The Mentored Scholarly Activity

This research includes projects that test hypotheses using laboratory-based methods. Projects in basic science areas investigate basic physiological, molecular and cellular regulatory mechanisms using model experimental cell, organ and whole animal systems. Because all cells have a common origin in evolution, knowledge of these basic mechanisms could be useful for patient diagnosis, prognosis and therapy in the clinic.

Projects could focus on Neuroscience, Immunology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics, or Cell and Developmental Biology (see below). The information gained could be used in a translational (Bench to Bedside) manner in which basic science techniques and knowledge are applied to clinical problems (see examples below). Although your level of participation may be a long-way off from any clinical application, you will see how scientific discoveries can lead to medical breakthroughs, even when they are not planned to do so. For instance, Azacytidine was developed to treat cancer but is used to treat AIDS by inhibiting the HIV virus.

Sometimes, the discoveries are serendipitous, like penicillin inhibition of bacterial infections by Fleming or the discovery of vaccines by Pasteur! You will be able to answer your patients when they ask you, "Why does it take so long to develop a drug?"

Examples of completed MSA projects in Basic Biomedical Science:

1. Investigating the mechanism of action of drugs for targeted cancer therapy
2. using mouse models and human cells in culture
3. Using mice to test ideas about rejection during organ transplantation
4. Synthesizing potential antibacterial antibiotics
5. Developing a mouse model to test a cancer vaccine
6. Measuring genetic polymorphisms in patients with auto-immune disorders
7. Determining prognostic biomarkers for cancer using advanced molecular pathological analysis.
8. Using a rat model to study neuro-degeneration
9. Studying molecular mechanisms of auto-immunity in type II diabetes

Resources for Basic Science Thematic Area

• Basic Science Introductory Presentation
• Basic Science FAQ

Associate Director

John Tentler​

My thematic area is Laboratory-Based Biomedical Science; sometimes referred to as “bench to bedside”.

We focus on human experience and an examination of the meaning and values associated with health, illness and healing. This content area deals not only with descriptive questions - what is the case - but also with normative questions - what should be the case? There are many disciplines represented in the humanities: ethics / law / art / literature / history / philosophy /religious studies. The following disciplines are included in the social sciences: medical anthropology / sociology / psychology / health policy / education.

You may be more familiar with the research methodologies in the social sciences. They can range from interviews with key informants and focus groups, to observation of behaviors with validated tools, to survey questionnaires about personal or social attitudes and behaviors. They may also include the analysis of current data bases of health related attitudes and behaviors. Scholarship in education can include the development and evaluation of curricula; applying theories of feedback to new methods to help clinicians teach at the bedside; or investigating the relationship between teaching behaviors and student learning.

Scholarship in the humanities may be more unfamiliar. Each discipline has its own literature and critical methodologies. One core activity is the critical reading and interpretation of texts and the construction of arguments to support claims. Common to all is the need to formulate good questions, choose the appropriate critical methodology, investigate the subject thoroughly, analyze carefully, and report clearly.​​​

Associate Director

Daniel Goldberg​

My thematic area is associated with the more human side of medicine and includes projects in bioethics, literature, history, arts and medical education. Center for Bioethics and Humanities Website 

Clinical research is aimed at addressing knowledge gaps, safety gaps, evaluation of treatments or diagnostics, and outcomes – all within the clinical realm of patient care. This is usually quantitative research employing the scientific method (using statistics to test a hypothesis), but may be descriptive (case reports of unusual presentations). Clinical research projects often include:

• Analysis of clinical trial or disease databases
  
• Analysis of disease features or procedures in cohorts by using an existing database or doing an electronic medical record search; typically assessing for predictors of specific outcomes
  
• Performance and evaluation of local small clinical trials (pilot or phase I-II) of drugs, diagnostics, devices
  
• Performance and evaluation of other interventions such as outreach, counseling or teaching (patients, families)
  
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of diagnostic procedures/tests in a disease or condition
  
• Evaluation of epidemiologic features of a disease population
  
• Using surveys to characterize features of a diseased or at-risk population
  
• Translational research (analyzing patient samples in a laboratory): use information from blood, DNA, RNA or tissue analysis to make correlations with clinical manifestations or clinical responses to treatment
  
• Mechanistic research on human physiology, such as projects using imaging, oral or IV infusions, stimulation tests, exercise physiology, vascular function, pulmonary function, sleep, etc
  
• A case report or case series with an extensive review and summary of the related literature (unusual disease or dramatic presentation, novel surgical approaches, etc.)
  
