Programmatic approach to increasing osteopathic medical student participation in research: The TCOM experience

Providing medical students with a meaningful research-based educational experience will help them become exemplary physicians and informed consumers of medical research outcomes in the practice of evidence-based medicine. By participating in research projects during medical school, students have the opportunity to study specific fields that interest them in greater depth and develop their written and oral presentation skills. Studies indicate that students who have participated in research and scholarly activities during medical school are at an advantage when matching to their preferred residency. In this article, the authors outline programs and projects that provide opportunities for osteopathic medical students at the University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine to research concepts and conduct hypothesis-driven, hands-on research projects.