Undergraduate Medical Education

Medical Student RESEARCH HANDBOOK

2010 - 2011

Table of Contents
Medical Student Research Committee........................................................5 Medical Student Scholarly Research Requirement...................................7 Major Steps and Deadlines.........................................................................13 Schedule for the Class 2011 from Matriculation to Graduation.............15 Schedule for the Class 2012 from Matriculation to Graduation.............16 Publication of Manuscripts........................................................................23 Presentation of Abstracts............................................................................27 Medical Student Research Day..................................................................28 Abstract Procedures....................................................................................29 MSRD Poster Presentation Guidelines.....................................................31 APPENDIX A: Mentor Selection Form...................................................34 APPENDIX B: Mentor Commitment Form............................................35 APPENDIX C: Proposal Evaluation Form By Mentor..........................36 APPENDIX D: Required Research Project Application........................38 APPENDIX E: International Research Form.........................................39

Medical Student Research Committee

2010-2011

Faculty Representatives Betty Skipper, Ph.D., Co-Chair Andrea Allan, Ph.D., Co-Chair Alberta Kong, MD Philip Kroth, MD Grace Park, MD Vallabh Shah, Ph.D. Andrew Sussman, Ph.D Dan Tandberg, M.D. Norman Taslitz, Ph.D. Isaac Tawill, MD Eduardo Candelario-Jalil, PhD Shiraz Mishra, MBBS, PhD Wm. Sherman Garver, PhD Family and Community Medicine 272-8356 Neurosciences 272-8811 Adolescent Medicine HS Informatics Program Development Emergency Medicine Internal Medicine Family and Community Medicine Emergency Medicine Family and Community Medicine Emergency Medicine Neurology Prevention Research Center Biochemistry/Molecular Biology

Student Representatives Jessica Bryant, MSIV Ross Clark, MSIV Laura Duling, MSIV Lonika Majithia, MSIV Stephanie Valencia, MSIV LeRoy Danielson, MSIV Trisstan Maroney, MSIV Evan Baldwin, MSIV Ryan Brunsing, MSII Justin Taylor, MSIV UME Staff Representative Anne Schumann Research Coordinator, Phone: 272-4823 BMSB 114

Medical Student Scholarly Research Requirement

Learning to think independently and scientifically when approaching medical problems and developing a personal process for problem solving are important parts of lifelong medical education. Each medical student at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (UNM/SOM) is required to actively participate in solving a medical research problem during his or her medical school career. The requirement consists of three elements: 1) an experiential component where the student performs either a primary research project or an integrative review; 2) a communication component where the student must orally or in poster format present a medical research topic at a public forum; and 3) a scholarly scientific works component where the student must submit a professional scholarly paper on their primary research project. The educational goal of the required research experience is for each student to learn the importance of and the process behind applying the scientific method to solve health and medical problems, whether in the laboratory, clinic or community. The purpose of the Scholarly Research Requirement is to: Learn to apply scientific process and methodology (whether it be laboratory, clinical or community research) to answer an unanswered medical question. focusing on a single field or problem over time) Participate in a longitudinal activity which asks and answers a pertinent health question. Write and present to a public forum the scientific results of your scholarly endeavor. Gain an appreciation for primary research literature that exceeds learning the skills to simply read and interpret it. Learn how critical thinking leads to new knowledge. Complete a project that helps you learn to think independently. Develop reasoning skills by experiencing the logical process necessary for the completion of a scholarly research project. Develop professional behavior by meeting all scholarly research requirements in a timely manner. General Description Each student is required to complete this requirement by the middle of Phase III, Year 4. The student must first find a faculty mentor in the School of Medicine who will provide advice in writing a research proposal and guide the student through each step of the research effort. The Medical Student Research Committee (MSRC) reviews and approves proposals, monitors the students progress toward completion of the research

requirement, facilitates the evaluation of the final paper that summarizes the results of the research and may provide technical support for the student and mentor. All students, with exceptions as noted below, write a proposal, participate in a research process, present a scientific project publicly, and write a final scholarly paper about a research topic. Exceptions to Research Requirement 1) Students who are enrolled in the MD/PhD joint degree program are not required to participate in the formal procedures of the Medical Student Research process in addition to the MD/PhD research dissertation process. Students entering medical school with one or more graduate degrees may petition the Medical Student Research Committee to be exempt from the medical student research requirement if they have: a. A PhD in a bio-medical related field, or b. A research/thesis-based Masters Degree in a bio-medical related field. In order to request consideration for the exemption, the student must submit proof of degree and copy of publication(s) or an abstract of the thesis/dissertation and face page signed by the thesis/dissertation committee. The thesis/degree must have been achieved within the past five years upon matriculation to the SOM. The Medical Student Research Committee will rule on the exemption and, if granted, will notify the Office of Student Services of the satisfactory fulfillment of the research requirement for graduation purposes. During the research block, those students exempted may use the time as vacation, they may participate in a non-clinical elective (e.g., Spanish, history of medicine) or they may participate in volunteer work. Students who would like to take an elective may petition CSPE I for Phase III non-clinical elective credit. Volunteer activities will be noted on the Deans Letter as an additional activity. Research Process The student plans and completes a research project, under the direction of a mentor. The research question may be an original question asked by the student or may be a question related to the mentors ongoing research. Regardless, the student takes primary responsibility for completing the project. The project may be performed in any appropriate setting: lab, health care facility or community. With the approval of the MSRC, a maximum of three (3) students may work on a joint project. The student should take the following steps: 1. Select research mentor (see Appendix A)

