Immersion Experiences
Immersion Experience in Biology and Engineering Research Laboratories
In addition to the clinical rotations that are required to be eligible to participate in the RE-Training Program, all students are required to have an immersion experience in life sciences and engineering by rotating in two different research laboratories – a biology and an engineering laboratory with 1 quarter for each laboratory. These immersion experiences can take place within the labs of the Mentor Team or one of the research laboratories of participating preceptors. The immersion experience requirement is fulfilled through the independent research course mechanism (BMD ENG 499). Students can select laboratories from a list of participating faculty preceptors based on students’ interests, must design and conduct independently a hypothesis-driven research project in biology, regenerative engineering, or translational medicine, and complete a research project report, which will be evaluated by the Mentor Team and the Executive Committee. These two experiences will qualify as graduate independent research courses.
Immersion Experience in the Clinical Setting for Understanding the Medical Challenge
As part of our team science-based research training, all trainees are required to include a clinician as part of their Mentor Team and as part of their training they must demonstrate that they have spent at least 6 cumulative weeks following and working with a clinical mentor in a topic area of relevance to the trainee’s thesis project. Although the clinical rotation does not have to take place over a continuous period, it should be completed within the first year of appointment to the training program. The trainee, with the endorsement of the clinical mentor, must demonstrate to the program leadership, via a written report and an oral presentation, that significant immersion occurred. Through this mechanism the trainee will describe the new knowledge or perspective that was gained as a result of the clinical immersion experience. Trainees may witness surgeries, medical team discussions, communicate with the patient, all according to the standard rules and policies that would apply to a medical school student.