Scholar's Year Information & Application 2023-24

Scholar's Year Information & Application 2023-24

Scholar's Year begins after the completion of Phase III and gives you the opportunity to participate in educational experiences outside of the regular curriculum. Scholar’s Year programs are customizable to meet your professional interests and improve the your ability to serve patients and communities. Students approved for Scholar's year must work with a mentor to complete a well-defined project and present a final report at the completion of the year.

Scholar's Year Program Application

Please fill out this application in its entirety to be considered for a Scholar's Year for the 2023-24 Academic Year. In order to complete the application, you will need to have a well-defined project in mind, a willing mentor for your project, and a good grasp of the goals and outcomes of your project.

You can find more information here:

https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/education/current-students/curriculum/elective-curriculum/scholar-s-year

Your application must be completed and submitted by FRIDAY, October 14th, 2022 to be considered. After that, the Committee may reach out to you to request revisions or additional information. Please see the bottom of the application for a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

Name*

Email Address*

Date*

Class of...*

Select

Eligibility Certification

Please check the following boxes to attest that you understand the requirements for Scholar's Year and are otherwise eligible for the program.

Good Standing*

I am an active CUSOM student in Good Standing.

Completion of Phase 3*

By the time my Scholar's Year would start, I will have completed all requirements of Foothills.

No Outstanding Coursework*

By the time my Scholar's Year would start, I must have completed all outstanding coursework and any required remediation.

Not a Dual Degree Student*

I am not in a dual-degree program (ie: MD/MBA or MD/PhD). Dual Degree students are not eligible for Scholar's Year.

Mentor*

I have a mentor who is willing to sign off on their support for my project. This mentor understands the scope of my project and is willing to help me with logistics, planning, and resources as needed.

Required Evaluations*

As part of my participation, I am required to arrange and complete 4 (four) quarterly evaluations with Student Life.

Final Report*

At the end of my experience I am required to submit a final report, presentation, and/or scholarly outcome.

Academic/Professionalism Questions

Please answer these questions honestly and briefly. Answering YES to any of these questions is *NOT* necessarily a cause for denial of your application.

Have you had any delays in your academic journey?

If Yes, please explain below.

Have you appeared before the Promotions Committee?

If Yes, please explain below.

Have you appeared before the Professionalism Cmte?

If Yes, please explain below.

Project Specifics

Please fill out the specifics of your project to the best of your knowledge. You do not have to have every detail of your project fleshed out at this point, but you should be able to give us a thorough, clear, and reasonable proposal. **Your responses should demonstrate that you have a well-defined project AND that you have clearly thought through the logistics of putting this project into action.**

Category of Academic Project/Experience*

Select the best fit for your project. If your project does not fall under any of these categories, choose "other".

Please explain:*

Describe Your Project*

Briefly give us a high-level overview of your project. What is your hypothesis/theory of the case/overall objective? What are you trying to accomplish and how will you go about completing it? How will this project benefit your medical education or future career? Please keep your response to 300-500 words.

Location*

Starting Date*

Choosing a tentative or estimated date is acceptable.

Completion Date*

Timeframe for returning to regular SOM curriculum*

Brief Timeline of the Project*

Please include a timeline of the major deadlines and milestones you hope to accomplish during your Scholar's Year. Keep in mind that you will be required to make quarterly updates on your progress with Student Life.

Describe Your Goals and Outcomes*

Please include at least 3 goals for your project and the measurable outcomes related to these goals. Your outcomes can be in terms of scholarly works (ie: abstracts, manuscripts), presentations (at conferences, events), or general tangible outcomes (policy recommendations/papers, community projects). For example, if your goal is to help underserved populations receive better follow up care, a measurable outcome would be the development of a database that sends automated reminders to patients when they need to follow up.

Describe how your project will help your Professional Development*

Keep in mind the CUSOM competency domains listed below that guide your Medical Education. Your project does *NOT* need to cover all of these domains nor any domain specifically, they are just there for guidance. Medical Knowledge for Practice Patient Care Practice Based Learning and Improvement Interpersonal and Communications Skills Professionalism Systems-Based Practice Interpersonal Collaboration Personal and Professional Development

Do you need Institutional Review Board Approval?*

Yes

Please explain your process for gaining approval.*

Remember that this must be done in a timely manner, so please include your timeline.

