Research to Prevent and Treat Disease | PCOM South Georgia
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PCOM SOUTH GEORGIA

Research 
PCOM South Georgia

The research mission of PCOM South Georgia is to develop more effective approaches to promote wellness by engaging the community and facilitating access to health care. Educating students in study design, information retrieval and evidence-based practice is an important part of this mission.

At PCOM South Georgia, our goal is to create a climate of scholarship that champions community engagement and equitable access to healthcare. Partnerships between students, faculty, healthcare providers, patients and members of the community are created to promote long-term commitment to the region.

Participation in research benefits medical and graduate students by:

  • Enhancing curiosity and creativity;
  • Developing disciplined thinking;
  • Improving communication skills;
  • Developing an appreciation of evidence-based medicine;
  • Increasing students' sense of responsibility to their patients, profession and community;
  • Creating pride in their accomplishments; and
  • Increasing preparedness and competitiveness for residency via research accomplishments.

Learn more about student research at PCOM.

PCOM South Georgia partners with regional and national institutions to provide research opportunities for students and collaboration with faculty members. These partners include Valdosta State University, Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory, Colquitt Regional Medical Center and the National Institute of Health (NIH).

PCOM South Georgia's research focuses on education, community impact and healthcare delivery and outcomes.

Education research
  • Comparison of content mastery from lectures, active learning groups and team-based learning exercises.
  • Development and testing of innovative approaches to medical education and training. (Example: Assessment of direct versus indirect supervision.)
  • Utilize the clinical learning and assessment and gross anatomy labs for research purposes. (Examples: 1. Assessment of a program that uses standardized patients for the informed consent process and 2. Characterization of anomalies.)
Healthcare delivery and outcomes research
  • Assessments of healthcare delivery and patient education in Colquitt County.
  • Development and testing of novel approaches for:
    • Increasing patient compliance;
    • Enhancing community outreach;
    • Reducing disparities in and barriers to access to care; and
    • Improving methods of healthcare delivery within hospitals, outpatient centers and the home.
  • Promote collaborations between faculty, students, healthcare providers, community leaders and patients.
  • Improve and promote health.
Community-based research

Assessments of PCOM's impact on:

  • Patients' attitudes and commitment to care.
  • Promotion of health and disease prevention through student run educational programs.
  • Mentoring and research activities on campus and within healthcare centers and the community.
  • High school and undergraduate students' choices of majors and career paths in the biomedical sciences.
  • Recruitment of local undergraduates student to PCOM.
  • Retaining PCOM graduates in the region.
Secondary research
Goals
  • Recruit qualified faculty to educate students in the process and practice of research.
  • Expand the infrastructure for research.
  • Develop and initiate research studies.

Administrators, faculty and support staff to include:

  • Division of Research: Chief Research and Science Officer, Research Officer for GA Campuses, Chief Research Operations Officer, Research Compliance Officer.
  • Faculty with backgrounds in public/population health, community-based and secondary research.
  • Basic science and clinical faculty that serve as facilitators of team-based and active learning groups, and mentors for student research projects.
  • Director and instructors for the Foundations in Research in Medicine course.
  • Library Sciences faculty and staff
  • Biostatistician consultant
  • IRB and Research Committee members
  • Resource manager

Educating medical students in the principles and practice of research will be done through the Foundations of Research in Medicine course.

  • Format: Independent study via online modules followed by active learning group sessions, team-based learning exercises, lectures and presentations.
  • Topics:
    • Research design and methodologies
    • Human studies research
    • Information retrieval, evaluation and utilization
    • Responsible conduct of research
    • Statistical methods and data analysis
  • Capstone project in which students develop and present a research study.

The goal is for PCOM's South Georgia campus to serve as a hub and engine that elevates the level of excitement for and commitment to research within the healthcare community. Efforts will include:

  • Assessing current research activities within Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Miller County Medical Center, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and outpatient healthcare centers.
  • Recruiting clinicians, including PCOM alumni, fellows, residents, other healthcare practitioners and members of the community to participate in research studies.
  • Obtaining IRB approval for human studies research.
Goals
  • Assess ongoing research activities at the 11 colleges and universities within a 50-mile radius of Moultrie.
  • Establish research collaborations with faculty and students at regional undergraduate colleges and universities.
  • Create programs to introduce regional high school students to healthcare professions.
  • Increase enrollment of students from southern Georgia to PCOM's DO program.
  • Retain PCOM graduates within the community.
  • Assess ongoing research activities at the 11 colleges and universities within a 50-mile radius of Moultrie.
  • Invite faculty and students from other colleges and universities to campus for research related events, including seminars, poster sessions and capstone project presentations.
Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA)
  • Standard 8.1: Research and Scholarly Activity
    • Provide research and scholarly activity plan.
    • Document faculty research accomplishments.
  • Standard 8.2: Student Participation
    • Provide research and scholarly activity policies.
    • Document student research accomplishments.
American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
  • Standard 7.1: A functioning research program would include infrastructure elements, including IRB, IACUC, facilities, start- up funding, grants officer and management, and publications.
  • Standard 7.2: Growth and development of research is linked to resources and student education, as evidenced by an expectation of research in culture and productivity, protected time, etc.

PCOM South Georgia Research News

Students and Physicians Present Projects at Annual Research Day
Research Day Keynote Speaker Announced
Price Named Mentor for NIH's All of Us Research Scholar Program
Student Examines PAP Devices for Treating Sleep Apnea
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