• A literature search summarizing features of less common diseases or outcomes/safety of novel surgical approaches or tests (may involve only descriptive statistics)
  
• Meta-analysis of the literature regarding a disease or intervention (specific statistical approaches required)
  

Director
James Maloney

Clinical investigation focuses on the whole person as the unit of analysis to examine the safety and effectiveness of diagnostic and treatment regimens. 

An MSA in Global Health focuses on a topic or research question specific to a population abroad or a domestic refugee population. MSA projects are completed with the help of a faculty or community mentor with practical experience in global health. The MSA project may address any issue affecting the health of individuals and populations, and may take the form of clinical research, a humanities and social science question, or a public health/epidemiology inquiry. The MSA in Global Health includes time abroad to design and implement a project to address the scholarly question.

All interested students considering a global health MSA project abroad must apply for the Global Health Track, which provides additional coursework and guidance relevant to International projects (only students in the Global Health Track can participate in an MSA project abroad. There are special requirements to travel abroad, please refer to requirements to the Global Health Director). For additional information on how to apply for the Track prior to matriculation, please go to SOM Admissions.

We look at groups rather than individuals. Why do some get certain illnesses, while others do not? How do you define and select populations to study? What can you learn by studying groups that you cannot learn by studying individuals?

Populations can be studied with methodologies that range from simple description with interviews with written, audio or video records to analyses that involve complex statistical models. The challenge is to identify questions that can be answered best through population-based studies, identify appropriate populations that are available to study, implement methodologies that will help answer the questions, and translate the answers into ways to improve the health of the public.

Population-based scholarship can be organized in many ways: categories like international health and rural health define populations by place or level of economic development. Occupational and environmental health defines populations by jobs and exposures to toxic agents. Infectious and chronic disease epidemiology defines populations by the diseases they get. We also look at the impact of public policy on population health. There are many other ways to categorize population studies: by nutrition, injuries, war and disasters, poverty, age, and insurance status for instance.

Associate Director

Sarah Rowan

My thematic area is Community and Public Health, and Epidemiology. We look at health from a broader perspective—examining how health, interventions, or policies impact populations. Epidemiology Website

The evidence is overwhelming that the social and economic conditions in which we live, work, and play are the prime determinants of health and its distribution in society. Laws and policies are powerful mechanisms that mediate these upstream structural drivers of health. Accordingly, physician-leaders have increasingly claimed that basic fluency in health policy is a critical competency for all future physicians. Because policy affects community health outcomes, MSA Projects in Health Policy may overlap substantially with the MSA “Public Health” domain, which is anticipated and welcome.

MSA Projects that take up the call and address virtually any aspect of health and/or health care policy are welcome.

Such projects can include but are not limited to work that engages the following:

• Health services research
• Public health policy research
• Policy mapping
• Policy translation
• Policy analysis
• Policy formation
• Policy dissemination & implementation
• Policy education

Students interested in completing a MSA Project in “Health Policy” might, for example:

• Draft a policy brief or a portion thereof;
• Prepare briefing and material for legislators and policymakers;
• Record mock legislative testimony
• Participate in health policy research;
• Draft policy analysis of an existing bill;
• Draft a lesson plan or a proposal for a policy education module; or
• Complete a policy mapping exercise on a given issue.

There are many other possibilities for MSA Projects in this thematic area!

Associate Director

Daniel S. Goldberg, JD, PhD

Health Policy explores the vast potential of policy to improve health outcomes and advance health equity.

The following questions were proposed by MS1 students and answered by a combination of MS3 and MS4 students:

For those who did multiple research projects, when did you fit them all in?

Sometimes there are natural ebbs and flows with projects and so when doing multiple projects, there naturally will be busier or less busier times. For example, while one project was going through the IRB, I would just focus on the other project. Deadlines can play into this. If you are submitting an abstract for a conference on one project, I would prioritize that one in the moment. Otherwise, I just do it based on when I have time to focus on research and alternate which project I work on when I have the time.

If I have multiple research interests, how do I decide which one to do for the MSA and which should I do independently?

