Specify a Clear Question
To advance the field, research projects must be original and significant, focusing on either collecting new data or analyzing existing publications, such as through meta-analysis If there is uncertainty about formulating a research question or generating outcome measures, it is advisable to consult with OSR This article outlines a sequence for developing a quantitative research project, emphasizing the importance of starting with a compelling question, creating a clear study protocol, and establishing data collection and management plans, which are applicable to most research types, despite some steps being less relevant for qualitative research or projects in the medical humanities.
Frame a hypothesis
Construct an experimental approach and research protocol
To achieve meaningful results, it is essential to conduct a comparison, necessitating a thorough review of existing literature for effective methodologies Selecting an appropriate control group can be complex and nuanced After identifying the comparison group, estimating the expected magnitude of difference is crucial for determining the required sample size through power calculations.
Develop an analytic plan
Students can seek assistance from a biostatistician, supported by mentors, to enhance their understanding of statistical methodology during their MS1 and MS2 coursework This guidance helps students appreciate the value and limitations of statistical analysis in interpreting research results Drs Chaudhry and Herzog are available for questions and advice, while the Yale Prevention Research Center (PRC) in Derby offers additional resources for data management, statistical analysis, survey development, and clinical study methodology refinement The PRC's data management staff can assist students with various software packages for statistical analysis For further resources, referrals can be made to the computer labs at the Yale Schools of Public Health and Management Students can contact Dr Valentine Njike, Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation, at valentine.njike@yalegriffinprc.org for more information.
Determine feasibility
following question should be addressed: Can the outcome events be observed and suitably analyzed using the proposed methods in the available time.
Plan for Dissemination to Stakeholders
Effective dissemination of research findings is crucial for engaging communities of interest Scientists typically share their work through presentations at meetings and publications in peer-reviewed medical journals In contrast, outreach to patients and community groups can be accomplished by collaborating with community leaders or offering accessible summaries of the research findings Students should thoughtfully consider the potential impact of their work on these diverse groups.
Humanities research may follow a different approach than the one previously mentioned If you are looking to pursue research in the humanities, we encourage you to reach out to OSR for assistance in developing your project.
To ensure student research projects align with regulatory and ethical standards while maximizing their impact on patients and stakeholders, the Office of Student Research (OSR) offers comprehensive guidance in key areas.
Ethical Conduct
of Research Course throughout the 2021-2022 semesters.
Regulatory Requirements
Mentors must ensure that students are authorized to work on all relevant protocols and adhere to institutional guidelines, including secure data management and HIPAA compliance Regulatory requirements will be discussed in the Responsible Conduct of Research Course during the 2021-2022 semesters.
Data access and management
Students proposing to use existing datasets must verify their availability and collaborate with mentors to determine suitable storage and transfer methods It is strongly advised to utilize Yale-approved managed workstations, data encryption, and cloud-based storage solutions Google Drive is not suitable for storing confidential, sensitive, or HIPAA-protected data, and Yale ITS prohibits storing protected health information (PHI) on personal laptops Faculty mentors are responsible for ensuring secure data management in compliance with local and federal regulations Data Acquisition and Management will be covered in the Responsible Conduct of Research Course in Spring 2022.
Rigor and Reproducibility
If you and your mentor have questions about how rigor and reproducibility relate to your specific research project, please contact the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) for guidance.
Sex and Gender
be found here: https://grants.nih.gov/policy/inclusion/women-and-minorities/guidelines.htm In
In 2001, definitions of sex and gender were established, distinguishing sex as a biological classification and gender as a form of self-representation or sociocultural identity The Scientific Inquiry Course in Spring 2022 will address the appropriate handling of sex and gender in research.
Race
When utilizing race as a proxy for genetic ancestry in research, it is crucial to articulate the hypothesis and any perceived confounding relationships, as well as how associations or mitigations of outcomes will be interpreted Additionally, researchers must examine the impact of racism on their findings and assess potential racial bias in participant selection and the distribution of research benefits For guidance on appropriately considering race in your study, please reach out to the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR).
Additional Considerations
To submit a project for funding through OSR, students and their mentors must complete and sign the application form, along with the proposal document, and send it to the thesis chair of the mentor's department The thesis chair's submission deadline is two weeks before the OSR deadline, during which they will review the application, provide feedback, and sign the form Students are encouraged to adhere to these deadlines to foster self-accountability, essential for future physicians However, if unforeseen circumstances arise, students may request an extension from their thesis chair It is important to note that only applications from students who have completed the Responsible Conduct of Research will be considered for funding.