2)

Find a UNM/SOM faculty mentor who will supervise the project (including, but not limited to, UNM/SOM faculty listed in the online Faculty Mentor Listing located at: http://hsc.unm.edu/som/education/ume/Research/docs/MentorsList.htm). While it is acceptable to conduct research with a research mentor outside UNM/SOM, a

co-mentor from UNM/SOM faculty is required. Information about Health Sciences Center Research including faculty publications is listed on the web at http://hsc.unm.edu/research. The deadline for submitting the Mentor Selection Form is before leaving for Practical Immersion Experience (PIE). Write research proposal

The proposal must be written by the student, not taken from a grant application. The committee is interested in reading how the student describes (and thus understands) the project in his or her own words, and requires that each component of the format (page 12) is included in the proposal. Details for writing proposals may be found in the Required Research Proposal Format section. Numerous approaches to research are possible. For example:
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One approach is for the student to collect primary data appropriate to the project. This may include designing questionnaires, reviewing charts, collecting samples from participants, or performing laboratory experiments. Another approach would be for the student to use secondary data, a comprehensive and complete set of data that has been gathered by his/her mentor or another investigator. In this case, the student must ask a new question and then use the existing data to attempt to answer it. The student may not ask a question of the data that has already been analyzed and published. It must be an original question formulated by the student and mentor.

Submit written research proposal

Under the guidance of the mentor, prepare and submit a research proposal to the MSRC. Formal research proposals must be submitted to the MSRC as a condition of promotion from Phase I to Phase II. The written proposal is due based on the deadlines applicable to your graduating class (See Medical Student Scholarly Research Requirement, page 13). Along with your proposal, you must submit the following: 1) the Required Research Project Application Form signed by you, 2) the Mentor Commitment Form completed by your mentor, and 3) a Proposal Evaluation Form by Mentor completed by your mentor All forms are available on the research web page located at http://hsc.unm.edu/som/education/ume/Research/forms.shtml.

While you may begin data collection prior to MSRC proposal review, it is strongly recommended that you not begin data collection before you have an MSRC-approved proposal. In the process of reviewing the proposal, the MSRC may have questions or suggestions that will change your research protocol. If you begin data collection before you have MSRC approval, you may have to redo your work.

However, if your project includes collecting data about human beings, the Human Research Review Committee (HRRC) must approve your project before data can be collected; and for animals, approval by the Animal Resource Facility (ARF) is required prior to beginning your work. If the mentor has not obtained approval, you should budget additional time to do so. After the proposal is submitted, the members of the MSRC will review the proposal. The MSRC will try to have the review memo to the student and mentor before the start of the Research Block. The MSRC may approve the proposal as it was submitted, request clarification in a memo, require a partial or complete rewrite of the proposal, or disapprove the proposal. A deadline for response, when required, is given to the student and mentor in the memo. Proposals must be approved by the end of Phase II as a condition of promotion to Phase III. Time for conducting your research project must be arranged under the direction of the mentor after MSRC approval is obtained.

Approve research proposal

Perform proposed research

Present research Present your research results in an approved public medical forum. In order for your presentation to be applied as your research requirement, your PROPOSAL must be APPROVED prior to the time of presentation. Your presentation can be done either before or after your final scholarly research paper is submitted. Research must be presented at Medical Student Research Day or another approved public medical seminar (e.g., departmental, Western Medical Student Research Forum, or other national meetings) before graduation. Students are required to present individually, even if part of a project team. Teams can attend a conference and present individually, although only one student will get credit for the presentation. Submit final scholarly research paper

After completion of the research, submit a scholarly research paper in an acceptable scientific format on or before December 1, Year 4 in order to be considered for the M.D. degree. A final scholarly paper in an acceptable scientific format must be written by the student and approved by the mentor in a letter to MSRC. The MSRC will finalize approval of the scholarly research paper.

Mentors Responsibilities 1. Read, comment on and approve the student's research proposal in a written letter of support to be submitted with the application to the MSRC . The letter should address feasibility of the student being able to complete the project in the time

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available and mentor support for the project and the student, in addition to any other pertinent information regarding the research project. 2. Provide guidance to the student during each step of the research project. Meet with the student regularly to review project progress. Be available on a day-to-day basis for problem solving with the student. 3. If necessary, provide space, supplies and equipment for the students project. 4. Ensure that Human Research and Review Committee (HRRC) protocol numbers are obtained for the use of any human subjects, or an exemption in writing, and Animal Resource Facility (ARC) protocol numbers for animal subjects. These must be obtained before the student begins any data collection on the research. 5. Be sure that students are trained in all appropriate safety precautions necessary, such as handling biological materials and radioactive materials, before the student begins the research. 6. Advise the MSRC of any problems that arise that may change the scope of the approved research project. 7. Supervise the students activities during the Phase I-2 Research Block. Fill out and return an evaluation form at the end of the Research Block for academic credit. This form will then be included in the student's file in the Office of Student Affairs. 8. Supervise the student during preparation of the public presentation and the final paper. Read, comment on and approve the paper with a cover letter before it is submitted to the MSRC. Animal or Human Subject Approval If the research involves the use of animals or human subjects, it is the responsibility of the mentor to work with the student to obtain any necessary animal or human subject institutional approval prior to commencing a research project. To learn more about the use of animal or human subjects, refer to: http://hsc.unm.edu/som/research/acc/ http://hsc.unm.edu/som/research/hrrc/ Evaluation of the Primary Research / Professional Paper 1. The mentor must review and approve the final scholarly paper with a cover letter to be submitted to the Medical Student Research Committee along with the paper. If desired, the mentors recommendation of the student for Faculty Commendation in Research should be included in this cover letter. The MSRC will then conduct the final review for approval of the manuscript. Any changes requested by either the mentor or MSRC must be made by the student before credit will given. A published paper in a peer-reviewed journal (or one accepted for publication) can satisfy the final scholarly paper requirement. If the student is not the first author, the mentor must include a statement about the students contribution. The MSRC will assign a grade of credit/no credit to the research presentation and the final paper based on the mentors formal evaluation and the MSRC evaluation.

