Research Opportunities For Students Research Articles

THE CREATION OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL GSA STUDENT CHAPTER IN PORTUGAL

Abstract The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Student Chapter Pilot Program provides a platform for students in all academic levels to exchange academic ideas, network with industry professionals, and share scientific and educational experiences. Developing an international student chapter based at the University of Aveiro in Portugal was a challenging but fullfiling task, accomplished through the dedication and perseverance of its members. This student chapter, created by and for students, aims to serve as an opportunity for networking, education, research, and community work. We aspire to create a bridge between Portugal and the United States, promoting educational and research opportunities for students and increasing awareness in the field of aging. By sharing the challenges and rewards we encountered during the creation of this chapter, we hope to inspire other universities worldwide to do the same and build an even larger international network. Through this network, students working with older adults can find common ground, share ideas, create connections, and develop new ways to enhance the field of Gerontology worldwide. The GSA student chapter is a unique opportunity that enables students to connect, share knowledge and contribute to the field of Gerontology. Our hope is that this model will be replicated globally, fostering collaboration and advancing our understanding of aging in all corners of the world.

Integrating Sustainability Into Curriculum of Legal Education in Latvia: An Insight Into the Main Issues

Abstract For the last few decades, there has been an ongoing academic debate about the integration of sustainability into the curricula of higher education institutions to address various global challenges. Legal education is no exception. Taking into consideration that the new generation of legal professionals will be responsible for the development of regulations as well as for advocating for the individuals’ interests related to global issues, they need to be equipped with knowledge and skills to tackle these complex problems effectively. In this context, teachers1 play a crucial role, since they can instill in their students a sense of responsibility towards the future generations. The aim of this paper is to analyze how the concept of sustainability can be integrated into the curriculum of legal education in general and in Latvia in particular. To achieve the aim, the following research methods are used: legal analysis to examine the meaning and the place of the concept of sustainability in the context of legal education in Latvia and a scientific literature review to investigate the concept of sustainability in the context of integrating it into the curriculum of legal education. The main conclusions of the article: the future strategy for law schools and law faculties in Latvia should involve the incorporation of sustainability into the learning outcomes of law programs and specific courses, teaching strategies, and research opportunities for students; also, by broadening interdisciplinarity of the programs and involving students in collaboration with various stakeholders to promote sustainable development.

ChatGPT's Capabilities for Use in Anatomy Education and Anatomy Research

ChatGPT's Capabilities for Use in Anatomy Education and Anatomy Research

MENTORING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND CENTERING COLLABORATION

Abstract In this article, faculty members from three United States colleges and universities reflect upon mentoring undergraduate research in cultural anthropology and consider the educational and practice-based outcomes of student mentorship. Following a multi-year experience jointly mentoring students, we discuss our trajectories, lessons, and challenges in learning to support and advise undergraduate researchers. We reflect upon the impact of the “lone ethnographer” mentality as well as the possibilities of collaborative research, seeing the university as a site for ethnographic research and developing experiential programs. Collectively, we highlight the need to expand not only options for students to engage in primary research design, data collection, and analysis but also for anthropology departments and institutions to support instructors who prioritize student research opportunities and to provide training so that more instructors may do so confidently.

How Can Libraries Support Student Research?

Libraries have long been recognized as vital institutions for supporting student research endeavors across various educational levels. This study explores the multifaceted ways in which libraries can effectively bolster student research. Drawing from a comprehensive review of literature, surveys, interviews with librarians, and case studies of successful library programs, this research provides valuable insights into the role libraries play in enhancing the research skills and academic success of students. The findings underscore the importance of library resources, including access to scholarly databases, interlibrary loans, and research assistance, in facilitating students' information retrieval and literature review processes. Additionally, libraries' instructional programs and workshops are shown to empower students with research methodologies, information literacy, and critical thinking skills. Furthermore, this study delves into the evolving role of digital technologies and online resources in supporting student research, highlighting how libraries adapt to the changing landscape of information dissemination. Collaboration between librarians and faculty is also examined as a key factor in promoting research opportunities for students. In a rapidly evolving academic landscape, this research serves as a valuable resource for librarians, educators, and institutions seeking to optimize library services for the benefit of student researchers. By offering practical recommendations and best practices, it underscores the essential role libraries play in nurturing the next generation of scholars and fostering a culture of research excellence.