The Office of Student Research provides three types of stipend support for student investigators.
S HORT - TERM R ESEARCH
Fourth-year students are ineligible for the short-term research stipend while engaged in the Capstone project, with the final funding cycle occurring from September to November of their expected graduation year The stipend is set at $2,153 per four-week block and is funded by various organizations, including the NIH, private donors, and University funds As the NIH updates stipend levels annually, this amount may change To qualify for short-term research funding from Yale-administered sources, students must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research courses.
One-year Medical Student Research Fellowships offer a fully funded fifth year of research with stipend support ranging from $25,836 to $37,000, sourced from NIH, private donors, and University funds Interested students should reach out to Ms Anne Kellett in the Office of Student Research for application guidance Additional details are available on the OSR’s one-year funding website To be eligible for a fellowship from a Yale-administered fund, students must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research course series.
Students are advised to begin their applications early for summer research opportunities, as deadlines often coincide with other critical dates such as exams If students cannot meet the deadlines, they should reach out to their Departmental Thesis Chair for an extension The key dates to remember are April 22, 2022, for the Department Thesis Chair and May 6, 2022, for the Office of Student Research.
To optimize research funding opportunities for students, applications must be submitted to the Departmental Research Chair two weeks before the OSR deadline for adequate review Students can now apply for multiple quarterly funding cycles with a single application, listing all anticipated dates It is essential to confirm the research schedule before fund disbursement and provide quarterly progress reports to maintain funding eligibility Research applications must be submitted before the research begins, and no electives, clerkships, or vacations are allowed during the research period Additionally, expenses incurred for research conducted prior to an approved application will not be reimbursed Key deadlines include August 6, 2021, for research from September to November, November 5, 2021, for December to February, February 4, 2022, for March to May, and May 6, 2022, for June to August.
Numerous one-year funding opportunities are available, each with different deadlines that can be found in the one-year funding section of the OSR website For more information, please contact OSR directly.
External short-term funding opportunities are available through various sponsors with specific deadlines throughout the year To explore these funding options, you can visit external funding websites that provide links to numerous opportunities It's essential to coordinate with the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) to ensure compliance with Yale's internal processing deadlines, which typically occur up to 7 days before the sponsor's deadlines If you're interested in applying for an external funding award, please reach out to OSR for assistance, and additional information is available on the OSR website.
Some students at Yale University may seek to conduct in-person research at institutions outside of Yale The Office of Student Research (OSR) permits this opportunity, but it is important for students to understand certain considerations before proceeding.
First-year medical students (MS1s) are encouraged to pursue summer research under the guidance of Yale faculty due to the advantages it offers With nearly 3,000 qualified mentors at Yale School of Medicine (YSM), students benefit from their deep understanding of the Yale system, enhancing their research education Additionally, students gain access to various educational opportunities, including the APCR program and seminars organized by the Office of Student Research (OSR) and YSM Conducting research on campus fosters collaboration and strengthens relationships among classmates Furthermore, summer funding for first-year students is available through training grants and Yale resources, with regulatory requirements emphasizing the importance of working with Yale investigators under Yale oversight.
Students are encouraged to collaborate with a Yale mentor during the summer of their first year to enhance their research experience If conducting research at another institution, students must secure 50% of their funding from that institution However, it remains essential to have a Yale faculty sponsor to approve the application for this funding Furthermore, should the research contribute to the M.D thesis, the Yale sponsor will act as the local thesis sponsor and oversee the thesis review process within their department.
When seeking funding from another institution, it's essential that a well-funded investigator shows their commitment by contributing at least half, if not all, of your application costs; if they hesitate, it may be time to reconsider Additionally, students working at outside institutions should not be treated as research technicians or expected to fulfill typical employee responsibilities Ideally, students should start their work at Yale during the summer of their first year for the best experience.
Students conducting research at an external institution in their third, fourth, or fifth year can secure full stipend funding from the Office of Student Research, provided their application is endorsed by a Yale faculty sponsor This sponsor must agree to review the thesis and submit the work within their department Since these external projects frequently contribute to the thesis, students are strongly encouraged to find a Yale sponsor for their research endeavors.