Why does the project not need approval?*

Do you need IACUC approval for animal research?*

Yes

How will you get IACUC approval?*

Project Mentor Information

All medical scholars are required to identify at least one mentor for the duration of the project. This may be a laboratory principal investigator, a clinical site director, a Track Director, or any other supervisor that has direct knowledge or involvement with the project. The Mentor should complete a statement of support for the project that demonstrates that they have a strong and complete understanding of the project, their role within it, and the logistics. This should be uploaded at the end of the application.

Mentor's Name*

Mentor's Title*

Mentor's Organization/Department*

Mentor's Contact Information*

Please include an email address and phone number.

Do you have an additional mentor?

2nd Mentor's Name

2nd Mentor's Title

2nd Mentor's Org/Department

2nd Mentor's Contact Information

Document Upload

Please upload the following documents: 1) Your CV 2) Your Mentor's CV 3) A Statement of Support from your Mentor The Statement of Support should include an understanding of the training, plan, oversight, resources/environment, and a statement of confidence in the applicant and their project.

Please Upload all 3 documents here:*

Be sure they are labeled accordingly!

Drag and drop files here or

Frequently Asked Questions

--Should I apply for a Scholar’s Year if I have a fellowship, such as a Howard Hughes or Doris Duke?

If the fellowship arranges for federal loan deferment, then you should not apply for the Scholar’s Year. This program is designed specifically for students who will not have access to federal loan deferment.

--Should I apply for a Scholar’s Year if I need extra time to remediate or study for Step 1/ Step 2?

No. To plan and carry out an independent project requires an unusually high level of motivation and commitment. Only students in good academic standing with a well-defined project and unequivocal mentor support will be allowed to enter the program.

--Can I apply for the program before I have a faculty mentor or a defined project?

No. A year passes very quickly, and to ensure students’ success, they can apply only once they have a distinct project with well-defined scholarly deliverable. This includes a mentor who understands the scope of the project.

--Can I take time off after any year?

At this time, the Scholar’s Year is available only after LIC year.

--How long can I be in this program?

The Scholar’s Year lasts for one academic year.

--What happens if I lose my mentor during my Scholar’s Year?

You should immediately notify the Scholar’s Year coordinator, the Dean of Student Life, and the Dean of Student Affairs. You should set up a meeting as soon as possible with the Dean of Student Affairs to create an action plan.

--Will I be out of cycle?

No. Students will join the following year’s class and will re-enter fourth year with that class. So if you take a scholar's year, you will become a part of the Class of 2025.

--When should I take Step 2?

We strongly recommend that students take Step 2 at the start of their Scholar’s Year, since clerkships and shelf exams are so important for this exam.

--Can I continue to see my preceptor during the Scholar’s Year?

Yes. Scholar’s Year students have official student status, which provides malpractice and liability coverage. To continue with your FDC preceptor(s), notify the FDC coordinator.

--I will have a fellowship that provides loan deferment. Can I enroll in the Scholar’s Year so that I can get malpractice & liability insurance (that is, so that I can continue seeing my preceptor)?

Currently, there is no provision in the Scholar’s Year program for this circumstance.

--What happens to my appointed or elected position(s)?

You may step down from these positions if you feel that you would be unable to continue effectively during your Scholar’s Year. In this case, notify your committee chair and the co-presidents of your class as soon as your plans are confirmed.

If you are staying in the area and would like to continue as an appointed representative, you may submit a request to your specific committee(s) asking for permission to continue. If you receive permission, notify your class co-presidents. You may be required to run for the position again in an election if your co-presidents feel it is necessary.

Your term of service would end at the end of your original term of service, that is, at the end of your Scholar’s Year. If there is an empty seat in the class you are entering, you could choose to run for the position again.

Further Questions? Please contact OSL.

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