M.D. with Distinction in Research

Goals and Objectives

The MD with Distinction in Research Program provides UT Health Science Center at San Antonio medical students with an opportunity to spend part of their medical school career doing sustained work in basic, clinical, translational or social sciences. We expect this program will be very useful in helping students shape their career goals and building an academic track record that will be viewed favorably by residency selection committees.

Program Summary

Students may apply on either July 15 (following MS1), January 15th (during MS2), or July 15th (following MS2). MD/PhD and MD/MPH students are not eligible to apply.
Students must present a poster at one of the Medical Student Research Days held each year at least once. Funds for printing the poster are provided by the Medical Dean's Office.
Students must commit a minimum of 4 months (640 hrs) during medical school to the program “on top of” other academic activities. The 640 hours can include all effort in this project during all four years of medical school. Progress Reports and logs will be due very 6 months on June 15 and December 15.
A research log consisting of time spent in research project activities is required. This log, verified by the mentor each month, must be turned in every 6 months until completion of the program. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the research log up to date and to obtain the mentor’s signature verifying work on a monthly basis. The log must be submitted to Vanessa Leija in the Medical Dean's Research office by the mentor via email.
A progress report must be submitted and verified by the mentor every 6 months until completion of the program. The report must be submitted to Vanessa Leija in the Medical Dean's Research office by the mentor via email.
The project must be done under the mentorship of at least one UT Health Science Center at San Antonio faculty member, who must play a role in the project from beginning to end. Research completed by the student prior to entering medical school cannot be substituted for the research requirement of this program.
Students who participate in the program will be required to take, as appropriate for their project, University training in Responsible Conduct in Research and must complete all regulatory requirements (e.g. Institutional Review Board, Lab Animal and Radiation Safety Training, etc.). All requirements must be met before the start of the project.
Students must be in good academic standing and maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.25 to be eligible for the program and must maintain good academic standing to continue in the program. Failure to satisfy administrative requirements (e.g. research log, progress report, attendance and presentation at Medical Student Research Day, and compliance with regulatory requirements) may also lead to dismissal from the program.
At the conclusion of the research project, and no later than February 15 of the graduation year, a manuscript must be submitted to the MD with Distinction in Research Committee. This must be in the form of a scientific manuscript that is suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed scientific/medical journal appropriate for the subject of the project. The manuscript must be based on research as outlined in the application. This manuscript must be written by the student with help from their mentor. The student must be the first author of this manuscript. The mentor must submit a letter to the MD with Distinction in Research Committee stating the student has completed the project and he/she has read and approved the manuscript.
All students are encouraged to present their work at local and national meetings and to submit their manuscript for publication. Funds may be available through the Medical Dean’s Office to support registration fees and travel expenses to these meetings.
All manuscript submissions will be reviewed by the MD with Distinction in Research Committee. If the Committee deems the work worthy, and the student has completed all administrative requirements, the student will be awarded an MD with Distinction in Research.

MD with Distinction in Research Application

The student applying for the MD with Distinction in Research program must submit an application containing the following information:

Student’s Resume
Student’s Personal Statement. Explain how participation in the Medical Student Research Program would benefit you and the role you will play in the described research project (1 page)
Mentor’s Resume using the information from NIH PHS 398 format (maximum of 2 pages)
Summary of mentor’s current and completed extramural funding (maximum of 2 pages)
Mentoring Plan (maximum of 2 pages). Present a systematic plan that:

Shows a logical progression from the student’s prior research and training experiences to the training and research experiences that will occur during the award period
Includes both didactic and research components

How often will the mentor meet with the student?
Who else will be responsible for mentoring the student?
What are the expectations the mentor has for the student regarding attendance at conferences or other educational activities and how do these activities enhance the student’s research experience?
List the specific resources available to the student to perform the project

If the mentor is sponsoring applications from several students working on different aspects of a similar problem, it is extremely important to clarify the specific aspects each student will be working on

Project Description (written by student with input from mentor). All of the following elements must be included in the Project Description:

Specific Aim(s)
Background and Significance
Research Plan

Study population
Study design and research methods
Sample size, including sample size justification
Statistical analysis plan
Expected results
Potential pitfalls/alternative approaches

Timeline for completion of the project
Protocol number: IRB/IACUC
Brief bibliography (do not exceed 1 page)

Review/Evaluation Criteria for Students in the Program

The MD with Distinction in Research Committee consists of a group of UT Health Science Center at San Antonio faculty members with research and mentoring experience plus the Interim Director for Medical Student Research, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Medicine serving as committee chair. This group will review all applications and determine whether or not the student meets the criteria for the program. Selection factors include the student’s commitment to research, research project and qualifications, funding and written plan submitted by the mentor. Students will have the opportunity to respond to the committee’s concerns with an amended application if the initial application is not successful.