Student Research Participation in South Korea

ABSTRACTIn South Korea, government regulations constrain the resources of higher (tertiary) education, especially non-STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) departments. Resource constraints, in turn, reinforce a culturally Confucian hierarchy that restricts the participation of lower-rank members (e.g., high school and undergraduate students). This more-regulated, formal-education sector does not reflect the increasingly diverse cultural preferences (e.g., utilitarian and expressive) of Korean students. Many students, acting as consumers, exit to alternative sectors, including formal-educational institutions abroad and informal, private supplemental education at home, which offer more student research opportunities. This article develops and illustrates three theoretical propositions with relevant literature and secondary data as well as participant observations and interviews with Korea-based students. Arguably, our propositions and findings are relevant to other countries with gaps between formal education and consumer preferences and with consumer exit options.

Creating, Implementing, and Experiencing Research Opportunities: A Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

ABSTRACTHigh-impact educational practices benefit undergraduate students in a variety of ways. These opportunities include student–faculty research, study-abroad and study-away programs, and internships, among others. This study focuses on one type of these high-impact practices: research. Research experiences foster student engagement and success, and they especially matter for marginalized and minoritized students, who all too often are underrepresented in these experiences. This article discusses creating, implementing, and experiencing equity-minded research opportunities for students from three perspectives: department head, faculty mentor, and undergraduate participants.

Assessment of students’ perception of research in an honors thesis preparation course

Identifying student’s perception of research activity can provide important practical implications to effectively recommend and facilitate research opportunities for students. Through two surveys applied at the beginning and end of an undergraduate honors orientation class we conducted a qualitative and quantitative study to assess the students’ knowledge and perception of research. The survey questions were repeated in two different semesters, and students were taught research related content. Even though 48% of the students did not have any research experience and a minority (12%) had more than a year of research experience, a large portion of the students could explain many research related words, such as plagiarism, citations, google scholar, and primary source, but a few words could not be recognized by the students, such as predatory journal, preprint, ORCID and publons. The most frequent answers provided by students when asked about their perception of researcher skills included the word motivation, followed by creativity and communication. Students’ confidence in their knowledge and research-related skills increased over the semester consistent with other studies that show the value of a structured introduction to research for building student confidence.

Fostering student and faculty scholarship in an accelerated three-year medical school.

Background: In acknowledgement of the importance of research competency in academic medicine, an extracurricular student research program and faculty development researcher pathway was developed to promote scholarly productivity at New York University (NYU) Long Island School of Medicine (LISOM), a three-year accelerated Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)-accredited medical school. The aim was to enhance medical students' and faculty scholarly productivity, by creating new training programs targeting research skills and academic collaboration. Impact was assessed by initial review of the extracurricular student research program and faculty development researcher pathway. Methods: Electronic surveys via Google were sent out to all current (n = 72) students on 9/20/2021 and the faculty identified based on their primary appointment to NYU LISOM in the learning management system on 9/17/2021 to determine participation in research, presentation of research findings, satisfaction with the program, and research opportunities for students. Student scholarly productivity was tracked using PubMed, restricted to search years 2020 through 2022. For the faculty development researcher pathway, publications were tracked for each participant before and after completion of the program, with pre- and post-completion dates ranging from 2012 through 2020. Results: Student survey results (29 responses out of 72) indicated 28% of students were involved in research with institutional faculty and 59% were interested in starting a research project. Most students involved in extracurricular research were satisfied with their experience and eight students have publications with faculty. For the faculty development researcher pathway, 35% of the participants increased publications after program graduation. Conclusions: Outcomes from the student research program and faculty researcher pathway were positive regarding student research engagement and faculty scholarly productivity, though long-term outcomes are yet to be evaluated. Progress will be tracked as students continue through undergraduate and graduate medical education, and as both students and faculty progress throughout their career.

Medical student research opportunities: a survey of osteopathic medical schools in the United States.

ContextIt 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.ObjectivesThis 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.MethodsTwo 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.ResultsResponses 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.ConclusionsFindings 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.

Widening prospective and current medical students' participation in research.

