New Year’s Message from Dean Nelson
Office of Medical Student Research
Paula Gregory, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean of Medical Student Research
The Office of Medical Student Research was recently created within the Student Affairs Office, with the intent of offering training and resources to medical students interested in performing research and to research faculty interested in becoming involved in medical student training. The overarching goal is to make getting involved with research as easy as possible for our students. Dr. Paula Gregory is the Assistant Dean for Medical Student Research and in that role she works with students, residents/fellows, and junior faculty to help them identify research opportunities and to guide them through the research process.
The Office of Medical Student Research coordinates the Medical Student Summer Research Opportunities program and Medical Student Research Day. Dr. Gregory also serves as the course director for the second year medical school Research Selective and the Senior Research Elective block (MCLIN498), which allows students to continue projects they may have started in the summer throughout the school year. She is the Director of the Medical Student Honors Program in which students can complete an Honors Thesis and graduate with “Honors in Research”. Dr. Gregory has helped several students successfully apply for opportunities for yearlong research experiences, including the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program.
Dr. Gregory facilitates clinical and translational research opportunities for residents and fellows who plan to make research a part of their careers. She has already established a “Clinical Research Boot Camp” at Children’s Hospital, which is designed to help promote fellows’ career development. She is creating a “Research Toolkit” for all students and residents to use to gain a foundational understanding of clinical and translational research methods leading to evidence-based medicine.