This policy encompasses short-term funding and one-year medical student research fellowships, with options for certain fifth-year programs, such as Sarnoff and Yale Sponsored, to be completed at alternative institutions.
Students at Yale may pursue summer or thesis research under the guidance of a qualified full-time investigator outside the Yale School of Medicine (YSM), provided a full-time YSM faculty member serves as a sponsor This arrangement adheres to the same submission and review timelines set by the Departmental Thesis Chair For summer projects, the YSM sponsor is also responsible for approving the funding proposal.
The YSM faculty member oversees the thesis process by signing off on funding applications, monitoring the student's progress, reviewing the written thesis, and granting faculty approval Additionally, the Department Thesis Committee will evaluate the thesis to ensure it meets the necessary standards for regulatory approval.
Over the years, students have expressed the need for formal summer didactics to enhance their research efforts In response, YSM’s Education Policy and Curriculum Committee (EPCC) mandated that all students engaged in clinical research attend the Applied Principles of Clinical Research (APCR) Sessions each summer in July and August This requirement applies to all students receiving funding from OSR, except those involved in wet-lab research, ensuring a comprehensive educational experience during their summer research activities.
D., P H D STUDENTS
The medical student thesis plays a crucial role in training students to apply rigorous methodologies and creative self-discipline to address specific research questions, with the expectation that all students will produce high-quality scholarly work Exceptional theses may be considered for graduation prizes, awarded based on original observations made by the student, with a limit of one thesis per department or 20% of total theses eligible for honors, and a maximum of 16 students per graduating class can receive a prize Additionally, many departments offer a “Departmental Honors” designation for outstanding submissions Nomination forms and the YSM Thesis Committee Score are provided in Appendix Items B and C It is important to note that while prize nominations have been informally referred to as “honors,” YSM does not confer degrees with “honors,” although a limited number of students may graduate cum laude (“with distinction”), with further details available in the Yale Bulletin.
REQUIRED COMPONENTS AND FORMATTING OF THE FORMAL M.D THESIS
When preparing a thesis, it is essential to focus on a single topic, although students may have conducted multiple projects under their mentor's guidance If multiple studies are included, integrating them into a cohesive presentation is recommended; however, if integration is not feasible, dividing the results into separate sections may be acceptable According to Yale's formatting requirements, a thesis must have only one abstract, introduction, statement of purpose, methods, results, and discussion section Submitting a published manuscript instead of the thesis is not permitted The formal thesis should be presented as a digital PDF document during the graduation year and must meet specific formatting and content standards to ensure the work is sound, error-free, and impactful Students with questions about these guidelines can consult the Office of Student Research (OSR), and reviewing reporting guidelines can further enhance the quality and transparency of their theses.
1) Font: 10-12-point font should be used
2) Line spacing: Body paragraphs and tables should consist of double spaced text Single spaced text may be used within block quotations, footnotes, and bibliography
3) Margins: 1.5-inch margins on the left with one-inch margins on the remaining three sides
These margins apply to text, full-page images and illustrations, and tables
Figures should incorporate illustrative information, schematics, and representative data, with each panel clearly labeled Detailed legends, written in a font size of 9 points or larger, must be placed below the corresponding figure to provide comprehensive descriptions of each panel.
In a thesis, it is essential to number each page, excluding the title page, table of contents, abstract, and acknowledgements The page numbering should commence with the number 1 and be positioned at either the top center or the top right-hand corner, ensuring it is at least 1/2 inch from any edge.
6) Minimal page requirement: Most Yale M.D theses average 40-80 pages of text A minimum of 30 pages of text excluding figures, legends, and references is required
1) Title page: Title should not exceed 100 characters including spaces between words as shown in Appendix Item D
2) Abstract page: As described on pages 35-36 and Appendix Item E
3) Acknowledgements: Personal and faculty acknowledgements, grant support, departmental support, etc
4) Table of Contents: with page numbers for each section.
The introduction should present a comprehensive and critical literature review that contextualizes and references prior research It is essential to outline the current state of knowledge, justify the need for the study, highlight existing knowledge gaps, and articulate how the thesis contributes to the field of medicine.
