Developing future leaders in reproductive health through a scholarly concentration for medical students

To evaluate the impact of a scholarly concentration for medical students, which aims to develop students' research, clinical and advocacy skills to promote women's reproductive health.

Scholarly concentration programs provide opportunities to engage in scholarship beyond the traditional medical school curriculum. Faculty from the Family Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology Departments at Brown University collaboratively developed the Scholarly Concentration in Women's Reproductive Health. Three to five students per class enroll and carry out a 3-year mentored research project, attend monthly seminars, write position papers on reproductive health controversies and complete clinical electives in reproductive health. Students are required to disseminate their work through conference presentations and/or peer-reviewed publications. The program evaluation included measures of scholarly productivity and qualitative analyses of interviews with students and mentors as well as written and verbal feedback from students.

Ten students comprised the first 3 classes completing the program, producing 24 national presentations and 9 peer-reviewed publications. Reported program benefits included increased knowledge, scholarship skills and support for career development in reproductive health. Key factors facilitating these results were as follows: effective mentoring relationships, the community of practice that emerged through the monthly seminars and student independence in project work.

A scholarly concentration for medical students provides a unique platform to support the development of talented students as future leaders in women's reproductive health.