Developing future clinician scientists while supporting a research infrastructure

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Research
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Clinical research is vital but faces challenges in academic medical centers (AMC), including a shortage of clinician scientists and difficulties meeting patient enrollment targets for clinical trials.
• Undergraduate students pursuing biomedical careers often lack practical experience in clinical research settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an innovative undergraduate course designed to support clinical research activities within an academic medical center.
• To explore how this course can bridge the gap between student interest in research and the needs of clinical studies.

Main Methods:

• The "Clinical Research Methods and Practice" course provided students with didactic instruction and hands-on experience in clinical research.
• Students actively supported clinician scientists by assisting with patient identification, screening, data collection, informed consent processes, and specimen handling.
• Clinician scientists benefited from research support and engaged in mentoring activities with the students.

Main Results:

• Over seven semesters, 128 students contributed to 21 clinical studies across inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Student assistance enabled many clinician scientists to meet crucial patient enrollment goals, with some studies becoming top enrollers in multicenter trials.
• The practical experience gained by students was substantial, covering key aspects of clinical trial conduct.

Conclusions:

• The "Clinical Research Methods and Practice" course effectively addresses common barriers to conducting clinical research in academic medical centers.
• This educational model offers a viable strategy for institutions aiming to mentor students early in their research careers and strengthen clinical research infrastructure.