CHM students in the LCE are eligible to take research electives during their third and fourth years. Please see your community's Director of Student Programs regarding the number of electives you are eligible to take and the length (in weeks) of available electives. Research Electives are full-time clerkships, with a 40 hour per week commitment. The research elective provides students with an opportunity for intense hands-on, research experience during which they can learn about conducting research through involvement in either an established or student-initiated research project. If you are interested in taking a research elective, please contact your community's Director of Student Programs and Research Director.
If you do not have a research mentor yet, please fill out the CHM Research Matching Request format least sixty (60) days prior to the start of the elective. The matching form is step 1 on this page: CHM Research Matching Request Form
If you already have a research mentor and project, please read the instructions and complete the forms below.
Please note: All students planning to conduct research atMercy Health Saint Mary's (MHSM)in Grand Rapids must inform the MHSM Clinical Research Coordinatoras early as possible. Please contact Mark Trottier for contact information.
Applying for a Research Elective
The CHM Research Elective requires the filling out of an Application Form (see link below), and the submission of a Research Proposal and Plan (see instructions and sample below). These items are due thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the elective. The Application Form is a fillable pdf form. Please turn in hard copies of the forms (with signatures) and a copy of the research proposal and plan to the Community Research Director or the Director of Student Programs. Poorly written Research Proposals will not be approved. Please contact the community Director of Student Programs for questions.
In order to be approved for a Research Elective, students must be up to date on their Responsible Conduct of Research Training. Legacy curriculum students may achieve this by completing the RCR CITI Modules approved by MSU - click here for instructions. See here for: A video tutorial on accessing these modules. Please track your RCR training using the RCR Tracking System outlined here: RCR Completion and Tracking
SDC students in the LCE have already completed their RCR training, but may not have tracked them in the RCR tracking system. Please see this website for information on completed training and how to track it: RCR Completion and Tracking
Completion of the Research Elective
Completion of the Research Elective requires submission of an Evaluation Form (see link below) and a Final Research Summary (see instructions and sample below). The Evaluation Form is a fillable pdf form. Please turn in hard copies of the form (with signatures) and a copy of the final research summary to the Community Research Director or the Director of Student Programs. The Final Research Summary can include the original Research Proposal and Plan, with appropriate modifications, along with a results and discussion section and/or summary of research activities performed by the student. The Final Research Summary will be critically evaluated, and may require revisions before a passing grade will be assigned. Posters, abstracts, and other research deliverables may also be submitted along with the Summary, but are NOT satisfactory without the Summary.
Research Elective Forms, Instructions and Samples
- Application for Research Elective Instructions
- Research Elective Application Form
- Sample Proposal and Plan
- Research Elective Evaluation Form
- Sample Research Elective Summary
