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Scholarly Activity

School of Medicine Scholarly Activity Guidelines

The School of Medicine integrated curriculum includes a Scholarly Activity thread.  The purpose of this educational thread is to promote medical students' independent scientific investigation through the different phases of medical education, and to provide students an opportunity to define themselves through a portfolio of investigative experiences.  The Scholarly Activity choice will be based on each individual student's interest.

Timeline

• Scholarly Activity should be sustained throughout the student's medical education.

• A minimum of six months of Scholarly Activity must be completed prior to graduation.

• The Scholarly Activity will not be defined by an hourly requirement.

• The Associate Dean for Professionalism, Accountability and Assessment must approve all Scholarly Activity projects, and will monitor students' progress.

 

Criteria for Scholarly Activity

• The Scholarly Activity must be hypothesis-driven.

• The Scholarly Activity should focus on a clinical, public heath or basic science question.

• The principle investigator (PI) facilitating a student's project must be associated with the University of Utah. If a student wishes to undertake a Scholarly Activity with a non-University of Utah faculty PI, approval must be obtained from the Associate Dean for Professionalism, Accountability and Assessment.

• The student must provide the Office of Professionalism, Accountability and Assessment confirmation from the PI agreeing to mentor the student in his/her Scholarly Activity.

• Students should not feel confined to a single area of Scholarly Activity, as individual interests are likely to change through clinical experience and exploration of different fields.  However, each student is expected to have sufficient involvement in an activity/project of interest to publicly present and defend the studied topic.

Presentation of Scholarly Activity

Students will present their Scholarly Activity experience in BOTH written and verbal format.

Written Component:

• Option 1: The student will write an abstract outlining the background, methods and results of their Scholarly Activity.  The abstract should be written in standard scientific format, approximately one page in length, and it must be approved by the PI.  The abstract will be incorporated into a portfolio detailing the Scholarly Activity of each SOM Class. The portfolio will be available for future classes to utilize as a reference source in their pursuit of a Scholarly Activity.

• Option 2: The student will submit a published manuscript from a peer reviewed journal detailing their Scholarly Activity.  The manuscript must identify the student as a first or contributing author.  Manuscripts submitted for publication, and those with publication pending status will be accepted.  Works in progress that are not yet complete should be presented through Option 1 above.

• Option 3:  Students presenting their Scholarly Activity findings in lecture or poster format (as the presenting author) at a national or regional professional society meeting will meet their Written Component requirement.  All such presentations must be approved in advance by the Office of Professionalism, Accountability and Assessment.

Verbal Component:

• Option 1: The School of Medicine will host three juried poster sessions during students' fourth year. Students will present an original poster, detailing their Scholarly Activity.  Students will be expected to defend their findings, answer questions, and discuss their Scholarly Activity with medical students and faculty in attendance.

• Option 2: Interested students may, in their fourth year, apply to present their Scholarly Activity in lecture format at the SOM Scholarly Activity Symposium (SOMSAS).  Selected students will present their Scholarly Activity findings before a multidisciplinary audience and a faculty/student panel for peer review.

• Option 3:  Student presenting their Scholarly Activity work at a national or regional professional society meeting, and/or in a formal SOM meeting such as Grand Rounds will fulfill their Verbal Component requirement.  All such presentations must be approved in advance by the Office of Professionalism, Accountability and Assessment.

Grading

• Students must complete their Scholarly Activity by May 1 of their graduation year to meet graduation requirements.

• The Office of Professionalism, Accountability and Assessment will ensure each student meets the Scholarly Activity requirement.  Once students have successfully completed their Scholarly Activity, their names will be forwarded to the SOM Promotions Committee.

• Upon review of documentation that they have satisfactorily completed all components of the medical school curriculum, including the Scholarly Activity, the Promotions Committee will nominate medical students for certification of graduation.