Engaging medical students in research: reaching out to the next generation of physician-scientists.

OBJECTIVE: The authors describe a multifaceted educational training approach aimed at increasing medical student involvement in psychiatric research.

METHOD: A description of the initiative is provided, including the rationale and expected impact of each component.

RESULTS: Medical student involvement in research projects has increased steadily since implementation. This applies to summer research projects as well as elective research rotations for senior medical students. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of students who participate in research continue to engage in research activities following completion of the program (e.g., through additional research participation, conference presentations).

CONCLUSION: A proactive and well-organized approach to encouraging medical student participation in research can increase the number of students who choose to engage in a research and may ultimately help increase the number of physician-scientists.