What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to assess if the Medical Student Council's travel reimbursements meet students' conference funding needs.

March 12, 2026Open Access

From Poster to Plane Ticket: Student-Reported Needs for Research Conference Funding at University of Colorado School of Medicine

Key Points

The aim is to assess if the Medical Student Council's travel reimbursements meet students' conference funding needs.
Conducted a survey using REDCap to gather student feedback on travel reimbursement.
Collected data from 32 medical students at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Reviewed costs of major society meetings to compare with student budgets.
41% of students do not apply for travel support due to high costs.
Average out-of-pocket contribution is around $255, while typical costs exceed $1,789 for a one-day trip.
Recommendations include increasing specific travel support amounts and streamlining processes.

Abstract

This paper evaluates whether current Medical Student Council (MSC) travel reimbursements at CUSOM meet students' needs. Using a REDCap survey (n=32) conducted Feb–Apr 2025 and price checks of major society meetings, it shows that 41% of students forgo applying because costs remain prohibitive; students can contribute about 255 out of pocket against typical budgets of 1, 789 for a one-day trip (registration 410, airfare 225, hotel 264) and roughly 898 per day for multi-day meetings. National data on rising training costs, residency competitiveness, and shifting federal loan policies provide context for the financial strain. The paper recommends holding in-state support at 200, increasing out-of-state support to 550–800, creating a dedicated reimbursement line, and streamlining reimbursement processes.

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Cite This Study

Davis et al. (Thu,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69b25b7196eeacc4fceca432 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25677/pg5pq-a4h98

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