Objectives/Goals: The scientific workforce has seen a trending decrease in future clinicians pursuing research over the last several decades. This study assessed effectiveness of a mentored research program to increase research skills and future research interest among medical students. Methods/Study Population: The Medical Student Research Program (MSRP) at UCIis designed to provide research training to medical students beginning their first year of medical school until graduation. All students applying to enroll in the MSRP complete a baseline survey prior to program enrollment and an annual survey yearly afterward. Baseline surveys collected students’ self-rated confidence in research skills, along with their future intent to use research as a clinician and to pursue a future research career after medical school. Annual surveys tracked change over time in students’ research competencies and their future intent to use research. Results/Anticipated Results: Annual surveys (N=128) assessed the change from baseline to one year in research competencies and students’ intent to use research in clinical practice (mixed design ANOVA) and in their intent to conduct research in their career. Evaluations indicated improved medical student research skills, with a significant increase in student research competencies across time (F(1, 173) = 25.4, p <0.001) found for both non-enrolled (M=3.76) and enrolled (M=4.07) MSRP students, with MSRP students reporting higher mean research competencies at one year. Yet similar to national trends, there was a decrease in students’ intentions to use research in their clinical career at one year (F(1, 173) = 25.4, p <0.001). This trend was more pronounced in students no longer enrolled in MSRP (F(1, 173) = 4.7, p = 0.006). Discussion/Significance of Impact: Preliminary findings demonstrate enhanced student research competencies during the first year of the program. However, the decline in students’ intentions to use research in the future highlights a need for continued investigation into the factors driving this decline and solutions to prevent decline in the research workforce.
Piercy et al. (Wed,) studied this question.