I don't think there is a right or wrong way to go about this. For an MSA, it might be helpful to work on a project that is already established or in the works and moving forward so that you don't have to start from the ground up, which will make it a little easier to hit milestones, primarily the 4th year capstone presentation, and ensure you complete your MSA. But beyond that, there isn't a "better" research interest or project than others to do as an MSA.

What are some pros vs cons of research track? If we want a competitive specialty, is it better to do that track?

Pros- Funding. You get funding for three research blocks (one in the summer between 1st and 2nd year and the other two in 3rd/4th year), the Carmel conference, and a national conference. Milestones. It is nice to be working towards concrete goals like an abstract to a national conference and a first author manuscript. It is also nice since the research mentor is on the same page by engaging in the research track and so the project is more likely to hit these goals. Mentorship. I have a great mentor/mentee relationship with my mentor and it started in October/November of my first year which is really cool.

Cons- Project choice. The mentor/project is selected by you from a list of approved mentor/projects. It worked out where I found a project that was a great fit for me but that could be a potential barrier if you don't quite find what you are looking for on the list. Research blocks. The research blocks are required. I didn't mind that at all and would have done research blocks anyways, but it is something to consider that you have to do the blocks, especially in the summer between your first and second year.

As for competitive specialties, I don't think you have to do the research track to do a competitive specialty. I think the milestones you are reaching can align with competitive specialties potentially wanting to see certain research milestones and outputs. However, you can accomplish research goals outside of the research track. There are competitive specialties listed as approved mentor/projects for the research track so it could work out but is not required.

If we have absolutely no idea what kind of medicine we’re going to end up in, what sort of project do you recommend we peruse? Thank you!

That is totally fair! I think primarily think about something you are passionate about and would enjoy working on such as topics on sexual health or vaccines or advocacy work. It might be worth it to not think about the specialty exactly but what kind of work you want to do and then go about it that way. Also, think about whether you like bench research vs clinical research. Would you want to distribute surveys, do chart review, or run PCRs? Thinking about the broader topics and the day to day of what you actually would be doing might be a good approach for you more than trying to target a specific specialty. You will learn a lot and gain experience in whatever you do even if it doesn't end up aligning with the specialty you ultimately decide on.

When is the deadline for MSA?

There is a paper (or proof of publication) due in December of MS4 and a required capstone presentation due in spring of MS4, but you can complete the assignments earlier as your project progresses.

For those in global health track, were you able to do international rotations yet through global health and if so what where they like? Also, how does the school support you in finding or participating in those rotations? Can you talk a little bit about your experience in the Global Health Track? For global health - what gain do you get from being on this track vs just doing global health related research on the side

I'm in the global health track and did a 6wk trauma rotation in Cape Town during the discovery period after first year (CU South Africa Emergency Medicine Program)! It was an incredible experience, and to my knowledge is currently only open to members of the GHT. The Center for Global Health supported me with scholarship funds (covered most of my costs) and has many scholarship opportunities every year for students pursuing international experiences. A huge perk of the track is just having the opportunity to participate in in-country international research/clinical experiences (which you can only do under the official CU umbrella if you are part of the track) and being closely connected to CU faculty working in global health.

I personally did not do an international rotation, as my research was domestic. I will say that CU and the track have robust connections to sites all over the world, like the South Africa site mentioned above. The track co-directors are great at connecting students to mentors working in those sites, which is a definite advantage of being in the track vs trying to get international research independently. As for cost, there are several scholarships the track will connect students with. There will occasionally be incidental costs the student will have to cover, and there is no guarantee the student will receive the scholarship. However, the track will work with students to best figure out finances.

I did not do an international project through GHT (my MSA project is local), but I am hopeful that I can coordinate research-related travel sometime during 4th year if it all works out (there is plenty of flexibility in the curriculum after STEP 2)! I absolutely plan to rely on the co-directors to help facilitate this (help with connections, logistics, finding funding, and so much more), which is a huge advantage of being in the track

The Mentored Scholarly Activity (MSA) program has contracted with the Center for Innovative Design & Analysis (CIDA) and the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics to develop a biostatistics consulting resource that is available to all medical students when working on their MSA project. This document outlines this new resource.

