Number
249
Name
Cultivating the Scholar Mindset: Advancing Medical Student Scholarship through MERAS (Medical Education Research and Academic Scholarship)
Date & Time
Sunday, June 7, 2026, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location Name
Oglethorpe Ballroom
Speakers
Authors
Elisabeth Schlegel, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine
Peter Doherty, Westerh Atlantic University School of Medicine
Rhett Reichard, Western Atlantic University School of Medicine
Tracy Havlin, Western Atlantic University School of Medicine
Presentation Topic(s)
Curriculum
Description
PURPOSE
Developing research and scholarship competencies is essential for medical
students, yet these skills often remain underdeveloped. Many students enter
medical school with minimal research experience and little awareness of
scholarly opportunities. The MERAS program addresses these challenges by
providing structured exposure to diverse forms of scholarship, strengthening
critical thinking, innovation, and inquiry. In alignment with WAUSM’s core
values, MERAS prepares future physicians to engage in medical education
scholarship and apply evidence-informed approaches to clinical care.
METHODS
At the Western Atlantic University School of Medicine WAUSM, student
scholarship includes oral presentations, reflective pieces, and review
manuscripts. Through collaboration with Student Affairs, faculty, and a
medical librarian, the MERAS team created a 10?session live online program
with longitudinal mentorship across all phases of the curriculum. The
interactive sessions promoted self-directed learning in literature appraisal,
study design, curriculum innovation, and dissemination, particularly through
innovation reports and review articles, and recordings were available on
CANVAS. Several students pursued mentored projects that led to peer?reviewed
submissions, demonstrating growing competence in medical education research
and scholarship
RESULTS
The MERAS program shows that aligning scholarly training with institutional
values can build a lasting culture of collaboration, innovation, and inquiry
among medical students. Its flexible structure lets students tailor their
engagement while learning from a diverse faculty team. Outcomes include
stronger mentoring relationships, more student scholarship and successful
submissions, and growing enthusiasm for creative educational practices,
highlighting the value of structured extracurricular programs for embedding
scholarship in medical education.
CONCLUSIONS
Academic scholarship and research skills are essential in medical
education, yet many students face barriers to developing them. The
learner-centered MERAS program promotes critical thinking, innovation, and
scholarly engagement while reinforcing institutional values. It demonstrates
how structured, interest-driven initiatives can cultivate medical student
scholarship and offers a scalable model for institutions seeking to
strengthen their scholarly culture.
Developing research and scholarship competencies is essential for medical
students, yet these skills often remain underdeveloped. Many students enter
medical school with minimal research experience and little awareness of
scholarly opportunities. The MERAS program addresses these challenges by
providing structured exposure to diverse forms of scholarship, strengthening
critical thinking, innovation, and inquiry. In alignment with WAUSM’s core
values, MERAS prepares future physicians to engage in medical education
scholarship and apply evidence-informed approaches to clinical care.
METHODS
At the Western Atlantic University School of Medicine WAUSM, student
scholarship includes oral presentations, reflective pieces, and review
manuscripts. Through collaboration with Student Affairs, faculty, and a
medical librarian, the MERAS team created a 10?session live online program
with longitudinal mentorship across all phases of the curriculum. The
interactive sessions promoted self-directed learning in literature appraisal,
study design, curriculum innovation, and dissemination, particularly through
innovation reports and review articles, and recordings were available on
CANVAS. Several students pursued mentored projects that led to peer?reviewed
submissions, demonstrating growing competence in medical education research
and scholarship
RESULTS
The MERAS program shows that aligning scholarly training with institutional
values can build a lasting culture of collaboration, innovation, and inquiry
among medical students. Its flexible structure lets students tailor their
engagement while learning from a diverse faculty team. Outcomes include
stronger mentoring relationships, more student scholarship and successful
submissions, and growing enthusiasm for creative educational practices,
highlighting the value of structured extracurricular programs for embedding
scholarship in medical education.
CONCLUSIONS
Academic scholarship and research skills are essential in medical
education, yet many students face barriers to developing them. The
learner-centered MERAS program promotes critical thinking, innovation, and
scholarly engagement while reinforcing institutional values. It demonstrates
how structured, interest-driven initiatives can cultivate medical student
scholarship and offers a scalable model for institutions seeking to
strengthen their scholarly culture.