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Student posters presented during UNM Medical Student Research Day will be entered into a competition. A panel of faculty judges will judge each poster presentation and the top three posters will receive monetary awards. Students may also present their research results at other MSRC-approved public medical seminars. Guidelines for Faculty Commendation in Research 1. All deadlines must be met on time . It is acceptable to have a national presentation scheduled by December 1, year 4, and delivered before graduation. The mentor must recommend the student to be considered for a Faculty Commendation in Research in the written evaluation of the students scholarly research paper (cover letter) submitted with the paper. The students research project should either be published or accepted for publication in a national peer-reviewed journal or be presented at a national meeting where abstracts are peer reviewed, such as the Western Student Medical Research Forum (WSMRF) of the American Federation for Clinical Research in Carmel, California. The student should usually be designated as first or second author. The Commendation will be a permanent letter in the students file and will be noted in the Senior Awards Day program. Funding for Research Projects 1. Funding will be available on a competitive basis for all students and is subject to available monies. Students may request up to $500 for supplies if not available from other sources (i.e., mentor grant, mentors department). A signed letter from the mentor must confirm the need for supply monies. Also, a written request addressed to the MSRC from the student that includes an estimated list of expenses is also required. Funding approvals will be valid for the fiscal year in which the approval was given. If the full amount of funding is not used by June 30 of that year, the student will need to reapply for the balance of the funds when needed and approval will be subject to availability of monies. Funding for Travel The Office of Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) has limited funds to assist students in meeting travel expenses. Additional resources for funding may be available through application for an RPT Grant from the Office of Graduate Studies. Submission of the applications will be made to the Office of Graduate Studies with copies given to UME. Travel funding provided by UME to national meetings, including the Western Student Research Forum in Carmel, California, will be limited to $750 per student. Anything over this amount will be the students responsibility. Travel funds DO NOT include international travel. Note that UME will only reimburse early-bird registration fees, not late registration. Medical student research funds for travel are only available to students presenting at a conference.

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MEDICAL STUDENT SCHOLARLY RESEARCH REQUIREMENT

Major Steps and Deadlines

Class of 2011
Research Requirements Select Mentor Submit Research Proposal Deadlines April 7, 2008 September 17, 2008 Promotion Requirements n/a Must submit proposal for promotion to Phase II. Must have proposal approved for promotion to Phase III. Must have final paper approved before graduation. Must present research prior to graduation.

Approval of Research January 3, 2010 Proposal Submit Scholarly Research December 1, 2010 Paper for Review Research Presentation April 2011

Class of 2012
Research Requirements Select Mentor Submit Research Proposal Approval of Research Proposal Submit Scholarly Research Paper for Review Research Presentation Deadlines April 7, 2009 November 9, 2009 January 3, 2011 December 1, 2011 April 2012 Promotion Requirements n/a Must submit proposal for promotion to Phase II. Must have proposal approved for promotion to Phase III. Must have final paper approved before graduation. Must present research prior to graduation.

Class of 2013
Research Requirements Select Mentor and Exemption Request Submit Research Proposal Approval of Research Proposal Submit Scholarly Research Paper for Review Research Presentation Deadlines July 1, 2010 Monday, November 8, 2010 Monday, January 3, 2011 Monday, December 3, 2012 April 2013 Promotion Requirements n/a Must submit proposal for promotion to Phase II. Must have proposal approved for promotion to Phase III. Must have final paper approved before graduation. Must present research prior to graduation.

Class of 2014

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Research Requirements Select Mentor Submit Research Proposal Approval of Research Proposal Submit Scholarly Research Paper for Review Research Presentation

Deadlines July 1, 2011 Monday, November 7, 2011 Thursday, January 3, 2013 December 2, 2013 April 2014

Promotion Requirements n/a Must submit proposal for promotion to Phase II. Must have proposal approved for promotion to Phase III. Must have final paper approved before graduation. Must present research prior to graduation.

Presentation In order for your presentation to be applied as your research requirement, your PROPOSAL must be APPROVED prior to the time of presentation. The most common opportunities for presentation with The University of New Mexico School of Medicine connection are: 1. The Western Student Medical Research Forum in Carmel, California, traditionally held every year in January; 2. New Mexico Academy of Family Physicians winter meeting (February) in Albuquerque and summer meeting (July) in Taos, NM; 3. The University of New Mexico School of Medicines Medical Student Research Day, usually held in mid-April; 4. New Mexico Chapter of the American College of Physicians in Albuquerque, usually held the first week in November; 5. New Mexico Public Health Association Annual Conference, usually held in April; 6. National Student Research Forum (NSRF), held annually in April; 7. Southern Regional Medical Research Forum, annually in February; 8. Eastern Atlantic Student Research Forum, an annual meeting held in February.