First problem. Less privileged sixth form (high school) students get fewer opportunities to undertake extracurricular academic activities that will enhance their competitiveness for entry into medical schools. Second problem. Restricted access to healthcare settings because of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that sixth form students were unable to obtain medicine-related work experience. Third problem. Learning research skills is an important part of medical training. It is challenging for students to find research projects to participate in, and many students wishing to participate in research projects are unable to do so. Research opportunities for students became even more limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, as laboratory and departmental occupancy levels were restricted. Fourth problem. Genetics tests and treatments are becoming an increasingly common part of medical practice, but medical students' knowledge of genetics is often poor. Medical students' knowledge of neurology, including epilepsy, is also often poor. Fifth problem. There are no up-to-date epilepsy gene databases; creating one will help accelerate mechanistic/therapeutic discovery in epilepsy. A Medline search for studies reporting genes associated with epilepsy revealed ~10 000 abstracts, which were manually screened to identify relevant abstracts and extract data from them. Students were invited to perform the manual screening and data extraction. Headmasters of three schools—a fee-paying school, a ‘typical’ state school and a state school with a higher-than-average number of students from an economically deprived background—were contacted to publicise the project amongst their sixth form students. The project was also publicised amongst medical students by word-of-mouth. Over 60 students from multiple schools and universities in different cities took part. Detailed written instructions explaining genetic and epilepsy concepts were created and then optimised based upon feedback from a focus group of students. An introductory YouTube video was created by a medical student. Sixth form students were invited to live virtual tutorials. Manual curation was performed using an online systematic review tool (www.sysrev.com). An administrative team (comprised of three medical students, supervised by a senior clinical lecturer) performed live audits of students' initial responses and provided individualised feedback. The extracted data were collated by a medical student into an online database (www.liverpool.ac.uk/D3RE/SAGAS; to be described in a separate publication, which will have all the students listed as co-authors). Aspiring/current medical students are able to learn about advanced genetic and medical terminologies and successfully apply them in data-mining research. Such large-scale online-only projects enable many students from multiple institutions in different cities to participate in research, even during a pandemic. Live audit of participants' early results and providing individualised feedback is feasible and aids student education and research efficiency. About 90% of students felt that their understanding of genetics, epilepsy and research improved. Sixth form students felt that their applications to medical school would be strengthened. Participation and completion rates were lowest for sixth form students from the state school with a higher-than-average number of pupils from an economically deprived background. In future, there should be more strenuous outreach/support to less privileged students.

Taking Pause: A COVID-19 Student Reflection on Global Health Research Opportunities, Training, and Institutional Reform.

Restrictions to research due to COVID-19 have required global health researchers to factor public health measures into their work and discuss the most ethical means to pursue research under safety concerns and resource constraints. In parallel, global health research opportunities for students have also adapted to safety concerns and resource constraints. Some projects have been canceled or made remote, but inventively, domestic research opportunities have been created as alternatives for students to continue gaining global health learning competencies. Knowing the ethical challenges inherent in short-term student global health research and research in strained health systems, it is intriguing why these safer alternatives were not previously pervasive in global health education. This paper provides perspectives from students training at academic institutions in the US on how COVID-19 disrupted student research and what can be learned from the associated shifts in global health research. Additionally, the authors take this opportunity to advocate for academic institutions from high-income countries to reflect on long-standing global health research conventions that have been perpetuated and bolster training for students conducting global health research. The authors draw on their experiences, existing literature, and qualitative interviews with students who pursued global health research during COVID-19.

Adapting for sustainability: Ensuring provision of research skills development for undergraduate medical students.

The Covid-19 pandemic forced undergraduate medical students and staff to adapt and adjust to new strategies for conducting research. The aim of this study was to investigate its impact on student research opportunities across Irish and UK medical schools and how these programmes have responded, both in terms of innovation and practical solutions. A 17-item online mixed methods survey was distributed to academic staff across 31 Irish and UK medical schools. Participants were asked about (a) the effect of the pandemic on undergraduate research teaching and project opportunities, (b) measures taken to mitigate pandemic effects on these curricular elements. Descriptive analysis was used to summarise quantitative data, and free-text responses were thematically grouped. We received a 66.74% (n = 21) response rate to our survey. Over 75% of respondents stated that the availability of clinical research, lab-based research, summer research programmes and QI/clinical audit projects was negatively impacted by Covid-19. Mitigation strategies included adaptation and adjustment in design of research projects; migration to online content delivery and collaborative platforms; virtualisation of research dissemination opportunities; increased workload for staff involved in delivery of research programmes; flexibility around assessment of research-based assignments; and importance of open communication. Covid-19 has affected traditional clinical research opportunities for medical students, particularly patient-facing projects, as well as laboratory-based research options. Mitigation strategies included the introduction of time- and cost-efficient virtual data collection methods. Some of these innovations have potential for ongoing and future development, but others are short-term responsive solutions that may prove less sustainable.