Overarching goals:

• To assist medical students with developing statistical literacy as applied to their project.
• Help the student develop a design and analysis framework that is doable by the medical student in consultation with their mentor and biostatistics faculty and graduate students.
• Provide peer-to-peer and one-on-one feedback on the design and analysis aspects of the student’s project.

Individual Consultation - Request Here

Through our consulting clinic program, we offer students one-on-one consultations with a CIDA graduate research assistant, during which we can assist with the following: 

• Review and assistance creating testable study hypotheses  
• Choosing a study design 
• How to calculate a sample size and create a justification 
• Developing an analysis plan 
• Reviewing analysis code or procedures 
• Interpreting analysis output 
• Review of tables and figures 

We encourage students to attend as many clinics as are helpful throughout the duration of their project, and to come in the early phases of your study planning. Clinic appointments are available most weekdays. Students must register 48 hours prior to attending clinics. 

Prior to registration, it is advised to review these links for organizing and format your data

• Dataset Format Guidelines
• Organize Data for Statistical Analysis

The biostatistics graduate students who staff these clinics are primarily R, Python, and/or SAS users. For guidance on implementing analyses in these languages or other software (e.g., SPSS, JMP, STATA) after receiving statistician guidance on appropriate methods, see:

• LISA Lab Short Courses: https://www.colorado.edu/lab/lisa/services/short-courses
• UCLA: https://stats.oarc.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/whatstat/ 

Students must register 48-hours prior to attending any clinic:
Register here

Biostats Microgrant
If more extensive analyses are needed and funding is not available through the mentor, MSA students have the ability to apply for a small grant for additional analytical support from a CIDA biostatistician. 
More information on submission requirements and deadlines for these grants can be found under the MSA small grant program tab at MSA Biostats Microgrant.

Collaborating with a biostatistician
In instances where it becomes clear the project requires design or analysis methodology well beyond the skill set of the medical student, the medical student and their faculty mentor will be referred to the Center for Innovative Design & Analysis.  CIDA will develop a scope of work with anticipated costs. It is expected that the faculty mentor will help the student identify mechanisms for covering the costs of implementing such a study. 

Questions? Write [email protected].

 

Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board (COMIRB)

 

Strauss Health Science Library and Writing Center Consultation Request

Selecting a Mentor

Some of the best ways to find a mentor and a project are:

1. Review previous Capstone projects (posters) contained on this site for areas that may interest you before completing the MSA Interest Form.
   
2. Complete the MSA interest form in Canvas. This tells us a bit about your background and your interests. One of the Associate Directors will then contact you and help connect you with a potential mentor.
   
3. Search the CU PROFILES database using key words.
   
4. If you currently have a discipline of interest (e.g., Neurology), use the department contact lists provided in the below section “Department Contacts." Also, join the interest group(s) for your specialty of interest to meet mentors and identify projects in those areas.
   
5. Ask faculty who you interact with in your classes or Traverse weeks about their work and whether they would be interested in taking on a student.
   
6. Your Associate Director can also help you find a mentor. Please contact him/her for assistance. You can use e-mail or contact them by phone. Please see the left side of the page for the contact information of the Associate Directors. If you have trouble contacting your Associate Director, please contact [email protected].
   
7. The goals of these pursuits are to help you identify a project in an area of your interest, to select a mentor who can support you in completing your project, and in the process have you become competent with applying a scholarly approach useful in any area of medicine.

Questions for your potential mentors:

• Ask your mentor about their research activities and their interests after you demonstrate to them you have some familiarity with their work.
  
• Have they mentored student scholarly projects before?
  
• What is a typical day like for your potential mentor?
  
• Will they have time to mentor you over the next four years if you choose them as your mentor?
  
• Also, consider asking them their thoughts on important areas for further research or gaps in the medical literature of their field that they think could be further explored through an MSA project.
  
• Are there other people in your department that they recommend you reach out to?
  
• Make sure to discuss your anticipated timeline. I.e., Are you planning on doing intensive work over the summer (between MS1 and MS2 years)? Let them know you’ll have more time in your MS2/LIC year for meetings and work on the project.
  
• Is it realistic for you to also have a first author poster and attend a national meeting in the specialty (hopefully presenting your work)? Is this a project that might lead to publication? Will you work primarily with the mentor or other team members?

Making the Most of your Mentor/Mentee Relationship...

