102 - Supporting Future Biomedical Researchers via Online Evidence Synthesis Instruction

Background: In recent years, programs targeting high school, undergraduate, and medical students from historically underrepresented groups in medicine (i.e., BIPOC, Hispanic/Latinx) have grown in popularity within academic medical centers and hospitals. The [removed for blind review] Library has partnered with several educational programs that aim to increase representation from these communities within biomedicine. Librarians from [X] Library developed an online curriculum designed to address the needs of these young researchers at the nascent stages of their careers, with a specific focus on evidence synthesis projects.

Description: Beginning in 2020, the [X] Library collaborated with the [X] Medical Student Summer Fellowship Program and Summer Radiology Program to develop a series of instructional sessions focused on enhancing fundamental research skills among future biomedical researchers. Precipitated by a pandemic-mandated shift from in person to online instruction, we developed the new curriculum to be interactive and student-centered. Polls, breakout rooms, interactive whiteboards, videos, and games were all used to create more interactive learning experiences. Instructors placed special emphasis on the increased prevalence of evidence synthesis done by early career cancer researchers, while acknowledging the inherent challenges that accompany this shift. One significant instructional challenge was tailoring the sessions to be relevant and engaging to students at various stages of their education (ex., high school students and medical students).

Conclusion: Post-session feedback indicated that students were familiar with basic research concepts, but that information related to evidence synthesis and citation management was new to them. Learners also reported an appreciation for interactive and game-based learning. Distinguishing the differences between literature reviews and systematic reviews was a particularly effective instructional tactic across learner age groups. Students responded well to discussions surrounding the declining quality among some forms of evidence synthesis, the over-publication of evidence synthesis, research bias, and evidence synthesis as status symbols in biomedical research. Future opportunities include more formal assessment of instructional sessions and the adoption of culturally responsive teaching.