Fostering radiology research among medical students can enhance a student’s interest and understanding of radiology and research. It increases the academic productivity of the mentor and the department. Radiology faculty and departments should actively seek to recruit and engage students in research. Once involved, students benefit greatly from being given clear responsibility, close supervision, timely feedback, and a degree of autonomy. At the heart of the student research process is the crucial mentor-mentee relationship, and mentors should be cognizant of their vital role and methods of encouraging and enhancing this relationship. Ultimately, the advancement of the field of radiology depends on constant innovation and improvement. Radiology research by medical students fuels both innovation and the development of future academic radiologists and physician-scientists, helping to secure future growth for our field.
Radiology remains one of the most competitive specialties for medical students to enter via the National Resident Matching Program. Among US college seniors who matched to their preferred specialty in 2011, the mean US Medical Licensing Exam Step 1 score for those entering diagnostic radiology was 240 and the mean number of research experiences was 2.8 . Despite the impressive caliber of students that enter diagnostic radiology, radiology has not been traditionally viewed as a research-heavy field, which some attribute to the lack of exposure to radiology research as well as a lack of research mentors . As a technology-driven, forward-thinking medical specialty ever pushing the boundaries of our diagnostic capabilities, the field of radiology would benefit from increasing numbers of research-orientated clinicians and academicians.
Given the focus on training a greater number of academic radiologists engaged in clinical research, it is important to facilitate early exposure to clinical radiology teaching and radiology research among medical students. The purpose of this article is to explore the value of promoting radiology research among medical students, discuss methods of engaging students in radiology research, describe current opportunities available for medical students interested in radiology research, and outline methods by which radiologists can serve as successful mentors when fostering research among medical students.
The value of medical student research
Medical students benefit from participating in research in many ways. Their exposure to the research process allows them to become acquainted with it and with radiology in general . It also helps them recognize the importance of research to the future of radiology, the medical community, and the general public . Ultimately, early exposure to radiology research can make students sophisticated consumers of evidence-based medicine in clinical practice. Furthermore, radiology is one of the most competitive residency programs , and although radiology program directors indicate research and publication are less important than a number of other factors when reviewing applications , research experience may help differentiate candidates who excel in other areas . This advantage may be particularly evident when applying to academically oriented programs . Completed research may also aid in application to residency programs by providing material for personal statements and interview discussions . For undecided students considering radiology as a specialty, radiology research may help because the active participation involved may be more engaging than passive observation .
Engaging medical students in research benefits not only the students, but also the mentors and departments involved as well as the field in general. Medical students represent an important resource for research performance . Their participation can result in increased academic productivity for the faculty involved . Multiple studies have found an association between medical student research involvement and that student choosing academic careers, which may increase the number of research-oriented clinicians advancing radiology in the future. Given that many of the students interested in radiology research are third- and fourth-year students who have chosen to pursue a career in radiology, they are often highly motivated and goal-oriented researchers. Attracting highly efficient, goal-oriented, high-achieving, balanced, mature medical students to radiology is an investment in our field. Giving students an opportunity to learn the basic components of radiology research, inspiring them to be life-long academicians, and mentoring them in the field of radiology is very rewarding and contributes to both the field and our patients.
Engaging students in research
Recruiting Student Researchers
Although some students may seek out research opportunities on their own, effectively communicating available research projects could significantly increase the number of students who take advantage of these opportunities. Such communication could take place through e-mail or announcements made before, during, or after lectures, particularly lectures for first- and second-year students. Announcements may be particularly effective coming from faculty interested in pursuing student research projects. Listing available faculty members and summaries of available research projects on the department website and linking to this list on the medical student radiology interest group website (if applicable) will allow students to more easily identify projects they want to join . Keeping this list updated, with an explicit indicator of how recently the list was updated or verified, is important; if lists are poorly maintained, students may be less inclined to contact project leaders. Creating such a one-stop location for information on research activities and informing students of the existence of such lists is likely just as important as making the information available.
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Generating Medical Student Interest in Research
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Summer Research Projects
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Formal research programs
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Formal Summer Research Programs
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Elective Research Rotations
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Formal Year-long Research Programs
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Mentoring medical students and dynamics of research teams
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Conclusion
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