Diving In: Experiential Learning about Research

摘要

“I hate research,” I hear many junior physicians say. They have likely received the advice given to many novices looking to get started with scholarly work: find an experienced researcher and jump on to one of their hulking projects for a brief moment of chart abstraction, recruitment of subjects, or data analysis. Certainly, finding mentors with a track record of success is laudable, and this approach does “check the box”—fulfilling the scholarly project requirement to graduate from residency or filling up a curriculum vitae for academic promotion. It is perhaps not surprising, however, that staring at endless spreadsheets of data, stripped of nearly all context, can dissuade potential budding scholars. This approach is akin to dipping only a toe in the waters of scholarly inquiry, allowing potential researchers to experience only one tiny piece of a much larger whole and missing the chance to foster a spirit of engagement with the scientific process.