6) Statement of purpose: Specific hypothesis if appropriate, and specific aims of the thesis
In this section, a comprehensive overview of the study design must be provided, detailing the specific contributions of students versus other team members to ensure academic integrity An ethics statement is essential, outlining the ethical conduct of the research, including Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent for human subjects, as well as any waivers For studies involving laboratory animals, approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee must be documented, along with details on the species, strain, sex, and age of the animals Each method used in the study should be thoroughly described under its own subheading to facilitate replication by other researchers The statistical methods employed must be clearly articulated, including data preprocessing steps, outlier management, and descriptive statistics Results should specify sample sizes and significance levels, with normally distributed continuous variables presented as mean ± standard deviation and asymmetrically distributed variables as median ± interquartile range All statistical tests should be detailed, including alpha levels and whether comparisons are one- or two-sided, with corrections for multiple testing noted, and any novel algorithms properly referenced.
Transparent reporting of results is essential, requiring the presentation of all primary data related to the thesis topic Important data should be emphasized through figures or tables, ideally placed near their mention in the text for easier review While tables and figures can be presented separately after the discussion, incorporating them within the results section, as seen in research publications, enhances the reader's experience.
The Discussion section offers a comprehensive analysis of the data, drawing conclusions and situating observations within the broader scientific literature It is essential to address limitations, explore alternative interpretations, and consider how the thesis could influence future research in the field Additionally, the discussion should highlight the potential impact of the findings on relevant communities Given the significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, students are encouraged to include a paragraph detailing their strategies for navigating the unique research challenges faced during the 2020-2021 period.
Figures should be cited in the text using sequential Arabic numerals, such as "Fig 7." Each figure must include a concise title in the legend, along with a detailed explanation that allows understanding of the figure without needing to refer back to the main text Additionally, a key to any symbols used in the figure should be provided.
11) Tables: All tables should be double-spaced, self-contained and self-explanatory Provide brief titles and use superscript capital letters starting from A and continuing in alphabetical order for footnotes
12) References: We strongly recommend the use of bibliography software such as Endnote for managing the references References should be formatted according to New England Journal of Medicine Style
Theses in medical humanities, ethics, history, and related fields may not clearly meet standard academic requirements; therefore, they may necessitate a different approach or framework for evaluation.
The article outlines the process of developing a hypothesis supported by a claim derived from thorough literary, historical, and ethical research It emphasizes that the initial paragraph of the Methods section should highlight the student's contributions, while the following paragraphs must detail the artistic, literary, or historical databases and methodologies employed to collect evidence that both supports and challenges the central claim The discussion and other sections remain unchanged For assistance in framing your thesis effectively, please reach out to OSR.
AVOIDING THE RISK OF COPYRIGHT VIOLATION AND
LIABILITY WHEN SUBMITTING YOUR M.D THESIS
Your M.D Thesis is a significant academic achievement, and copyright protection for your thesis begins as soon as it is created in digital format All resources utilized in your research, including articles, books, and web pages, are also safeguarded by copyright Downloading a personal copy of a research article or quoting a brief excerpt falls under the fair use doctrine, which allows for limited use of copyrighted material For more information on copyright protections and fair use, visit www.copyright.gov, and consult Yale University's copyright guide at http://ogc.yale.edu/legal_reference/copyright.html.
Section 107 of the U.S Copyright Law outlines the criteria for fair use, but the line between fair use and copyright infringement can be ambiguous Simply copying an image from an academic e-journal and providing a citation does not replace the need for permission to reproduce that image To obtain reproduction rights for their articles, many publishers utilize www.copyright.com.
ProQuest/UMI and the Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library may choose not to distribute your thesis if you cannot provide evidence of secured permission or reproduction rights It is the responsibility of the student author to demonstrate this evidence Documentation of reproduction rights is necessary for various elements encountered in M.D Thesis research, including but not limited to specific examples.
1) Sections of published survey instruments or questionnaires
2) Complete journal articles or other complete scholarly works [Note: The publisher Elsevier does allow graduate student authors of a journal article prior to graduation to reproduce their article in a thesis]
3) Image, graphic, or pictorial works from publications where the author has transferred copyright to the publisher, a common occurrence
To prevent delays in your thesis, it's crucial to avoid using published images without permission Citing a source allows readers to locate the figure or image in the original work, but research faculty who transfer copyright to publishers lose the right to grant reproduction permission A practical solution is for research mentors to provide unpublished images from their group's collection.