experiences in a summer research program for students traditionally underrepresented in translational research. The objectives are to understand mentor perspectives of the program and how their views were impacted by the pandemic-related pivot to a remote format. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: During the summer research program, students work with a faculty mentor on an ongoing research project. Program staff pair students with diverse faculty members who share their research interests. Our program has traditionally been offered as a residential in-person program but in 2020 we moved swiftly to a fully remote learning format. Students continued to work on research projects remotely and interacted virtually with their faculty mentors. For the past five cohort years, we have collected comparable data about faculty perspectives of their program experience, which allows us to evaluate the impact of the remote format on the faculty experience compared to that of the in-person format. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: For this study, we will examine data from five cohort years (2017-2021). A survey questionnaire was administered to mentors each year at the end of the summer research program. Data were collected on faculty satisfaction with the quality and amount of student work, the amount of time students spent on their projects, and how mentors communicated with students. In 2020 and 2021, three questions were added regarding satisfaction with the remote format. Quantitative data collected from both the in-person and remote cohorts will be compared using independent samples t-tests. Select quotes from open-ended qualitative questions will be used to illustrate mentors attitudes toward the program. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study addresses a gap in the literature about summer research programs, as previous work has primarily focused on trainees. As many training programs continue to remain remote or adopt hybrid models, these results have implications for the design of similar mentored research programs.