Students' Research Experiences at DO-Granting and MD-Granting US Medical Schools

All US medical schools are required to train students to interpret and apply research findings, but students' direct participation in scholarly projects is highly variable across and within institutions. DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine)-granting schools exhibit lower research participation than MD (Doctor of Medicine)-granting schools, yet the origins of these differences remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to understand how DO and MD students seek out research opportunities, their motivation for pursuing research opportunities, and their experiences navigating barriers to finding, completing, and publishing research projects. We also sought to clarify any divergence between DO and MD students in the concept of "research" and its perceived value to DO and MD students. The study was conducted at two public medical schools with similar, state-focused, primary care missions: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (HCOM), a DO-granting school, and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (BSOM), an MD-granting school. We administered an online survey to first- through fourth-year medical students, with 42 participants from HCOM and 36 participants from BSOM. Students from both medical schools shared similar beliefs and experiences regarding research participation during undergraduate medical education, despite nationwide statistics indicating higher research productivity among MD graduates compared to DO graduates. Given the shared experiences of DO and MD students, increased collaboration between their institutions in research education and mentorship could better support students' research aspirations.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-025-02603-5.