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The University of Michigan created the Practice-Oriented Research Training (PORT) program and implemented it between 2008 and 2018. The PORT program provided research training and funding opportunities for allied healthcare professionals. The program consisted of weekly didactics and group discussion related to topics relevant to developing specific research ideas into projects and funding for a mentored research project for those who submitted a competitive grant application. The goal of this evaluation was to assess the long-term impact of the PORT program on the research careers of the participants. Ninety-two participants (74 staff and 18 faculty) participated in both phases of the program. A mixed-methods approach to evaluation was used; 25 participants who received funding for their research completed surveys, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight program participants. In addition, data were collected on participants' publication history. Fifteen out of the 74 staff participants published 31 first-authored papers after participating in PORT. Twelve out of 15 staff participants who published first-authored papers did so for the first time after participating in the PORT program. Results of quantitative and qualitative analyses suggest that the PORT program had positive impacts on both participants and the research community.
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This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Introduction The Research Objective Structured Clinical Exam (R-OSCE) described in this paper was designed as part of a comprehensive program to assess competency in specific domains of clinical and translational research (CTR) for students enrolled in a 12-week introductory summer research program. Methods The program curriculum was mapped to core competencies developed by the National Center for Translational Science (NCATS) and used to develop R-OSCE stations. Twelve stations were developed, with five administered during orientation as a practice test and seven administered post-program. A scoring rubric using an anchored scale of 1-5 was developed and six qualified raters were trained in its use. The exam was self-paced and delivered through a secure online computer-based platform. Results Forty-seven students (three cohorts) completed the post-program R-OSCE. Most respondents scored at 3 (developing competence) or higher on most stations for both the practice and post-program exams, the exceptions being the stations involving writing research questions and engaging communities in research. Students indicated they liked demonstrating CTR skills through the R-OSCE. Most participants agreed that exam tasks were related to stated program competencies and that stations were realistic. Discussion The R-OSCE is best used as part of a comprehensive assessment program and may be useful in providing formative feedback to trainees that they can share with their mentors. Additionally, this study demonstrated that it could feasibly be used to evaluate the effectiveness of research education programs. However, additional time was needed to train raters and score the R-OSCE. Modifications were made to administer the exam through use of an online format with a modest budget. The computer-based format provides a solution to the current need for assessments that can be administered remotely.