Objectives/Requirements

Third-Year Research Project

MED 8101-8104:Clinical Epidemiology is a required third-year course that consists of students developing and conducting a clinical research project. The goal of this course is to develop an understanding of clinical research. The course is designed to give students an opportunity, which they previously may not have had, to investigate a topic of interest. All medical students are required to formulate a research question; design a study; utilize a secondary dataset or chart review; test and/or verify their research question; present their findings; and complete a written report. This course is different than the traditional mentored research in that, students generate the idea and are the principal investigators, while under guidance and support of faculty from the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical Education and campuses.

It is hoped this early exposure to research will encourage students to undertake research projects during residency and while in practice.

Educational Goal: Develop an Understanding of Clinical Research

Course Learning Objectives:
On completion of this course and its assignments, the student should be able to:

Formulate a research question
Identify and evaluate basic study designs (e.g., descriptive, cross-sectional, case-control, cohort) used in observational epidemiology
Design an observational epidemiology study
Obtain IRB approval
Understand and utilize existing data and/or secondary datasets
Recognize appropriate analysis and interpret results to answer a research question
Present research findings in a useful and readable manner, including clear and concise tables
Write a research manuscript

Course Activities:
Students will:

Formulate a research question on a topic of personal interest and curiosity
Conceptualize and design a chart review-based clinical research project to answer the research question
Complete the CITI on-line IRB education/research ethics course
Apply for approval by the Human Subjects Committee (IRB) at the University of North Dakota
•Utilize a secondary dataset or chart review to gather data
Use appropriate statistical analysis output of data to determine the findings of the study
Develop a 15-minute presentation of the study to be given to the class
Write a manuscript of the study in IMRAD format

Monitor:
Department of Family and Community Medicine faculty; Clinical Faculty

General Requirements

1. Student(s) must be a primary investigator.

2. Pick a classmate to jointly conduct the project. No 3 member teams without approval.

3. Discussion and approval of your project with Dr. Beal.

4. Clinical Faculty mentored projects, if applicable:

*Review Clinical Faculty mentored project requirement
*Complete Research Proposal Form

5. Define a need for new or continued research in an area of interest.

*Develop questions that a study may answer.

6. Complete the CITI Online Basic Course and forward a copy of the Completion Report to Dr. Beal. Citi Course instructions for UND.

7. Obtain UND IRB Approval

8. Obtain Hospital/agency IRB Approval

9. Utilize the secondary datasets or chart review to obtain data.

*You cannot review or collect data until you have UND and/or Hospital IRB approval

10. Presentation

15 minutes total

10-12 minutes presentation of information

2-5 for questions/comments

11. Complete a concise, well-written report:

medical journal format

250 word structured abstract summarizing project and findings

IRMAD- Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion

approximately 8-12 pages or about 2,000-2,500 words of text not including Abstract & Reference

double-spaced using a 12-point font

adequate citations to thoroughly explore topic

12. Deadlines

Monday, September 4, 2017: Research Project Topic Form

Monday, October 23, 2017: IRB Forms

Monday January 8, 2018: Introduction and Methods Sections

Monday, March 12, 2018: Data Due

Monday, April 16, 2018: Results & Discussion Sections

Presentations of projects:
Bismarck/Minot- Thursday, May 17, 2018
Fargo/Grand Forks- Friday, May 18, 2018

Monday, May 28, 2018: Final paper

13. E-mails copies of the paper and presentation to Dr. Beal.

Paper- preferably in Microsoft Word, of the manuscript. Figures, tables and/or graphs should be separate pages/files.

14. All Abstracts will be published on the DFM Research & Grants website, with manuscripts available upon request, unless written notification is given stating that you do not wish your manuscript to be shared.