Engaging Medical Students in Research: Reaching Out to the Next Generation of Physician-Scientists

The authors describe a multifaceted educational training approach aimed at increasing medical student involvement in psychiatric research. A description of the initiative is provided, including the rationale and expected impact of each component. Medical student involvement in research projects has increased steadily since implementation. This applies to summer research projects as well as elective research rotations for senior medical students. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of students who participate in research continue to engage in research activities following completion of the program (e.g., through additional research participation, conference presentations). A proactive and well-organized approach to encouraging medical student participation in research can increase the number of students who choose to engage in a research and may ultimately help increase the number of physician-scientists.