• Zerzan JT, et al. Making the most of mentors: a guide for mentees. Acad Med 2009;84:140- 144.
• https://hr.nih.gov/sites/default/files/public/documents/working-nih/mentoring/pdf/tips-mentees.pdf

• School of Medicine Contacts 
• Children's Hospital Department Contacts

Simples Rules for a Good Poster Presentation

Ten Simple Rules for a Good Poster Presentation by Thomas Erren and Philip Bourne offers some simple rules to guide you in the development of your poster presentation. 

Author Philip Bourne offers additional presenation suggestions in his article Ten Simple Rules for Making Good Oral Presenations.

Taming the Graphics

Now that you have a handle on your prose, let’s take a look at how to arrange the text on the poster and add supporting images to engage and educate your viewer. 

Here are several sites that provide an overview of principles of good poster design. 

Tips for Posters in the Humanities from Stanford
This brief section touches on some ideas for posters in the humanities.

Designing Conference Posters by Colin Purrington
This is an blog entry that has many good examples. The writier has fun with describing good and bad layout and has some creative ideas thrown in also.

Printing Suggestions

Below are some suggestions for printing your Capstone poster given to us by students and staff. 

http://www.makesigns.com/ (Links to an external site.)
 -- or --
 PhD Posters (https://phdposters.com/ (Links to an external site.)). 

Use contacts at the appropriate facility to receive detailed instructions on how to receive your badge:

• Denver Health - [email protected] 
• VA - [email protected], [email protected]
• UCH & CHCO - [email protected]
  

1. LaCOTA: LaCamera Oncology Travel Award

The LaCamera Family generously provided a gift to the University of Colorado Cancer Center to provide oncology-related education opportunities for medical students at CU Anschutz Medical School.

The LaCamera Oncology Travel Award (LaCOTA), provides CU Anschutz Medical School students up to $1,500 to attend oncology-related educational trainings and conferences to further their understanding of cancer prevention and treatment.

https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/colorado-cancer-center/education/post-doctoral-education-opportunities

2. The Endocrine Society provides funding for summer research experiences for medical students working with faculty who are members of the Endocrine Society through the REGMS program, including $2500 for an 8-10 week experience, an 8-week summer webinar series, and a $1500 travel grant to attend the Early Career Forum at the annual Endocrine Society annual meeting and the annual meeting itself:

https://www.endocrine.org/awards/research-experiences-for-graduate-and-medical-students

3. The Endocrine Society provides travel awards of $500 each are given for medical students submitting outstanding abstracts for presentation at the annual Endocrine Society meeting:

https://www.endocrine.org/awards/the-endocrine-society-outstanding-abstract-awards

4. AME Spark Tank Funding Opportunity - teams of educators can submit brief proposals for the AME SPARK tank and then, if selected, compete with a “pitch” for $5000 to support an education innovation.  Check out the website for deadlines and submission information.

 Link for the website: Spark Tank

5. Medical Student Council – The MSC provides funding to support medical students who are presenting or participating at professional conferences. Eligible activities include presenting research, presenting policy, serving on a panel discussion, or fulfilling duties of a leadership role. Students may receive up to $400 per application, with eligibility for two applications per academic year.

Information about how to apply can be found on The Pulse and the MSC Research Instagram (@cusom_research).

Plains Pre-clerkship curriculum

10 Tips for mentees

Fall Semester

• Attend MSA Introduction Lecture
  
• Complete an Interest Form during Orientation.
  
• Meet with an Associate Director one-on-one by November 1st (See course syllabus).
  
• Meet with potential mentor(s) to identify a mentor and a project.

Spring Semester 

• Review relevant scholarly literature.
  
• Participate in the Annual Capstone Event as an evaluator in (See course syllabus).
  
• Submit MSA Comprehensive Project Outline in (See course syllabus).
  
• Complete an online scientific method research module in (See course syllabus).
  
• Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board (COMIRB) - If your project involves human subjects, you must complete the COMIRB certification online and submit your protocol.

MSA Summer IDPT 5091 Course

Note: The summer elective is optional and will appear as a fall grade. If completed, this course fulfills the Fall Semester 2 IDPT 6090 requirements. Therefore, students will not be enrolled in the Fall 2 Semester of IDPT 6090.

• Attend Summer IDPT 5091 Orientation
  
• Meet/communicate with your mentor at least bi-weekly. You will be expected to work on your MSA project for 25 hours per week, for 4 weeks.
  
