Mentored Scholarly Project
At the University of Pittsburgh, all medical students engage in a mentored scholarly project; this program has been incorporated longitudinally throughout the curriculum as an indispensable component of their medical education and has been broadly defined to provide a wide range of opportunities to appeal to individual students’ interests and aspirations.
The intent of this effort is to expose students to the mechanics of scientific investigation; teach them how to develop a hypothesis and how to collect, analyze, and interpret data to support it; encourage them to pursue research opportunities; and help them understand the structure of thought underlying the practice of medicine. This goal is achieved through course work leading up to a mentored scholarly project designed to enhance critical and analytical thinking skills along with the creative application of scientific principles.
Scholarly projects take a variety of forms. Some students select traditional laboratory-based or clinical research experiences, while others opt for less obvious choices, like developing and supporting a hypothesis concerning new and innovative ways to provide adequate health care for the uninsured/underinsured. Many students initiate their scholarly project by pursuing a summer research program, while others might take a year off to pursue an intensive research program at Pitt or elsewhere. Students can select a project that complements their individual aspirations. Some might find the experience rewarding enough to consider a career as a physician-scientist. The goal in every case, however, is to enhance their ability to think independently, critically, and creatively and, thereby, become better equipped to practice medicine in the 21st century.
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