Office of Research – Research Course

Course Section Information

The Research Course facilitates the engagement of students in research during the four years of their training at the School of Dental Medicine. Students enrolled in this course will have the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to be lifelong, self-directed learners. Students should complete four milestones before graduation to receive the recognition of “Research Scholar.”

Course Section Description

Students must demonstrate and maintain good academic standing. Students must have completed and maintain relevant CITI training. Students interested in the course should identify a faculty member that agrees to mentor them and request to be part of the course. The selection will be based on approval by the course director of a document that includes (1) verified faculty mentor, (2) the proposed research question, and (3) the proposed timeline for completion of their four milestones. The milestones have to be passed in sequence.

Course Director

Dr. Alexandre R. Vieira (vieiraa23@ecu.edu) 252-737-4678 Ross Hall 4216

Course Coordinator

Jenni K. Wibbeler (keimj17@ecu.edu) 252-737-7800

Course Accreditation Standards

This course meets the following CODA standards: CODA Standard 2-10: Graduates must be competent in the use of critical thinking, and problem-solving, including their use in the comprehensive care of patients, scientific inquiry and research methodology. CODA Standard 2-21: Graduates must be competent in the application of the principles of ethical decision making and professional responsibility. CODA Standard 2-22: Graduates must be competent to access, critically appraise, apply, and communicate scientific and lay literature as it relates to providing evidence-based patient care.

Materials For Learning

Class texts provided by mentors through Vitalsource Bookshelf and/or PubMed searches.

Attendance

Attendance is required in all scheduled sessions with mentors for the developing of the above-described milestones. The SoDM does not recognize the difference between excused and unexcused absences. However, accommodation for the protected class is recognized and handled on a need basis. The course director will monitor attendance. Once a student reaches the threshold of February prior to their graduation without having completed all 4 above-described milestones, the student receives a failing grade.

Classroom Environment

Instructional methods utilized in this course include reading assignments, and one-on-one discussions based on individual assignments towards completion of above-described milestones.

Course Assignments

Students will receive their learning objectives and any reading assignments through the faculty serving as their mentors.

Exams, Grading, and Requirements for Passing

There are four (4) “milestone assessments” that are required to be completed in sequence. All milestones must be passed within three (3) attempts. Students who do not pass any milestone in three (3) attempts will fail the course. All four milestones are to be completed by February 1st prior to student’s graduation date. Students passing the course with a score of 92% or higher will be recognized at graduation as “Research Scholars.”

The milestone assessments are as follows:

  1. Description of the Student Project that describes the gap of knowledge, question being asked, and hypothesis formulated.
  2. Project Protocol Development and Proposed Methodology that describes the feasibility and appropriateness of the proposed methodology.
  3. Interim Progress Report that provides a summary of the work demonstrating substantial student progress. Note: this step can be substituted by a presentation of the work in a local, national, or international scientific meeting (i.e. CORAS).
  4. “Final” Program Report that demonstrates the completion of the student’s project. Note: This step can be substituted by a presentation of the work in a local, national, or international scientific meeting (i.e. CORAS).