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Schedule for the Class 2011 from Matriculation to Graduation

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Schedule for the Class 2012 from Matriculation to Graduation

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Schedule for the Class 2013 from Matriculation to Graduation

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Required Research Proposal Format

Students are expected to engage in question or hypothesis-driven research. The proposal for this research must be planned and written by the student with the advice of the research mentor. The proposal is to include the following required format and information. (See descriptions of these elements, below.) Title Page Abstract Background and Rationale Question(s) or Hypothesis(es) Methods (including Statistical Analysis) Possible Difficulties (see description below) Limitations and Biases (see description below) Students Role in the Project Timetable References General Information 1. You are encouraged to be concise in writing your proposal, which should be a maximum of 20 pages, double-spaced, including references. The thoroughness and form will be judged carefully. Be sure to follow the specific required research proposal format. The MSRC may delay considering your proposal until all the required information is provided. Double space the text and include page numbers. Do not bind your proposal. Include a signed Mentor Commitment Form (see Appendix B) and a signed Proposal Evaluation Form by Mentor (see Appendix C) with your proposal. In addition, if you are working with someone outside of UNM/SOM, you will be required to have both an on-site SOM mentor and an off-site mentor. The off-site mentor must also provide written assurance that the student will master laboratory techniques/assays of relevance to the research. Also required with your proposal is a Required Research Project Application (see Appendix D) signed by you, with the proposal. The proposal packet must display a strong commitment from and a closely supervised relationship involving an approved UNM/SOM faculty mentor. Projects will not be considered unless a mentor is available for day-to-day guidance and problem solving. The required research proposal and its supporting documents should be submitted to the MSRC for approval before the research begins or before a significant amount of the research has been completed. You may request, in writing, an expedited review for those circumstances requiring the research to begin as early as possible.

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Before you can begin your research involving human or animal subjects , you must have approval from HRRC or ARF, respectfully, or an exemption in writing. It is NOT necessary to have this approved before submitting your proposal to the MSRC. HRRC requires that the proposal be approved by the MSRC before their review. However, some research projects that you are joining may already be approved, and that fact should be noted in the application. For those students doing research outside of the United States, a letter of commitment from the on-site mentor is required along with an International Research Form (Appendix E) signed by the medical student. Abstract The abstract is a short summary that explains the main argument(s), key methods and findings along with a brief conclusion statement. Title The Title page should specify the title, the authors and their organizational affiliation. This information goes on a separate page, with the information centered on the page. The title should be the fewest words that adequately describe the content of the paper. As a general guide to length, we suggest that article titles should not exceed ten to twelve words. Finally, titles should be catchyunless the readers curiosity is stimulated, the article will not be read. Examples of clever titles: 1. Look Whos Smoking Now: The Blacks and Whites of Cigarette Use in the U.S. 2. Once is Not Enough: Repeated Testing for Cervical HPV Infection 3. Of Babies and Bathwater Background and Rationale A critical discussion of the background knowledge and rationale for the research project, with appropriate references, and a discussion of the significance of the proposed research is required. A summary of pertinent information, including results of previous research in the field should also be included, and it should be made obvious how this information leads logically to your hypothesis. A statement of the relevance of the project will be included in the final paper. The aims of the project should also be specified in the proposal. Question(s) or Hypothesis(es) Some types of research may seek to answer a specific question. It should be obvious by the methodology that the research does not lead also to the testing of a hypothesis. Most studies will be hypothesis driven and the proposal should clearly state the tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences (Webster).
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Methods (Including Statistical Analysis) Succinctly define the research methods to be followed. Be clear about what will be measured in your study. The methods should include justification of sample sizes (e.g., power calculation) and analytic approaches to be used for the data analysis. Consulting a statistician prior to submitting the proposal is highly recommended. Possible Difficulties Include a statement concerning possible difficulties such as:
Difficulties recruiting the proposed number of subjects Information missing from the chart when doing chart reviews Laboratory procedures not working properly Offer some suggestions to address the possible difficulties that you identify

