Dataset Information

Exploring medically-related Canadian summer student research programs: a National Cross-sectional Survey Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Summer student research programs (SSRPs) serve to generate student interest in research and a clinician-scientist career path. This study sought to understand the composition of existing medically-related Canadian SSRPs, describe the current selection, education and evaluation practices and highlight opportunities for improvement.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey study among English-language-based medically-related Canadian SSRPs for undergraduate and medical students was conducted. Programs were systematically identified through academic and/or institutional websites. The survey, administered between June-August 2016, collected information on program demographics, competition, selection, student experience, and program self-evaluation.

Results

Forty-six of 91 (50.5%) identified programs responded. These SSRPs collectively offered 1842 positions with a mean 3.76 applicants per placement. Most programs (78.3%, n?=?36/46) required students to independently secure a research supervisor. A formal curriculum existed among 61.4% (n?=?27/44) of programs. Few programs (5.9%, n?=?2/34) offered an integrated clinical observership. Regarding evaluation, 11.4% (n?=?5/44) of programs tracked subsequent research productivity and 27.5% (n?=?11/40) conducted long-term impact assessments.

Conclusions

Canadian SSRPs are highly competitive with the responsibility of selection primarily with the individual research supervisor rather than a centralized committee. Most programs offered students opportunities to develop both research and communication skills. Presently, the majority of programs do not have a sufficient evaluation component. These findings indicate that SSRPs may benefit from refinement of selection processes and more robust evaluation of their utility. To address this challenge, the authors describe a logic model that provides a set of core outcomes which can be applied as a framework to guide program evaluation of SSRPs.

SUBMITTER: Patel S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6515625 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Exploring medically-related Canadian summer student research programs: a National Cross-sectional Survey Study.

Patel Sagar S Walsh Catharine M CM Udell Jacob A JA

BMC medical education 20190514 1

<h4>Background</h4>Summer student research programs (SSRPs) serve to generate student interest in research and a clinician-scientist career path. This study sought to understand the composition of existing medically-related Canadian SSRPs, describe the current selection, education and evaluation practices and highlight opportunities for improvement.<h4>Methods</h4>A cross-sectional survey study among English-language-based medically-related Canadian SSRPs for undergraduate and medical students w ...[more]

PMID: 31088445

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundOver the past decade, youth tobacco use has declined, and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have entered the market. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence of e-cigarette use among youth in Canada, by province, across sociodemographic variables and smoking-related correlates; and to examine associations among e-cigarette use, sociodemographic variables and smoking-related correlates, with adjustment for other factors.MethodsThe 2014/15 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, a biennial, school-based survey, was administered to students in grades 6-12 in all Canadian provinces. Logistic regression models were fitted to estimate odds of ever and past 30-day e-cigarette use by sociodemographic variables and smoking-related correlates.ResultsA total of 336 schools from 128 school boards (47% of eligible schools approached) and 42 094 students (66% of eligible students approached) participated in the survey. In Canada, 17.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.4%-18.9%) of students in grades 6-12 reported ever using e-cigarettes, and 5.7% (95% CI 5.2%-6.3%) reported past 30-day use. Substantial variation was observed across provinces. Female students had decreased odds of past 30-day use relative to male students (odds ratio [OR] 0.71, 95% CI 0.59-0.86), whereas current smokers (OR 10.0, 95% CI 6.66-15.02) and experimental smokers (OR 3.61, 95% CI 2.40-5.42) had increased odds relative to never smokers. Students who perceived that access was easy also had increased odds of using e-cigarettes relative to students who perceived that access was difficult (OR 3.86, 95% CI 2.96-5.03). Students who believed that regular use entailed slight risk (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.52-0.88) and those who did not know risk levels (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.21-0.46) had decreased odds compared with those perceiving no risk.InterpretationOur data confirm that many youth used e-cigarettes in the 30 days preceding the survey, although rates were substantially higher among current and experimental smokers than among students who had never tried smoking.

Project description:ObjectiveTo investigate the practice patterns of Canadian physicians who use perioperative botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections to improve surgical outcomes on spastic limbs.DesignA cross-sectional national survey composed of an invitation email and an 18-item questionnaire was disseminated by a national physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) society to 138 physician members involved in spasticity management.SettingNot applicable.ParticipantsTwenty-five percent of the participants (N=34) fully completed the survey.InterventionsNot applicable.Main outcome measuresParticipants completed an online questionnaire that examined the practice patterns and surgical outcomes associated with perioperative BoNT injections.ResultsThe majority (n=21; 84%) of Canadian physicians who inject BoNT perioperatively to improve outcomes of surgeries performed on spastic limbs are specialists in PMR practicing in academic settings. Most respondents (74%) used BoNT injections for perioperative treatment for patients with limb spasticity undergoing surgery. Of those surveyed, 65% of physicians used BoNT preoperatively, 21% used BoNT intraoperatively, and 24% used BoNT postoperatively.Of the physicians who performed BoNT injections preoperatively, 6% performed BoNT injections 7 to 12 weeks preoperatively, 32% performed BoNT injections 4 to 6 weeks preoperatively, 47% performed BoNT injections 2 to 3 weeks preoperatively, and 15% performed BoNT injections 0 to 1 week preoperatively. The majority of physicians (85%) responded that injecting BoNT perioperatively may improve a patient's surgical outcome and all of the participants (100%) stated that BoNT did not contribute to any perioperative complications or adverse effects. Qualitative responses emphasized that successful outcomes from the perioperative BoNT were linked to enhanced collaboration with surgeons and that more research is needed to determine the optimal timing of perioperative BoNT.ConclusionCanadian physicians, mostly PMR specialists, administer perioperative BoNT to improve outcomes of surgeries performed on spastic limbs. The optimal timing for perioperative BoNT was suggested to be 2 to 3 weeks before the surgery by 47% of survey respondents. All participating physicians responded that perioperative BoNT did not contribute to any known perioperative complications or adverse events. This study highlights the importance of conducting more robust research to better understand optimal timing for perioperative BoNT injection, enhancing collaboration between physicians and surgeons, and increasing awareness of perioperative BoNT when planning for surgeries on spastic limbs.

Dataset Information

Exploring medically-related Canadian summer student research programs: a National Cross-sectional Survey Study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Exploring medically-related Canadian summer student research programs: a National Cross-sectional Survey Study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets