Embedding research education and scholarly project development into a medical education curriculum: a transferable...

Early experiential learning, including participation in research and community-engaged health promotion, fosters critical thinking, scholarly development, and socially responsive practice; however, these opportunities remain inconsistently integrated into pre-clinical curricula. Dense foundational science content, limited faculty mentorship capacity, and reliance on optional engagement contribute to inequitable access, with participation often limited to higher-achieving students. These gaps challenge compliance with accreditation expectations that require medical schools to provide students with opportunities for scholarly activity and faculty mentorship. Concurrently, the transition of United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 to pass/fail has increased the importance of scholarly productivity in residency selection, underscoring the need for scalable and equitable curricular models. Ross University School of Medicine delivers a longitudinal Community Medicine curriculum for all students, anchored by the Community-Based Assignment (CBA). The 12-credit Community Medicine program combines over 140 h of didactic, experiential, and active learning, with community-based clinical experiences, interprofessional collaboration, and reflective exercises to develop scholarly and clinical competencies. Within the CBA, students work in small groups to design and implement either a research project or health promotion intervention across three semesters. The model is scaffolded across conceptualization, implementation, and reflection, supported by training in epidemiology, biostatistics, ethics, and dissemination, alongside structured faculty mentorship. The model adopts a glocal approach by engaging students in addressing locally relevant health priorities within Barbadian communities while developing transferable competencies in social accountability, evidence-based practice, and community engagement that are applicable across diverse healthcare systems and global contexts. Between January 2023 to May 2026, students initiated 170 projects (106 research; 64 health promotion), with 49 ongoing and 16 having received IRB approval, reflecting sustained engagement and competency development in inquiry, collaboration, and community engagement. Anecdotal feedback highlights transformative learning, improved understanding of social determinants, and greater confidence in applying evidence-based practice. Future directions include implementing a structured project transfer mechanism to ensure continuity across cohorts and expanding faculty involvement. Increased integration of interdisciplinary and clinical faculty will strengthen mentorship, promote longitudinal engagement, and enhance scholarly productivity across the medical education continuum.