Limitations/Biases A statement concerning possible limitations in the interpretation of results should be included in the proposal This could include factors such as the reliability of the methods or potential biases such as those that may be associated with using a convenience sample Limitations and biases are also specific to the particular study design (e.g, retrospective cohort or cross sectional study) For example, the limitations to a prospective cohort study are observational, so causation of a disease cannot be concluded from them. Also, they can be weakened by patient attrition and can be expensive to conduct. Students Role in the Project A clear indication of the students role in the project is required. If more than one student is involved (limit 3) then the role of each student must be explained and a clear statement from the mentor should assure the MSRC that the research effort can accommodate multiple students. Students should demonstrate their involvement in each phase of the study: literature review; protocol development; data collection; data management; data analysis; and data presentation (manuscripts and abstracts). Timetable Proposals should include a timetable for projected completion of all aspects of the project including analysis and final paper. References Any listed references must be clearly cited within the text of the proposal. Format your citations consistently. A good plan is to use the instructions for authors guidelines from the journal in which you plan to publish your work.
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Publication of Manuscripts
Some General Standards The best manuscripts are short and thorough. Most journals will provide you with length guidelines in the instructions for authors section. Journals will also provide you with very detailed instructions on format, number of copies to be submitted, etc. For manuscripts completed for requirements at UNM, the standard American Medical Association format should be followed. Thus, approximately 12-16 double-spaced pages should be considered an appropriate length for most papers. (Check a copy of the Journal of the American Medical Association for appropriate examples.) However, since we will encourage you to submit your scholarly works for publication, the reviewers at UNM/SOM will be happy to accept your manuscript in the form required for your target journal. Please specify the target journal in a short cover letter, so that we may be more helpful to you as editors as we review your work. Words should be simple and readily understandable to the reader of the journal. Avoid jargon. Words should be used according to their dictionary definition. Key technical words and acronyms should be defined early in the paper, usually in the Methods section. Paragraphs should have topic sentences, which introduce the subject of the paragraph. Unless prescribed by the proposed journal, the active voice should be used it is more informative and more precise than the passive voice. Accuracy When a manuscript is submitted, it should be free of grammatical and numerical errors. Every number in a paper should be checked against its original source by someone other than the principal author. One mechanism for checking the numbers is for a manuscript to be read out loud while another person reads silently to look for typographical and spelling errors. Make liberal use of editors (or friends) who have a critical and sharp eye for inconsistencies or errors. It is difficult to spot your own errors after several drafts of the manuscript are writtena fresh pair of eyes is usually very helpful to eliminate errors in the final draft. Organizational Structure Manuscripts submitted to meet UNM requirements and/or those submitted for publication should conform to the following layout, unless specified otherwise by the journals instructions for authors: Title page Abstract page Introduction Methods Results Discussion Acknowledgments
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References Tables Figures Title The Title page should specify the title, the authors and their organizational affiliation. This information goes on a separate page, with the information centered on the page. The title should be the fewest words that adequately describe the content of the paper. As a general guide to length, we suggest that article titles should not exceed ten to twelve words. Finally, titles should be catchyunless the readers curiosity is stimulated, the article will not be read. Examples of clever titles: 4. Look Whos Smoking Now: The Blacks and Whites of Cigarette Use in the U.S. 5. Once is Not Enough: Repeated Testing for Cervical HPV Infection 6. Of Babies and Bathwater Authorship A general guideline on authorship is that the primary author is the person who contributes the most to writing the manuscript. If possible, this same person should coordinate all the different review stages until the manuscript is published. Usually the primary author has responsibility for determining who the other authors should be and the sequence of authorship. Co-authors include collaborators who play a major role in research design, data collection, and data analysis. When using data collected with the assistance of other institutions such as State health departments, you should give consideration to offering co-authorship to the key persons involved. Reviewers should ensure that a fair consideration is given to all who contribute to the paper. Note: Too many authors smack of loading a manuscript; as a guide, no more than four or five authors usually make major contributions. Abstract The Abstract should describe the principal objective of the investigation, the methods, the main results, and the principal conclusions. It should not exceed 150-250 words, depending on the journals standards. See the specific standards for Abstracts that are presented at meetingsthe same basic guidelines hold for abstracts that are part of a manuscript. Abstracts warrant a separate page from the body of the paper. Introduction The Introduction should have a problem statement, which indicates the importance of the study and the reason for doing it. Present pertinent known facts and the theoretical development which leads logically to your hypothesis. It should include a specific statement of what your analysis is about. In addition, it is often useful to tell the reader
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the key finding(s) of the paper, especially if the analysis is complex. This strategy is a matter of personal style, however, and may not fit with your own. Methods The Methods section describes what was done in the study. It should list the data sources and define the study population in terms of person, time and place. A table of important characteristics of the study group (and comparison group) can reduce the length of text. One must explicitly state selection criteria for subjects; diagnostic criteria for cases; how exposure was measured and categorized; and, the methods of data collection, be it chart review, interview, or laboratory procedures. For laboratory-based studies, clear descriptions of procedures should be included. In addition, key variables should be defined. If interpretation depends on how questions were asked, then these questions can be included. Statistical methods of analysis and special analytic tools (such as computer software packages) should be stated and referenced. No results should be in the Methods section. Results The Results section describes the data. It should contain all of the new findings of the study to be presented in the paper. It should contain only the results bearing on the problem stated in the Introduction. It should not include methods, references to other studies, or inferences. Where possible, for epidemiological studies, use relative risk and 95 percent confidence intervals to describe differences. If no difference is found, power calculations are in order. Usually the first paragraph and first table of results describe the most important findings in the most general form, and subsequent paragraphs should deal with more specific issues. However, many papers include the demographic characteristics of study subjects as the first table. The Results should emphasize only the high points of the accompanying tables and graphs. Numbers should correspond between text and tables/graphs. However, the text should not simply list numbers easily found in Tables; rather it should highlight the trends or key data. Methods or discussion belong elsewhere. Discussion The Discussion section interprets the data. If the results are complex, the Discussion should begin with a summary of the most important findings to be considered in the Discussion section. This paragraph should be followed by a discussion of (1) the internal validity of the findings (see below), (2) the relationship of the results of other studies, and (3) the implications, conclusions, and recommendations of the study. If applicable, the public health and economic implications of the findings are important. Inferences from the data at hand should be distinguished from inferences either based on other studies or drawn from personal beliefs. Some elaboration is in order. Discussion of the internal validity of results should include consideration of the extent to which the results are true findings rather than being due
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to bias. Usually, for epidemiological studies, one needs to consider selection bias, ascertainment bias in the data collection, confounding, and random error (chance). Assuming that you are able to rule bias out, and then you should discuss interpretation of your findings. Here the agreement or disagreement of your findings with other studies is important. If you disagree, you should be able to explain why. The Discussion should conclude with a statement about the importance or implications of your findings. The reader should not finish and ask, so what? Reviewers of your manuscripts will always be looking for faults in the design or execution of your studies. By including a limitations paragraph in your Discussion section, you can beat them to the punch. This paragraph is your chance to note the potential shortcomings of your own research and helps you honestly frame the study in comparison to some ideal study that you were not able to conduct due to funding constraints, power constraints, etc. If you include some statement about future studies that you deem warranted or plan to carry out, your readers will think you are independently brilliant and have far-reaching vision. Acknowledgements For the Acknowledgements section, the following support personnel might be considered: those who provided important roles in supervision, statistics, data processing, typing, editorial review, financing of the study, and other institutional support. References Unless otherwise required by the proposed journal or publication, the standard AMA reference format should always be used. Most journals specify the format they want. Tables Tables should be simple as possible. Dates should be organized so that like elements read down, not across; this strategy facilitates easy comparison. For both graphs and tables, headings should be sufficiently clear so that the meaning of the data is understandable without reference to the text. Explanatory footnotes facilitate ready understanding of graphs and tables independently from the text. Graphs and Other Illustrations Maps, graphs and other pictorial aids can communicate information quickly and effectively. One should use an illustration if the data show pronounced trends, making an interesting picture and a visual snapshot of the data that will be more likely to be remembered by your readers. If numbers just sit there with no exciting trend apparent in the graph, a table is satisfactory, and certainly in terms of resources, often a lot cheaper to prepare. One should choose the appropriate type of graph. One may wish to seek consultation from a senior scientist and/or from the editorial services of a competent editor to help make these decisions.
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Presentation of Abstracts
By definition, an abstract is short. Most national meeting program committees require abstracts to be less than one page, single-spaced. Others have a specific form, which limits length. Always check with the program committee representative if you have any question about format. However, the committee frequently provides examples of abstracts in the materials they send out to potential program contributors. The abstract is the advertisement for your study. A poorly prepared abstract may cause a carefully done study to be overlooked. Abstracts should both entice program committees to accept your submission and convince meeting registrants to attend your presentation. Thus, abstracts should alluringly and succinctly condense the findings of your study. Titles should be short and catchy. The abstract should stand by itself; it should not include such statements as data are discussed, studies were made of or data are given on. The abstract should summarize specific facts: 1. A statement of the problem; A description of methods (epidemiological investigation, laboratory studies, etc.); The results (using real data); The significance of the study (discussion); and The conclusions.