Female mentors positively contribute to undergraduate STEM research experiences.

The positive influence of undergraduate research and mentoring on student success in STEM fields has been well-established. However, the role that the gender of a research mentor may play in the undergraduate research experience warrants further investigation. This is an especially critical issue to address, since the lack of female role models in STEM fields is acknowledged as an impediment to the success and progress of women pursuing STEM-careers. To evaluate how the gender of undergraduate research mentors influences the research experience of students, we collected and analyzed surveys from undergraduates and alumni who had completed undergraduate research at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. We found that even though students did not select mentors based on gender, there were differences in how students perceived their mentors, depending on the gender of their mentors. Interestingly, students with female mentors were more likely than students with male mentors to report that their research experience had prepared them for a career in science. Further, our gender-pairing analyses revealed that students who expressed that the gender of their mentor had contributed to their relationship with their mentor were more likely to have a female mentor. Our data indicate that female mentors favorably influence the undergraduate research experience of both male and female students. Finally, our study reinforces the conclusions of previous studies demonstrating that undergraduate research and mentoring are beneficial for students. Overall, our findings support that, for students to fully benefit from their undergraduate research experience, undergraduate research opportunities for students should include an equitable representation of female mentors.

Conference Proceedings of the 2020-2021 John B. Graham Student Research Symposium

Established in 1987, the John B. Graham Medical Student Research Society recognizes and promotes the research efforts of the medical student body at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in basic science, public health, and clinical sciences. Throughout the year, members exchange ideas and share their experiences about conducting research. In addition, the Society serves to encourage collaboration with faculty to promote productive research opportunities for students. The following conference proceedings represent abstracts accepted for presentation at the 2020-2021 Student Research Day.

Remaking higher education for the post‐COVID‐19 era: Critical reflections on marketization, internationalization and graduate employment

This Special Issue was conceived and developed following a series of international conferences held in Asia, with a particular focus on critically reflecting upon higher education development in the region from broader social and political economy perspectives. Some of the papers in this Special Issue were selected from presentations in the East Asia Social Policy (EASP) Research Network Conference successfully held in Taiwan in 2018, while others were chosen from international events held at Lingnan University in Hong Kong presenting critical reviews and reflections on internationalization, marketization and graduate employment of higher education in Asia. This introductory article puts the discussions of the selected papers in this issue in context, with critical reflections on the key issues being examined in these papers. The Special Issue is published when the world is still confronting the unprecedented global health crisis resulted from the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. This article discusses the higher education development trends in Asia through the massification, diversification and internationalisation processes in transforming the higher education system and examines how these development trends are affected by the COVID‐19 crisis.

Online Hide and Seek: Allopathic US Medical Schools’ Radiology Education Virtual Presence

Rationale and ObjectivesTo highlight radiology's merits and boost appeal to medical students in the digital era, it is increasingly important for radiology departments to be readily accessible to medical students. We report the results of a multivariate analysis of the virtual presence of radiology medical student education of 152 allopathic United States (US) medical schools, the first report of its kind to the authors’ knowledge. We detail eight elements to include when optimizing a radiology medical student education website. MethodsIn August 2020, the Department of Radiology websites at 152 allopathic US medical schools were assessed for the presence of a medical student radiology education website and accessibility of collated information about preclinical and clinical course offerings, radiology interest groups, and outreach initiatives in the form of student radiology mentorship, shadowing, and research opportunities. Results65.1% (99/152) of allopathic US medical schools’ radiology departments have a dedicated medical student radiology education website, one of which was excluded from further review due to password protected content. 58.2% (57/98) of departmental websites include information about preclinical radiology coursework and 90.8% (89/98) of departments provide information about clinical courses. Details about interest groups were found on 26.5% (26/98) of departmental websites. Information about mentorship and shadowing was identified on less than half of departmental websites. 51% (50/98) of Department of Radiology websites provide information about research opportunities for students. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that the majority of allopathic US medical schools’ radiology departments lack full information of relevance to medical students. To engage today's and tomorrow's medical learners digitally, there is opportunity and need to improve the online availability of information about preclinical and clinical radiology courses, student interest groups, shadowing opportunities, student mentorship, and student research. We detail eight elements to include when optimizing a radiology medical student education website. In most instances, this can be accomplished by revising an existing radiology department website in a manner that engages, educates, and recruits medical students. As a specialty, radiology must expand our digital footprint to reach tomorrow's colleagues and leaders.

