The Dean’s Certificate of Distinction (COD) in Research provides participating future physicians with a solid foundation in clinical and translational research. Blending the flexibility of on-line didactics with student-selected active research engagement, the program allows medical students to develop and strengthen core knowledge while pursuing their individual specialty and research passions. The COD in Research leverages the key strength of informational modules adapted from the graduate BIOM640: Introduction to Clinical Research course in the Clinical and Translational Research Graduate Program to meet medical student specific research needs. COD research activities include participating in the JABSOM Research Interest Group (RIG), developing skills in critical evaluation of relevant scientific literature, involvement in a research team, designing and/or actively participating in a faculty-mentored research project, attending and presenting at research conferences, and contributing to co-authored manuscripts. The program helps students to understand the role of evidence-based medical research in clinical care and encourages life-long scholarship in their future medical specialty.
The Advisory Team supports participating students by offering guidance to students as they explore various areas of research, select scholarly projects, and engage in their research experiences. The team is available to meet with students to discuss individual timelines, mentor-mentee relationships, research project details, and other research-related topics. The Advisory Team also organizes records of student involvement and reports overall progress in yearly summary reports and presentations.
Dr. Kristy Shine (kshine@hawaii.edu, Associate Professor, Office of Medical Education) contributes her expertise in clinical medicine coupled with basic science, clinical, and translational research to help students obtain their COD goals. She assists students searching for mentors and projects in line with their career aspirations, developing focused and feasible project goals, engaging with the Research Interest Group, and improving skills in critically evaluating scientific literature. In partnership with Dr. Rachel Rivers, Dr. Shine oversees tracking student progress.
Dr. Rachel Rivers (rrivers@hawaii.edu, Associate Director for Research, Dean’s Office) draws upon her experience with quantitative and qualitative research through her doctoral training in curriculum and instruction. She contributes to evaluation and assessment, including evaluating metrics, based on her 20+ years of experience at JABSOM. In partnership with Dr. Kristy Shine, she is committed to assisting students as they embark on the Certificate of Distinction in Research. Student Participation Criteria
Participation in the COD in Research is open to all JABSOM students in good academic standing. With the help of the advisory team, students are mentored through the process of joining ongoing research projects offered by faculty or developing a new study pending a committed research supervisor is identified. All students must have a research mentor/advisor and complete the requirements of the COD in Research.
Educational Objectives
Upon completion of the COD in Research students will be able to:
Research Mentor/Advisor
A research mentor or advisor is needed to be successful in this program. Students are strongly encouraged to partner with a mentor who aligns with their individual interests and field of study. Each JABSOM department maintains a designated Point of Contact for Research to support pairing medical students with mentors in their respective department. For other mentored project opportunities, students can also contact our Research Partners. We highly encourage students to select an in-depth, quality experience with a dedicated mentor instead of multiple smaller engagements.