• Submit Abstract and Annotated bibliography.
  
• Upload PowerPoint slides for Work in Progress Presentation.
  
• Present current status of project and participate in Work in Progress sessions.
  
• COMIRB certification and approval notice (if your project requires COMIRB approval) .
  
• Students must complete online evaluations and meet with the course directors as needed to provide feedback.

Foothills Clerkship Phase

Fall Semester

• Meet with associated Director for a One-on-One meeting 
  
• Communicate with mentor regularly. 
  
• COMIRB certification and approval notice (if your project requires COMIRB approval).

Spring Semester 

• Watch Video Recording: How To Do a Literature Review( Link located in canvas and course syllabus)
• Submit an Annotated Bibliography

Phase II Assignment Resources

• Annotated Bibliography Instructions
• PubMed Essentials Video
• EndNote Training Video

Alpine-Summit Post-clerkship

Fall MS3 Semester

• Submit a Project Update in Canvas (See course syllabus).
• Meet and communicate with mentor regularly regarding progress on project. Spring MS3 Semester
• Begin planning for post-clerkship electives. It is recommended students enroll in MSA Research Elective(s) if their project is not complete. See post-clerkship MSA Electives below.
• Submit abstract, present and give peer feedback at a Work in Progress (WIP) session (See course syllabus).

Post-clerkship MSA Electives

Main Content: IDPT 8091 - MSA Phase IV Preparation and IDPT 8093 - IDPT Scholarly Activity are each 2-4-week elective courses that students can take in their post-clerkship phase. These courses are intended to be a time to focus on completing MSA project papers or prepare for the Capstone presentation. 

• Students work intensively with mentors on their chosen MSA Project. 

How to sign up for an elective

• Register for the elective through Oasis. 
• You will be placed on a waitlist as a formality until your enrollment has been reviewed. 
• IDPT 8091 - MSA Phase IV Preparation is a pre-requisite for IDPT 8093 - IDPT Scholarly Activity. You will not be able to register for IDPT 8093 until you have completed IDPT 8091.
• You also must contact your mentor in order to enroll in the electives and upload a mentor approval (an email with the section dates is sufficient) directly into Oasis under “Research Information”.

 Alpine Assignment Resources

• Work in Progress Presentation Instructions and What to Include
• How to Write an Abstract
• Abstract Instructions
• Work in Progress Grading Rubric
• How to Give a Scientific Talk (WIP)
• How to Create a Scientific Poster 

 Fall MS4 Semester

• Students who did not complete intensive coursework in MS1 or MS2 should schedule up to two research electives. Each elective is four weeks in length and are IDPT 8091 and IDPT 8093. Each course should only be taken once beginning with IDPT 8091.
• Meet with mentor regularly
• Submit the rough draft of your paper

 Spring MS4 Semester

• Submit a 10-25 page Final Paper or Published Paper. Incorporate feedback on the draft paper from your MSA Director or Associate Director
• Deliver Capstone Presentation and participate as a peer evaluator.

Note: If you do not have a project and need assistance finding a mentor and/or project, please connect with your Associate Director or the MSA Coordinator at [email protected].

Summit Final Capstone Presentation

On the day of the Final Capstone Event, there will be three, hour-long sessions. Each student will present their final project and poster to peers and faculty judges during their assigned hour. Students will also answer questions about their final project. Each student will also be assigned three peer posters to judge in the sessions they are not presenting in. Final judging scores will determine student awards, listed here on the Capstone website.

Capstone Grading Rubric Link

Below are some tips for printing your posters for the event. Each student should have a printed poster to display during your oral presentation at the Capstone Event.

• Poster size is suggested to be 36" H X 48" W. You can choose to have it printed anywhere you like. If you would like to have your poster printed through CU’s Printing Services, please contact [email protected].
  NOTE: There is typically a three-day turnaround for printing so plan accordingly.
• Your PowerPoint poster will need to be formatted to print at the correct size. To format your poster to the correct size in PowerPoint, Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size. There you can enter exactly how many inches wide and high you want the final print to be
• To convert a PPT to PDF in PowerPoint > File > Save as Adobe PDF > Name file > Select destination (Desktop, flash drive; etc.)
• To see examples of previous posters, please visit the Capstone Website. Feel free to contact your associate director if you need more guidance or examples.
• For CU colors/seal, see https://www.cuanschutz.edu/offices/communications/brand/resources/templates. You have to sign up for a Canva account (brief) for access, but the site has multiple CU-branded poster templates to choose from.

