The Importance of Osteopathic Medical Student Participation in Research Projects

Updated: May 7, 2025

Introduction

Recruiting and retaining osteopathic medical students as research study participants can provide unique opportunities and challenges for the corresponding researchers. Understanding the dynamics of medical student participation and retention is necessary for designing effective studies and ensuring robust data collection within a medical school setting. As medical students are already embedded within a rigorous environment, different factors must be considered for them to be potential candidates as research subjects. Ethical considerations, potential biases, and logistical challenges must be carefully approached and managed to optimize recruitment and retention. It is therefore necessary for researchers to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of medical student involvement in research.

Advantages of Recruiting Osteopathic Medical Students

To understand medical student participation within research projects, it is important to recognize the advantages associated with recruiting subjects from this particular group. Medical students are easily accessible within academic institutions, thereby facilitating efficient recruitment processes; in addition, osteopathic medical students – given the more practical approach associated with osteopathy – possess unique skills and sets of information to assist with research projects depending on the projects’ nature. Aside from this, medical students – given the inherently scientific nature of their field – are motivated to contribute to scientific advancements and improve patient care by participating in research projects. The unique nature of the osteopathic medical school curriculum provides students with a more holistic understanding of how to treat medical conditions. It allows students to integrate the body’s innate ability to heal itself with hands-on therapy. This altruistic drive can lead to higher participation rates and higher levels of commitment to research activities. As osteopathic medical students represent more than 25% of medical students within the United States, representation in research is important from them to contribute towards the clinical community.

Disadvantages of Recruiting Osteopathic Medical Students

Among the disadvantages associated with recruiting osteopathic medical students as subjects for research projects, students will often face rigorous academic schedules, which would limit their availability for additional activities such as research. Osteopathic medical schools have to account for additional laboratory time and hands-on workshops to teach their students the necessary osteopathic manipulative medicine skills they would need to graduate; this in turns reduces time that could otherwise be dedicated  Aside from this, osteopathic medical students aren’t as exposed to research because their respective schools receive less funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH); as a result, osteopathic medical students participate less in research than their allopathic counterparts. Time constraints can affect researchers’ abilities to recruit and retain students for their projects, as it has been shown that medical students have difficulty getting involved with performing research themselves due lack of time (Ho 2023). Aside from this, involving medical students in projects can introduce selection bias, as the students might differ from the general population in terms of knowledge levels, behavior, and overall health condition. The hierarchical nature of medical education may lead to perceived coercion among students, who would feel obligated to participate in research projects due to power dynamics with faculty researchers. 

Retention Strategies

The challenges associated with medical student recruitment for research projects necessitate careful planning and the implementation of strategies to maximize student output. For instance, accommodating students’ academic commitments by offering flexible participation schedules can improve retention rates; this approach – though it may be difficult for certain research projects – could help researchers acknowledge time constraints and exhibit respect for the students’ educational responsibilities. Providing incentives, such as certificates and monetary rewards, may also motivate sustained participation among students; the recognition of their contributions to the scientific community, along with their sense of service, may reinforce the value of their involvement. 

Ethical Considerations

Institutions can implement policies to protect medical students participating in research. By ensuring student researchers do not access identifiable information, and by mandating that principal investigators be faculty members or enrolled students. These measures can safeguard students’ rights and maintain ethical research standards.

For those that conduct research, imposter syndrome can start as self doubt and perfectionism, and ultimately lead to a reluctance to share findings or go after prestigious grants and positions. If left unchecked, it can lead to burnout, decreased productivity and even leaving academia in total. Understanding how this begins can help formulate strategies to counteract the effects of imposter syndrome so more researchers can build sustainable and fulfilling careers. 

References

1. Ho A, Auerbach A, Faulkner JJ, Guru SK, Lee A, Manna D. Barriers to research opportunities among osteopathic medical students. J Osteopath Med. 2023 Feb 1;123(4):187-194. doi: 10.1515/jom-2022-0116. PMID: 36724116.