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Medical Student Research Day

Research must be presented at Medical Student Research Day (MSRD) or another approved public medical seminar before graduation will be approved. Medical Student Research Day (MSRD) provides the UNM Health Sciences Center community with an opportunity to both share and honor the students challenges and successes, and to enlighten one another. Students are given an opportunity to present their research during MSRD in a poster presentation setting, generally once-a-year in mid-April. Poster presentations are presented in a 36 x 48 poster format, with sessions in the morning and the afternoon. Students are required to present individually. Those people who are working in teams may split up, such that one person presents in the morning session and the other in the afternoon. Student posters presented during MSRD are entered into a competition for the best posters. A panel of volunteer faculty judge each poster presentation and the top three posters of each session receive monetary awards: First Place is $150; Second Place is $100; and Third Place is $75. Students will be requested to submit abstracts to the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education one month before Medical Student Research Day.

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Abstract Procedures
Instructions for Abstract Formatting: 1. Type abstract in the blank template. The size of type should be no smaller than 10 point. Simple graph and tables may be included if they fit within the box. Margins of the blank template are: top .25, bottom .29, right and left .25, page size 6.5 x 5.28 in portrait mode. 2. Title and Authors. The title should be brief, clearly indicating the nature of the study. CAPITALIZE ENTIRE TITLE. State all authors' initials and last names followed by their institutional affiliations, city, and state. Underline presenting author only. Do not include any street address or zip codes on the abstract. 3. Body. Organize the body of the abstract to include a purpose of study, methods used, summary of results, and conclusions reached. Do not skip a line between the title and body of the abstract. 4. Abbreviations. Place nonstandard abbreviations in parentheses after the full word the first time it appears. Do not use abbreviations in the abstract title.

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LUCIFER YELLOW INCORPORATION INTO RABBIT LENS EPITHELIAL CELLS IS DEPENDENT UPON ILLUMINATION. RF Melendez*, M Wilcox**, and ML Schluter*, *University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM and **United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO. PURPOSE. To determine whether Lucifer Yellow CH incorporation into rabbit lens epithelial cells is dependent upon illumination. METHODS. Lensectomies were performed on 5 rabbits (10 eyes) using phacoemulsification. A 6 % solution of Lucifer Yellow CH was added subcapsularly prior to lensectomy. One half of the area of the lens was illuminated for fifteen minutes intraoperatively and postoperatively using either an HeCd laser (442nm) or a filtered Xenon light source via a fiber optic probe. One control eye had only dye added in the absence of illumination whereas the other control eye had only illumination. Animals were sacrificed and capsules removed and evaluated by light and epifluorescence microscopy and photography. RESULTS. Both controls showed absence of dye incorporation into the lens epithelial cells. In the remaining eight eyes, dye was present in all cells identified. A difference in cell density from illuminated to nonilluminated sides was seen in only one eye, with the illuminated side showing more fluorescent cells. CONCLUSION. Lucifer Yellow CH incorporation into rabbit lens epithelial cells requires illumination. Given the known effectiveness of Lucifer Yellow CH plus illumination in the eradication of cells in a fibroblast tissue culture, further investigation is warranted towards eradicating lens epithelial cells in order to reduce and/or prevent posterior capsule opacification subsequent to cataract surgery. Supported in part by University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine, UNM Foundations Eye Research Fund, The Eye Associates of New Mexico, P.A., and Alcon Surgical Corporation.

