ACADEMIC ASSOCIATE PROGRAM - INTEGRATING CLINICAL EMERGENCY-MEDICINE RESEARCH WITH UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

An educational program that teaches undergraduate students about clini cal research related to emergency medicine is described. The students work as research assistants within the ED, thus providing a department al framework for the enrollment of patients in clinical studies. Volun teers interested in the program undergo a physical examination, vaccin ation history, and standard serologic testing, and sit through a forma l blood and body fluid exposure course offered by the university prior to their clinical research participation. A didactic curriculum on cl inical research concepts and course examinations is provided. Over the 4 years since the department established its departmental research go als and this educational program, the departmental publication rate ha s increased from 2 to 20 manuscripts. While there was only 1 faculty m ember with a research publication in 1992, there were 9 faculty with m anuscripts accepted for publication in the first 6 months of 1996. Sim ilarly, more nurses and ancillary staff have become involved in prospe ctive clinical research. Much of this success is attributed to the nov el use of resources through the academic associate program.