The Interim Director for Medical Student Research will review the 6-month evaluations, progress reports and research time logs for all students in the program for evidence of satisfactory progress. If progress is not considered to be satisfactory, a meeting will be scheduled with the student and their mentor and a remedial plan will be established. If suitable progress is not made at the time of the next 6 month evaluation, the student will be dropped from the program.

The Committee members will evaluate the student manuscript. All students in the program are encouraged to submit their thesis for publication. Students who submit a satisfactory manuscript and complete all other administrative requirements will be granted an MD with Distinction in Research.

Candidate

Quality of the candidate's academic record (as evidenced by verification of current average grades from course directors).
Commitment to research (1-page letter from student describing reason for applying to the program).
Quality of the letter of reference from mentor named in the application. This should address:

Evidence of the student's ability to interact and collaborate with other scientists.
Prior training and how it relates to the objectives of the project.
The student’s research efforts to this point in his/her research career, including any publications, prior research interests and experience, or evidence for anticipated capacity for performing research.

Research Plan

We recognize that an individual with limited research experience is less likely to be able to prepare a research plan with the breadth and depth of that submitted by a more experienced investigator. Nevertheless, a fundamentally sound research plan that is consistent with the student's level of research development must be provided. The research plan should include:

Specific Aims
Background and Significance
Preliminary Results
Research Design and Methods (including a description of all research methods, sample size, justification for the selected sample size, statistical analysis plan, expected results and pitfalls)
Timeline for Completion of the Project
Protocol numbers, if any
Bibliography
The student must work closely with the mentor on the development of this section. The research plan cannot exceed 5 pages, including the bibliography. The research plan will be evaluated for adherence to these requirements and also according to the following criteria:

Usefulness of the research plan as a vehicle for enhancing existing research skills.
Scientific and technical merit of the research question, design and methodology judged in the context of the candidate's previous training and experience.
Time-line and feasibility of the research project over a 4-6 month time period.

Mentoring Plan

The student must name a primary sponsor (or mentor), who, together with the student, is responsible for the planning, direction, and execution of the program. The student may also nominate co-mentors as appropriate to the goals of the program.
A 2-page NIH Biosketch and list of the mentor’s past, current and pending grant support is required.

The mentor should be recognized as an accomplished investigator in the proposed research area and have a track record of success in training research trainees.
The mentor should have sufficient independent research funding to support the proposed research project in excess of the allowable costs of this award.
The mentor should have a history of research productivity and peer-reviewed support.
The mentor should have adequate active/pending support for the proposed research project.

Strength of the mentor's statement describing a well-outlined mentoring plan tailored for the student, including (2 pages):

Information on their research qualifications and previous experience as a research supervisor;
A mentoring plan describing the nature of the supervision and mentoring that will occur during the proposed award period
Agreement to perform every 6-month evaluation on the student’s progress
If a co-mentor is named, a description of the co-mentor’s role is required

Contact Information

Paula K. Shireman, MD

Vice Dean for Research

Professor of Surgery and Medicine

School of Medicine

Office of the Dean
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229-3900
Phone: 210-567-0611
Fax: 210-567-0218
Email: shireman@uthscsa.edu

Jennifer Sharpe Potter, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Assistant Dean for Research and Student Programs

Associate Professor

Department of Psychiatry

Department of Anesthesiology

School of Medicine

UT Health Science Center at San Antonio

MC7733 San Antonio, TX 78229

Office: 210-562-0611

Fax: 210-562-5403

Heather L. Wesling
Senior Administrative Assistant

Research
School of Medicine

Office of the Dean
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Medicine, Mail Code 7790
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229-3900
Office: 210-567-0611
Email: Wesling@uthscsa.edu