From future stem cell researchers to budding international health experts, a crowd of aspiring physicians and scientists - about 45 Stanford MD and MD/PhD students - presented new research here last week at the 30th annual Stanford Medical Student Research Symposium.
An online article I wrote on the event describes a few of their projects, from a novel idea on screening premature babies for potential brain bleeds to the use of new immunosuppressant drugs to increase cell survival rate in cardiac stem cell treatments. I’ve covered this event several times now as a reporter, and I'm repeatedly amazed by the level of scientific research that medical students - many of whom work over the summer or during their “free” time - somehow squeeze into their busy schedules.
Laurence Baker, PhD, a professor of health research and policy who has been responsible for directing medical student research for the past five years, was on hand for the event, and he talked with me about the students' successes:
"Stanford has a great history of encouraging student research. There is really a culture here that fosters this," Baker said. Pointing to the wealth of original research findings on display, Baker said that all medical students at Stanford complete at least one research project, and most produce multiple studies. More than half of all medical students have papers in publication by the time they graduate. "Most students are doing new research. They are making a contribution to science.”
Previously: New class of physician-scientists showcase research
Photo of first-year medical student Thomas Roberts by Norbert von der Groeben
