Facilitating Undergraduate Research Using a Case Study Approach ‐ A Race to Normalcy During the COVID‐19

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic has changed things in ways unimaginable – including disruption of in‐person scientific research. To facilitate undergraduate student research remotely, due to COVID‐19, our lab switched from a traditional to a pedagogical approach of research. Case studies are excellent tools to introduce undergraduate students to a normal scientific process and allow us to capture reality, highlight various research methodologies, and improve critical thinking skills through process‐oriented inquiries.Our case study is focused on the most relevant topic in the news, COVID‐19 vaccine types and their efficacy. To‐date, this has been the largest vaccination campaign with over 15.9 million doses administered in 37 countries thus far, of which 5.48 million vaccinations were given in the United States alone (Jan 6, 2021). With the arrival of the vaccine in the new year, health professionals are now confident in the world's ability to curb the virus. However, there is a growing concern on the differences between the various vaccines that are being offered around the world and their efficacies. The goal of this pedagogical research is to use an inquiry‐based approach while developing a case study that sheds light on these concerns.Our approach involved a comprehensive literature search, spanning the past year, using the PubMed Central search engine with “COVID AND SARS‐CoV‐2 AND vaccine” as descriptors. The search initially yielded 2,127 journal articles which was narrowed to identify articles on vaccine efficacy (1,122). We then examined the statistics of potential vaccines in the pipeline in various countries. Of the ~200 publications thus identified, 5 were clinical trials, 4 randomized controlled trials, 151 reviews with 9 systematic reviews. These articles were screened for the most accurate, peer‐reviewed information regarding each vaccine which was then used to construct this case study.Our case study follows a group of fictitious characters ‐ 3 friends living in the United States with family members abroad. One of the subjects who is living in Illinois is immunocompromised; the other has elderly family members living in India and the third with family members living in the United Kingdom, where there is a new variant of SARS‐CoV2. The case study discusses a) types of COVID‐19 vaccines available globally, b) efficacy, c) distribution, and d) vaccine campaign. This case study is geared towards undergraduate students in immunology, and allied health programs, graduate students in physiology, nursing and public health, and other professional programs using case‐based collaborative learning.With this case, we offer a novel strategy to circumvent COVID‐related barriers and move undergraduate research forward, with the caveat that students are not working on their original research hypotheses. The case study research model provides an alternate way to train students in the scientific process to evaluate and identify high‐quality research. Further, by addressing the science behind the COVID vaccines, we hope to provide timely information to assist with critical analysis, interpretation and to help navigate the quagmire of information available to the community.