For more than ten years, completing a research project has been a graduation requirement at Oceania University of Medicine (OUM). When describing the project to prospective students, OUM Admissions Counselors are regularly asked questions like “How does understanding research help me?” and “How do I decide what my project will be?”
What is research — and how does it impact patient care?
Understanding the research process so you are able to pull necessary information from a published article to apply in practice is vital, according to Associate Professor Jenny Wilkinson, PhD, OUM’s Director of Research (pictured right).
“As future clinicians, your exposure to research will be ongoing,” she says. “You will read papers and journals throughout your career, so you need to understand the process and be able to critically analyze results and draw conclusions about whether or not to apply a new drug or new procedure as you treat patients. It may be a curriculum tool during medical school, but it will eventually become a patient care asset in your practice.”
Research is about “asking, and then answering, a question,” essentially.
“That’s really all it is,” says A/Prof Wilkinson. “We ask a particular question and look for the
answer in a systematic way. The methods we use to answer the question help ensure that the
research is rigorous and that we can rely on what we find to make evidence-based clinical
decisions. You will also learn about critical thinking, problem solving, project planning, and how
to communicate research findings; skills that will be invaluable to any medical professional,” she
adds.
Its Significance is Documented
Another common question from prospective and first-year students is “Why is research
important?”
According to Christine Bennett, AO, MBBS, FRACP, Emeritus Professor and Dean, University of Notre Dame School of Medicine (2011-2023), Sydney, Australia:
- Research experience during medical school is increasingly important for obtaining
positions in training programs post-graduation. - This can contribute to developing lasting habits of critical thinking.
- Involvement in research appears to improve clinical practice.
Extensive Support for Our Research Journey
While completing a research project may be required, student success is guided by extensive support at OUM, beginning with your Research Advisor. These experienced faculty members help you navigate every stage of your research, from selecting a topic to manuscript preparation.
Once you complete the Ethics and Methods in Research Unit, you are then ready to start the Research Project unit and begin your project. At this time you will meet with the Director of Research to be assigned a Research Advisor who aids in helping to:
- Conduct a literature review.
- Develop a research question.
- Design the study and select statistical methods.
- Prepare the prospectus and, eventually, manuscript drafts.
Influence on Match and Postgraduate Training
In the US, research experience has even begun to impact residency applications and where graduates ultimately complete postgraduate training.
The National Residency Match Program is the centralized system that pairs medical school applicants with training positions based on mutual preferences. Applicants and program directors submit confidential ranked lists, and a computer algorithm optimizes the matches, ensuring the highest possible choice for both parties, typically finalized on “Match Day” every March.
“We are starting to see a trend in which more and more applicants are entering Match with published research. Not just one, but sometimes multiple publications,” says Khrystal Robinson, MD, OUM’s Acting Chief Academic Officer (pictured above, right). “This is no longer optional. Your counterparts are making this a trend, so it will soon become the expectation.”