Scholar 12: Beta Trial of an Osteopathic Research Cultural Development Computer Application

Abstract

Abstract Context: Research is emphasized as a critical component of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Osteopathic Recognition (OR) criteria, yet there remains a deficit of osteopathic contributions to the literature. Scholar 12 combines discrete research development tools into an interactive application and blog forum that guides students from research team formation with an agreed-upon query to a scholarly product and presentations. Objective: This study aims to evaluate a beta test of Scholar 12 in developing a scholarly culture within medical school education. Methods: An unblinded prospective cohort beta trial by 6 osteopathic medical students across different campuses provided feedback for improvement measures and self-assessed research skill competency before and after completing Scholar 12 on an accelerated time frame. The pre- and post-Scholar 12 surveys scored 12 skills based on learning objectives for each unit on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: The composite results from self-assessments of 6 medical students demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in research skill familiarity by the completion of Scholar 12 (p<0.001). Conclusions: The osteopathic profession has opportunity to advance clinical practice and fulfill ACGME OR initiatives with evidence-based medical research. Scholar 12 is a foundational educational tool and aims to engage medical students, residents, and attendings with scholarly work, regardless of experience level. The present survey provides a preliminary measure of the efficacy of Scholar 12 in improving medical students’ knowledge of creating new scholarly work. General feedback has been communicated to the application developer and editorial staff for improvement measures before the 2020 nationwide launch. Despite the statistical significance of these students’ self-reported progress, additional beta trials; blinded, long-term evaluation of students’ and mentors’ productivity as a result of this research learning tool; and controlled comparison to other research development programs are warranted. Scholar 12 is designed to accommodate students’ academic obligations with a convenient, virtual tool to learn the research process on a flexible schedule, in order to meet generational needs.