Other options students have used:

PhD Posters: https://phdposters.com/prices#prices. You can select your size and have it delivered to the printing services desk at CU Anschutz, located next to the badging office in the Fitzsimmons building.

Poster Nerd website: https://www.posternerd.com/

Reach out to your MSA Associate Director if:

1. You are changing your mentor and/or project (and also fill out the Mentor Change and/or Project Change Form on the Canvas site)
2. You have questions about MSA course requirements, logistics, etc. when you can’t find the information on the MSA website or through other avenues
3. You are in a difficult situation with a mentor or your project and would like some guidance
4. You are feeling “stuck” trying to find a mentor, or during your MSA project you have run into roadblocks (and you have reached out to your mentor)
   

Reach out to your MSA Mentor for:

1. All MSA project-specific questions
2. Review of an MSA assignment for feedback prior to submission including work in progress, draft paper, final paper, and poster.
3. Regular meetings/check-ins about your project

MSA Mentor Info Sheet

1. Initial Engagement & Project Development

• Meet with students to explore scholarly interests and brainstorm feasible project ideas.
• Outline potential projects for students who have general interests but no specific ideas.
• Help students develop a scholarly and achievable project plan.
• As the years progress, be open to alternative projects that may be more practical or better aligned with student goals if needed.

2. Relationship Building & Communication

• Establish a clear agreement with students, including:
• Meeting and communication schedule
• Authorship expectations
• Professional development goals
• Understand and negotiate timelines based on student schedules.
• Maintain availability and provide consistent supervision throughout the 4-year project.

3. Project Support & Scholarly Development

• Review and give feedback on all scholarly materials:
• Proposal
• Abstract
• Annotated bibliography
• Work-in-progress presentations
• Final paper and Capstone poster
• Support presentation opportunities by helping students find subspecialty meetings, travel awards, and scholarships.
• Assist with data gathering, analysis, and Capstone preparation.
• If funding is available, mentors typically cover poster printing costs.
• Project posters presented at national meetings may be re-used for the final Capstone. 

4. Evaluation & Reporting

• Provide a summative evaluation at the end of MS2 and after the final Capstone presentation.
• Complete end-of-elective evaluations for post-clerkship students (IDPT 8091 and 8093).
• Report concerns about student progress to the MSA Associate Director or coordinator via email: [email protected].

5. Professional Standards & Faculty Requirements

• Promote academic rigor and professionalism.
• Ensure at least one CU Faculty member is involved as a mentor/co-mentor.
• Non-faculty mentors can apply for volunteer faculty status: [email protected].
• Associate Directors are not project mentors but can provide guidance.

6. Final Deliverables & Publication

• Final Capstone posters and abstracts will be posted on the MSA website.
• Contact [email protected] to request removal of sensitive data.
• All stone poster presentation requirements remain in the 4th year even if the project is completed and published earlier.

Each year the MSA Director and Associate Directors highlight and acknowledge outstanding mentors who are nominated by their mentees. Below is are a few of our amazing faculty who have won recent Mentor of the Year awards and have shared their experiences mentoring CU School of Medicine students. 

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Robert Meguid: Awarded the 2021 MSA Mentor of the Year Award.
Rob has been mentoring students for 9 years at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. While he has formally mentored 6 students through the MSA program, he has mentored numerous surgical residents in research and clinically. Mentees have gone on to present their research at national surgical meetings and publish in surgical journals. Their research has made significant contributions to the Department of Surgery’s Surgical Outcomes and Applied Research program.

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Daewon Park: Awarded the 2021 MSA Mentor of the Year Award.

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Janet Meredith: Awarded the 2020 MSA Mentor of the Year Award.
Janet has been mentoring students for 10 years, and has mentored more than 135 students holding an active mentorship of 75 students per year. Notable projects Janet and her students have contributed to include: CSTAHR (Community and students together against healthcare racism) an ongoing project for 20 years; AIMM (addressing infant and maternal mortality) active for 5 years, among many more. 

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Bethany Kwan: Awarded the 2019 MSA Mentor of the Year Award.

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