Avenues for medical student research at an institution without a home residency program

The goal of this study is to explore the strategies and challenges in obtaining research experiences among medical students pursuing ophthalmology, other surgical subspecialties (OSS), and non-surgical specialties (NSS) at an institution without a home residency for these specialties.

A 20-question confidential survey was distributed to Drexel University College of Medicine medical students spanning 1st year to 4th year and descriptive analyses were utilized to convey our results.

Of 93 respondents, there were 22 (33.3%) in ophthalmology, 32 (48.5%) in OSS, and 12 (18.2%) in NSS, while 27 students had incomplete responses or did not specify a specialty preference. Sixty-one respondents (92.4%) were from the Philadelphia campus. The mean confidence in having sufficient research experience to be a competitive applicant was comparable across groups (ophthalmology: 2.76; OSS: 2.67; NSS: 3.50; p = 0.219). Cold emailing was the most common method of securing initial research (ophthalmology: 52%; OSS: 38%; NSS: 55%), while DUCOM faculty, pathway directors, or alumni connections were underutilized. The most frequently cited challenges were a lack of mentors and difficulty identifying opportunities. Ophthalmology and OSS students placed higher importance on research compared to NSS students. Across all specialties, research acquisition was largely self-directed, with limited use of faculty and access to alumni. Despite similar levels of research participation, surgical specialties, including ophthalmology, reported greater perceived barriers and desire for support.

At institutions without specialty-specific home residency programs, early peer mentorship, structured research orientation, and alumni engagement may improve equity in research access and preparation for competitive specialties.