Independent Investigative Inquiry

The purpose of the III portion of the curriculum is to engage students in activities that will foster the skills of life-long learning essential for practicing physicians in the 21st century. Students will gain experience generating questions related to the practice of medicine and exploring the various methods available to resolve such questions. The student is strongly urged to select a topic of particular interest to him/her and to investigate the subject independently, utilizing the advice of a faculty advisor or sponsor and other resources in the WWAMI community. This is a unique opportunity for students to choose both the content and form of their learning and to pursue an interest that may not be included elsewhere in the curriculum.

There are four selectives by which the III requirement can be fulfilled. Each offers the student a different type of learning experience and each has its own expectations, procedures and deadlines. These are described briefly here; handouts describing each selective in detail are available online and through the Curriculum Office located in A-300.

Selective 1: Data Gathering/Hypothesis-driven Inquiry

Proposal    Guidelines
This selective can take the form of a basic laboratory study, a survey, secondary analysis of an existing dataset, a chart review, a qualitative study or a prospective clinical trial. The research can be initiated by the student or by the advising faculty member, as long as the student has an independent role and makes an intellectual contribution to the project. If a student undertakes research as part of a funded program such as T-32 or Medical Student Research Training Program (MSRTP), the study can also be used to fulfill the III requirement. For a list of potential Selective 1 funding sources outside of MSRTP and RUOP contact Marcie Buckner.

Students selecting this option can expect to learn the steps and logic involved in trying to resolve an empirical question through data collection and analysis. Students will learn how to conduct research in a way that conforms with human or animal use regulations.

Selective 2: Critical Review of the Literature

Proposal     Guidelines
A critical review of the literature poses an unresolved scientific question relevant to the practice of clinical medicine and attempts to answer that question using evidence published in medical literature. Particular attention is paid to the methods of the studies reviewed in addition to the results. Alternatively, students can use published literature and other sources to analyze an issue in medicine or to perform an historical investigation.

Students choosing Selective 2 learn how to use medical databases effectively. They learn how the population and methods employed in a study affect the interpretation of study results. In addition, they will learn how to synthesize information from a variety of sources in the form of an evidence table to draw a reasonable conclusion.

Selective 3: Experience-Driven Inquiry

An experience-driven investigation of an issue will be developed by the student while participating in the Rural/Urban Opportunities Program (RUOP), Community Health Advancement Program (CHAP) or International Health Opportunity Program (IHOP). Experience-driven investigations can be done within any of these programs, although the number of students allowed to do their III within the program may be limited. Students will closely observe health care in a community setting, then develop a project based on those observations. The project could take several forms, including a community needs assessment, a plan for a community health intervention, or evaluation of a service delivery project.

Selective 4: Special Simulation Selective

(currently in pilot phase)

This selective offers 1^st year medical students an opportunity to participate as a member of the staff of the Institute for Surgical and Interventional Simulation (ISIS). The student will have the opportunity to research and develop the content for one or more simulated patients. This patient, as well as others being concurrently developed, will be incorporated into a simulated hospital as the core of a computer based ‘continuity of care’ experience being developed for use with medical students.