Purpose
At Government Medical College, Amritsar, CIRA collaboratively translates student-led medical research into community-focused interventions and encourages policy discourse. The program includes teams responsible for research, optimization, implementation, and outcome evaluation. Each team completes a "quest," involving a research project, guideline development, and organisation of an event post-program. Remote partnerships with international student organizations enabled ethical ‘Global Health’ internships. CIRA serves dual purposes: providing research training and offering unique experiences in evidence-based public healthcare.

Methods
The program ran for one year. Questionnaires were administered to students and faculty at two points: before and one year after participation. A thematic analysis of interviews with a subset of participants provided deeper insights.

Results
The questionnaire was completed by 3 faculty and 35 students. By program's end, 100% (n=38) gained insights into identifying healthcare gaps and conducting impactful research. One year later, the proportion of participants who viewed the Outcome Measurement team as critical for CIRA’s success rose from 20% to 100% (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 72%-88%). Thirty-five events reached over 8,500 patients on topics like health education and vaccine hesitancy, including visits to old-age homes and schools. Students demonstrated a deeper understanding of the importance of local efforts in addressing regional health issues and their broader impact on global health in rural India. Thematic analysis identified two key themes: altruism and the importance of local evidence in policy-making. Additionally, 99% of students reported a greater sense of responsibility as healthcare providers. All faculty agreed this initiative holds value and should be incorporated into India's medical curriculum.

Conclusion
This program shows that even small efforts can make a significant impact. It contributes to regional medical research and advocacy through implementation research. Future expansion may include in-person internships in collaboration with the Amritsar Medical & Dental Alumni Association of North America (AMDAANA).