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Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) students have opportunities to participate in elective research projects involving the biomedical sciences, patient-centered clinical studies or health services, and policy. Under the direction of a faculty mentor, the research experience is often tailored to meet the student’s interests. Students also have the option to receive a Health Science Research Microcredential that represents efforts above and beyond in the field of health sciences research.
Research Programs during the summer between year 1 and year 2:
The Clinical Research Fellowship Program is available in conjunction with the PRECISION Pain Research Registry. Didactic training is provided and practical training continues thereafter while students remain in TCOM. Students participating in this program may qualify for stipends.
Pediatric Research Program (PRP) is a research elective in pediatrics in conjunction with the Department of Pediatrics and Cook Children’s Medical Center. This four-week program provides an introductory learning experience on a wide range of pediatric-related research projects. Students participating in this program may qualify for stipends.
The Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) is a research elective administered by the Institute for Healthy Aging (IHA) and provides TCOM students an educational experience in geriatrics clinics and aging-related research, under the guidance of top experts in geriatrics and aging. The students will participate in clinical shadowing in geriatrics. Students will be introduced to research and academic experiences early in their training that they might not otherwise have during medical school. This is translational or health services research relevant to older people.
The Institute for Translational Research (ITR) Summer Fellowship Program provides enriching experiences within ITR where fellows gain an appreciation for the inner workings of large-scale interdisciplinary research studies. The 5-week fellowship training program includes (1) didactic sessions, (2) ITR shadowing/rotations, and (3) mentored independent research. Didactic sessions and rotations will take place over a 5-week, in-person term. During this period, fellows will attend small-group seminars where they will receive training on current topics in Alzheimer’s disease, the various aspects of research study design, and the fundamentals of scientific writing and presentations. Further, fellows will shadow key study protocols, working with faculty and staff in the following areas: medical/functional exams, neuropsychological testing, consensus diagnosis, biological sampling, biomarker assays, genetic testing, and neuroimaging. Each fellow will be assigned a mentor and project; they will work with their mentor to execute the research project and develop a poster presentation of the findings/results.
Other Programs:
Dual-Degree Programs: For TCOM students interested in a more rigorous research experience, dual-degree programs in partnership with the School of Biomedical Sciences or the School of Public Health are available that lead to a DO/Ph.D., DO/MS, or DO/MPH upon completion.
The Honors Research Practicum (HRP) has an overarching goal of providing lifelong competency in research methods and is open to second-year students in the top 10% of their class. The practicum includes 20 hours of research didactics, a hypothesis-driven research project under the direction of a research mentor, and a scholarly presentation at the HSC’s annual Research Appreciation Day.
Research Electives: Third and fourth-year medical students may take advantage of a one-month research elective on a topic of their choice.
In addition to the more formal research opportunities offered at TCOM, many of our students may also participate as team members in a wide variety of research projects on campus.
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