Research Mentoring & Shadowing Program

A mentor-led, hands-on research experience for healthcare students seeking real-world academic research exposure.

This mentor-led research and shadowing program is designed for medical and healthcare students who want  hands-on exposure to academic research and real project involvement. Participants will work directly with research mentors, shadow active research teams, and contribute to ongoing studies while building practical skills in literature review, study design, data interpretation, and scientific writing. 

This program goes beyond theoretical instruction and by the end, students will have practical research competencies, documented project involvement, and exposure to academic research environments.  

Course Overview

Prerequisite: Enrollment in a healthcare professional school and acceptance after an interview

Admission to the program is selective. Applicants must successfully complete an interview prior to reserving a spot. Due to limited mentorship capacity, qualified applicants may be placed on a waiting list once spots are filled. 

Week 1: Research Foundations and Project Onboarding 

Introduction to clinical and academic research, research ethics and IRB basics, research team roles, and onboarding into a live research project. Students are assigned a project and introduced to research workflows and timelines. 

Deliverables: Research orientation reflection; assigned project role

Week 2: Literature Review and Study Design 

Framing research questions and hypotheses, study design selection, efficient literature search strategies, and critical appraisal of scientific papers. Students will assist with literature review activities and participate in journal club discussions. 

Deliverables: Structured literature review summary; identifying research gaps or contribution areas

Week 3: Data, Analysis, and Research Operations 

Overview of data types, data collection methods, research documentation, and basic biostatistics. Students observe or assist in data collection or data curation and gain exposure to data analysis workflows. 

Deliverables: Data interpretation exercise; updated research log 

Week 4: Scientific Writing and Dissemination 

Principles of scientific writing, abstract and manuscript structure, authorship criteria, academic integrity, and dissemination pathways. Students contribute to an abstract, poster, or manuscript section and observe submission or revision processes.

Deliverables: Draft abstract or documented project contribution; final research reflection

Course Outcomes 

By the end of the Research Mentoring & Shadowing Program, students will be able to:

• Understand the full lifecycle of a research project

• Critically read and evaluate scientific literature

• Formulate research questions and hypotheses

• Apply appropriate research methodologies

• Participate in data collection, analysis, and interpretation

• Understand ethical principles, IRB, and authorship

• Shadow active research projects and research teams

• Prepare abstracts, posters, or manuscripts for conferences or journals