VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

Research Recognition Day, students are informed of research opportunities on each campus. Many opportunities exist for student research at several different levels. The most popular research experience is short-term study. These experiences most often take place during block breaks and over the summer break. They can range from several weeks to several months, depending on the arrangement between the student and the faculty member. Specific requirements and arrangements are made by each faculty member and project. Students pursuing research in faculty laboratories come under the oversight of the Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs and Research at each campus, and/or the Vice President for Research. There are also a variety of student research opportunities sponsored by VCOM, including but not limited to summer elective research programs, community health research programs, international or global health research, and bench research with faculty. Student selection is competitive based on an application, student academic standing, and recommendation from participating faculty members. Students are selected by a special committee. Students in these programs are expected to produce a finished product, including a poster for a scientific meeting or a VCOM research conference, and earning authorship on a manuscript including their studies. These programs vary from year to year depending on the particular research focus and need for research product outcome. An OMS 1 student is encouraged to first assure he or she can meet the requirement and studies of the academic program before applying to or seeking a research opportunity. The student should be able to identify by Block 3 if he or she is able to participate in a project in the OMS 1 and OMS 2 years. For the most part, first year students are encouraged to wait until the summer break between their first and second year to pursue research activities, in order to avoid distraction from their academic work. Projects started during the summer may be extended throughout the second year (and beyond), insofar as the research activity does not affect the student’s academic standing and progress. Students must be in good academic standing to participate and must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 in the first year. The student who has a GPA below 3.2 must realize his or her GPA is very important to his or her future and that residency programs will want to assure first that the student is successful in their academics, as well as on boards. There is ample time during the clinical years and/or during international mission trips to become involved in research. Students wishing to engage in research activities must be in good academic standing. Students participating in research must be associated with a faculty mentor or sponsor with an established research program or the skills and ability to conduct a research program. This includes students who are interested in developing their own research program, or who wish to develop a publication or poster/abstract for presentation at a meeting or conference. Students must meet with the appropriate Associate Dean to discuss their research participation prior to identifying a mentor. Students will need approval from the Vice President for Research, as well as either the Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs and Research or the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs prior to beginning research, publishing any papers, presenting any posters or abstracts at meetings and/or conferences, or speaking at any meetings and/or conferences. Any research involving human subjects or human data must be submitted to the VCOM Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to any work beginning on the project. The VCOM IRB does not allow students to serve as Principal Investigator on human subject research; however, students may serve as Investigators or as co-Principal Investigators with a faculty member serving as the Principal Investigator. Students may also participate in research projects as co-Investigators. Students are expected to participate in any safety training or specific laboratory training needed for laboratory work. Students who will be working with animals or with human subjects are absolutely required to participate in the appropriate IACUC (for animals) or IRB (for human subjects) training and certification process for the work. Documentation of successful training will be kept on file in the faculty mentor’s laboratory and in the Research Administration Office. Students may be included in faculty member grants as laboratory workers or even as Investigators (if appropriate for the level of training and participation on the project). Any internal or extramural funding application involving students must have prior approval by the Associate Dean for

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