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Residency Program Directors' Views on Research Conducted During Medical School: A National Survey
Rachel K Wolfson1, Paige C Fairchild2, Ingrid Bahner3
1R.K. Wolfson is associate professor of pediatrics and assistant dean for medical school research, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0326-1540 .
Summary
Residency program directors increasingly value medical student research, especially in competitive specialties, as the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 shifts to pass/fail. Research participation demonstrates key skills like critical thinking and self-directed learning.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Residency Admissions
- Physician Training
Background:
- The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 transitioned to a pass/fail scoring system in 2022.
- This change creates uncertainty regarding the evaluation of other residency application components, such as medical student research.
- Understanding program director (PD) perspectives on research is crucial for medical students applying to residency programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore program director views on the importance of medical student research in residency applications.
- To assess how the USMLE Step 1 pass/fail transition influences the perceived value of research.
- To identify the skills and traits that program directors associate with research participation.
Main Methods:
- A survey was distributed to all U.S. residency program directors between August and November 2021.
- The survey queried the importance of research, preferred research types, productivity measures, and research as a proxy for applicant traits.
- Responses were analyzed to determine trends in research valuation across different specialties and in light of the USMLE Step 1 changes.
Main Results:
- Out of 885 responses, 41.0% of PDs indicated that meaningful research participation will be more important for interviews post-USMLE Step 1 pass/fail.
- Increased research importance was reported more frequently by the most competitive specialties (53.9%).
- PDs identified intellectual curiosity (62.3%), critical thinking (55.1%), and self-directed learning (52.0%) as key traits demonstrated by research participation.
Conclusions:
- Program directors value medical student research, perceiving it as a proxy for essential applicant skills.
- The shift to a pass/fail USMLE Step 1 scoring system is likely to increase the importance of research in residency applications.
- Specialty competitiveness influences the emphasis placed on different types of research, with a preference for basic science research in more competitive fields.
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