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MSRD Poster Presentation Guidelines

All posters presented must be approved by their respective research mentor prior to research day. Poster Size Each presenter will be provided with a 40x 60 poster board, easel, and pushpins for displaying their poster. For those posters produced by UNM/SOM Biomedical Communications, the maximum poster size is limited to 36 height and 48 width. See How to make a Poster using Microsoft Power Point for instructions on developing a poster and producing it with Biomedical Communications. Poster Layout Poster components may be mounted directly on the poster board with pushpins. The poster boards are white, so it is a good idea to use a contrasting border in your poster. In designing the poster, keep in mind that the poster is a guide for your verbal talking points. Therefore, the best use of space is usually for abstract, minimal bulleted highlights of your project (e.g., Purpose, Methods, Results, and Conclusions) and multiple graphics. It is a good idea to include the abstract at the beginning. Remember, small fonts are not viewer friendly while graphics are viewer friendly. Make sure your information can be easily read from a distance of 3-4 feet away. The banner of your poster should include Title, Your Name, Sponsored By (sponsors name, title and affiliation). If the project was funded, cite the funding agency and grant number, if any, at the end of the poster. Six Elements of an Outstanding Poster 1. Clear title. This will indicate either the question being asked, or the answer to the question that was asked. Why do it? Why is it important? Why is it interesting? Why should anyone (other than you and your mentor) care? How did you do it? What are the methods? What were the results? Where do we go from here? Having answered an interesting and important question, how will the information be applied, or what will be the next steps toward refining the answer? (Note, if the answer to this question is, to do a larger study: then you probably have not thought through element #2 above). The entire poster should be readable in less than 5 minutes. This usually means that (a) you will need to present more charts, graphs, and pictures than words; (b) the words should be readable from 4 feet away; and (c) the type font greater than 24.
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Power Point Guidelines How to make a poster using Microsoft Power Point:
1. New Slide: Select a New Slide, choose Content Layout: Blank Page Setup: Go to File, Page Setup. Slide Sized for Custom. Maximum height 36 and maximum width 48. Add text and images: Use only the default fonts, Times New Roman or Ariel. DO NOT USE CUSTOM/DESIGNER FONTS. Choose Insert, Text box and click the lift-sided mouse button to place the top left hand corner of the text box. Box size, location, and font size/style are modifiable. Chose Insert, Picture, From File, then browse until you find it, click OK. UNM School of Medicine logos can be found at http://hsc.unm.edu/webdev/logos/. REMEMBER: If you need to scan, or have digital camera images, start with a high resolution setting [200-300 ppi] and large format size [8x10], when possible. Website images are not high resolution enough for poster formats. If web images are all that you can find remember that they will be fuzzy when enlarged, which is unavoidable. Rulers: Select View, Ruler - use the ruler at the top and left of the slide to position your text boxes and images. Font sizes: Title, 80-72 pts; Authorship, 48-36 pts; Affiliation, 34-26 pts; Subtitles, 24 pts; Body, 18-14 pts; and References, 12 pts. Background: Use a light background color w/ dark text. Students will need to supply Graphic Designers with the following: 1. PowerPoint file [.PPT] ready to print, text ready file. NO EDITS! 2. One 8.5 x 11 hardcopy of poster. REMEMBER: If you cant print your poster, neither can the graphic designer. 3. Paul Akmajian, Family and Community Medicine, is available to assist students with graphic assistance (up to one hour per student). Please call and make arrangements to meet with him. Contact Information: Paul Akmajian Phone: 272-4589 E-mail: PAkmajian@salud.unm.edu Things to keep in mind before sending to the printer: 1. Four-day turn-around. First come, first served. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT! Services does not include TROUBLE SHOOTING such as: Cant open file Font incompatibilities Changes made by student after viewing proof
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Cost for graphic design is $95/hour, in quarter hour increments. Students are allotted one hour of time with Paul and will be responsible for any additional costs beyond the 1 st hour. One proof is provided. Proof must be signed-off by student before going to large print. NO EXCEPTIONS. NO RUSH JOBS. Deadline for submission to Paul Akmajian, Family and Community, is one week prior to MSRD. For UNM/SOM Medical Student Research Day, UME will cover the cost of student posters (36 X 48) produced at HSC Copy Center up to $100. Students must pick up HSC Copy Center Work Request from Undergraduate Medical Education. Call Paul Akmajian for questions regarding graphic assistance at 272-4589.

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MEDICAL STUDENT RESEARCH REQUIRED RESEARCH PROJECT

APPENDIX A: Mentor Selection Form

Submit a completed form to the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education/SOM, BMSB Room 114. THIS PAGE IS TO BE COMPLETED AND SIGNED BY THE FACULTY MEMBER Name of Mentor Department E-mail Address Phone Number

Location Name of Current Student(s) Tentative Title of Project As the faculty mentor, I will make sure this student is trained in appropriate safety procedures and has HRRC and/or ARF approval, or an exemption in writing, if necessary, before beginning any research. Signature of Faculty Member Date

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MEDICAL STUDENT RESEARCH REQUIRED RESEARCH PROJECT

APPENDIX B: Mentor Commitment Form

Submit a completed Required Research Project Application, Mentor Commitment Form, and Medical Student Research Proposal Evaluation Form By Mentor , with an attached research proposal to the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, BMSB Room 114. THIS PAGE IS TO BE COMPLETED AND SIGNED BY THE FACULTY MEMBER Name Department Location Students Name Title of Project HRRC Approval Number Pending Will submit after MSRC approval Exempt (attach memo from HRRC) Does not involve human research ARF Protocol Number Pending Exempt N/A Title E-mail Address Phone Number

Have you previously supervised a medical student doing a research project?

