The formation of a medical student research committee and its impact on involvement in departmental research

Over the past ten years, medical students have increased their research activity to be competitive for orthopaedic residency positions throughout the country. This increase may favor students at institutions with a strong history of research production and well-established research departments with supporting staff. To compete with these institutions, a Musculoskeletal Research Committee was developed at a southern academic institution to provide a mutually beneficial link between orthopaedic research faculty and medical students. This manuscript describes the formation of this committee and the resultant involvement of young medical students in departmental research over a one year period. Composed of students and faculty, the committee developed a Research Guide for Medical Students, Research Database and Student List, Medical Students’ Webpage, and Routing Form, and holds quarterly meetings for those students active in orthopaedic research. With this platform, the committee aimed to increase young student involvement in research and provide a stratified level of study participation among upper-level students for continued mentorship. In one calendar year, the total number of first and second-year students participating in department research increased 460% (5 to 28). Also, the total number of research projects with student involvement from these two classes increased 780% (5 to 44). The introduction of a research committee is an effective method of stimulating student interest in departmental research. Early participation results are promising, and this method may be applicable to other departments and institutions hoping to increase research productivity. Abbreviations: IRB: Institutional Review Board