Inter-Institutional Partnerships to Develop Veterinarian-Investigators through the NIH Comparative Biomedical Scientist Training Program Benefit One Health Goals.

Limitations in workforce size and access to resources remain perennial challenges to greater progress in academic veterinary medicine and engagement between human and veterinary medicine (One Health). Ongoing resource constraints occur in part due to limited public understanding of the role veterinarians play in improving human health. One Health interactions, particularly through interdisciplinary collaborations in biomedical research, present constructive opportunities to inform resource policies and advance health care. To this end, inter-institutional partnerships between individual veterinary medical education programs (VMEPs) and several National Institutes of Health (NIH) intramural research programs have created synergies beyond those provided by individual programs. In the NIH Comparative Biomedical Scientist Training Program (CBSTP), interdisciplinary cross-training of veterinarians consisting of specialty veterinary medicine coupled with training in human disease research leading to a PhD, occurs collaboratively on both VMEP and NIH campuses. Pre-doctoral veterinary student research opportunities have also been made available. Through the CBSTP, NIH investigators and national biomedical science policy makers gain access to veterinary perspective and expertise, while veterinarians obtain additional opportunities for NIH-funded research training. CBSTP Fellows serve as de facto ambassadors enhancing visibility for the profession while in residence at NIH, and subsequently through a variety of university, industry, and government research appointments, as graduates. Thus, the CBSTP represents an inter-institutional opportunity that not only addresses critical needs for veterinarian-scientists in the biomedical workforce, but also simultaneously exposes national policy makers to veterinarian-scientists' specialized training, leading to more effective realization of One Health goals to benefit human and animal health.

The virtualization of medical education in response to COVID-19: A Harvard and McGill pre-clerkship medical student perspective

In response to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 across North America in early March of 2020, Canadian and United States medical schools swiftly virtualized medical education for pre-clerkship students. With remote learning arrived novel challenges: barriers to students’ comprehension of course material, difficulties conveying the nuances of patient interaction, and social hardships hindering students’ continued progress. The 2020 Harvard-McGill Medical Student Exchange, a group of ten McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Harvard Medical School students, analyzed their institutions’ respective responses in the virtualization of medical education and their personal experiences with remote pre-clerkship education. The authors’ work provides insight into opportunities for mutual progress and cross-cultural exchange between Canadian and American medical schools, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors detail potential changes to didactics, student research opportunities, support for students, and clerkship preparation that they expect would benefit pre-clerkship students in an ever-changing biomedical landscape. With gratitude toward their respective programs for their efforts in transitioning to virtual learning, the authors look toward a future of medical education increasingly interwoven with digital technology and responsive to social change.

The pre-clerkship medical student's experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: An international conversation with recommendations for progress

In response to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 across North America in early March of 2020, Canadian and United States medical schools swiftly virtualized medical education for pre-clerkship students. With remote learning arrived novel challenges: barriers to students’ comprehension of course material, difficulties conveying the nuances of patient interaction, and social hardships hindering students’ continued progress. The 2020 Harvard-McGill Medical Student Exchange, a group of ten McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Harvard Medical School students, analyzed their institutions’ respective responses in the virtualization of medical education and their personal experiences with remote pre-clerkship education. The authors’ work provides insight into opportunities for mutual progress and cross-cultural exchange between Canadian and American medical schools, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors detail potential changes to didactics, student research opportunities, support for students, and clerkship preparation that they expect would benefit pre-clerkship students in an ever-changing biomedical landscape. With gratitude toward their respective programs for their efforts in transitioning to virtual learning, the authors look toward a future of medical education increasingly interwoven with digital technology and responsive to social change.