Research Project Category

(check all that apply)

Basic Science (Bench) Clinical Population, Behavior, Epidemiology

Lab or area where research will be carried out and phone number: Name of faculty member who will fill out and sign evaluation and verification of work forms: Estimated percentage of effort for student Student and faculty (should equal 100%):

Faculty

As the faculty mentor, I will make sure this student is trained in appropriate safety procedures and has HRRC and/or ARF approval, or an exemption in writing, if necessary, before beginning this research. I have reviewed and approved this students research proposal.
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 Signature of Faculty Member MEDICAL STUDENT RESEARCH REQUIRED RESEARCH PROJECT

Date

APPENDIX C: Proposal Evaluation Form By Mentor

Submit a completed Required Research Project Application, Mentor Commitment Form, and Medical Student Research Proposal Evaluation Form By Mentor, with an attached research proposal to the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, BMSB Room 114. Student Name Mentor Project Title Class of

Checklist Proposal addresses: (Select either yes or no) Yes No Summary of previous research and rationale for the research project Discussion of the significance/relevance of the project Clearly stated the main question or hypotheses to be tested Succinctly defined the research methods Laboratory techniques/assays will be learned by the student Approval from Human Research Review Committee (HRRC) or Animal Research Facility (ARF) Justification of sample size Analytic approaches to be used for the data analysis Timetable for completion of project Limitations and biases of the study design Possible difficulties Students role in the project (check all that apply) Literature review Protocol development Data collection Data management and analysis Data presentation (manuscripts and abstracts) Appropriate references Sufficient amount of work for the student Overview Considerations/Revisions
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Recommendations Send research proposal for review by Medical Student Research Committee Mentor Date

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MEDICAL STUDENT RESEARCH REQUIRED RESEARCH PROJECT

APPENDIX D: Required Research Project Application

Submit a completed Required Research Project Application, Mentor Commitment Form, and Medical Student Research Proposal Evaluation Form By Mentor, with an attached research proposal to the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, BMSB Room 114. THIS PAGE IS TO BE COMPLETED AND SIGNED BY THE MEDICAL STUDENT Student Name Faculty Mentor Title of Project Project Start Date E-mail Address

A request to do a research project may be denied by the Medical Student Research Committee if the Committee does not deem the research acceptable or the conditions listed below are not met. 1. Student must have an approved UNM/SOM mentor who will be responsible for monitoring the students research learning objectives, ensuring the quality of the experience, and providing a written evaluation of the students performance. 2. For students doing research away from UNM/SOM, a letter of commitment from the on-site mentor is required, along with an International Research form signed by the medical student, if the research will be done outside of the U.S.A. 3. Student must have health insurance. 4. Student is responsible for obtaining appropriate training, such as OSHA (handling biological materials) and radiation safety training, if relevant. 5. Student must provide proof that they have appropriate approvals, i.e., HRRC or ARF protocol numbers for working with humans and/or animals, if necessary, or an exemption in writing, before starting research.

Signature of Medical Student Date

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MEDICAL STUDENT RESEARCH REQUIRED RESEARCH PROJECT

APPENDIX E: International Research Form

Doing research away from the UNM/SOM for academic credit is considered a privilege. However, using this experience to satisfy the medical student research requirement may be denied by the MSRC if the Committee does not deem the research acceptable or the conditions listed below are not met. 1. A letter of support from the UNM/SOM mentor that provides the MSRC with assurance and understanding of the complexity of the particular research undertaking, and that mentor has taken all the necessary steps to ensure its success and that it complies with HRRC or ARC guidelines and standards. In addition to having an approved UNM/SOM mentor, there must be an individual at the research site to oversee the students research. The foreign site mentor should work at an academic medical institution or have an academic affiliation, in addition to an appropriate site for conducting medical student research. This person will be responsible for monitoring the students research learning objectives, ensuring the quality of the experience and providing a written evaluation of the students performance. The student must provide the MSRC with the name, address, phone number and e-mail of this person. Foreign site mentor needs to approve the students research proposal with a signed letter of support. The project must have HRRC or ARF approval from UNM/SOM and official documentation of HRRC or ARF approval from the foreign site if working with human or animal subjects; and students must provide proof that they have appropriate approvals from UNM and the research site, if required, or an exemption in writing, if necessary, for working with humans and/or animals. Students are responsible for obtaining appropriate training, such as OSHA (handling biological materials) and radiation safety training, if relevant. Student must be in good academic standing. Students are responsible for arranging for health insurance that will cover them while out of the country. The student needs to provide evidence of a health insurance policy that would provide not only health care for the student, but also for transport requiring medical evacuation or for the return of their remains if they were to lose their life while abroad. Without such insurance, UNM might well be liable for such expenses. Students are responsible for obtaining immunizations appropriate for the area in which they will be doing research. Advice on these can be obtained from the Student Health Center.

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Students are responsible for obtaining car insurance to cover them in a foreign country if they plan to drive a vehicle while there. Students are aware that even if they receive a stipend for doing research they are not necessarily considered an employee of the University of New Mexico. As such, students may not be entitled to Workmens Compensation if credit is granted for their research as well as the stipend. By signing this document, I am agreeing to assume all responsibility for damage or an injury incurred to or by me and am releasing the University of New Mexico of any liability or responsibility. _________________________________ SIGNATURE _____________________________ DATE

_______________________________________________________________________ (NAME PRINTED OR TYPED)

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