The Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program (EMRAP) is an excellent opportunity available to UVM students looking to get involved in clinical research. EMRAP students begin by taking the course SURG200 - Emergency Medicine Research I to learn about everything that goes on behind the scenes in clinical research including ethical dilemmas, protocols, standards, human rights, and the history of the field. In addition to lectures, students shadow healthcare providers in the UVM Medical Center Emergency Department. Students can then also enroll in SURG 201, where they work on officially obtaining consent from ED patients for clinical research trials being conducted by current UVMMC staff and upper-level EMRAP students. This is a perfect opportunity for students to learn the nuanced skills of patient-interaction and bedside manner. Students in SURG 201 are also given the opportunity to propose their own research study. If approved by the IRB and awarded a grant, selected student projects are then carried out in the advanced course, SURG 220. Students can choose to continue to build their clinical research skills with staff in EMRAP in the SURG295 course if desired. Each course and its opportunities within EMRAP offers valuable exposure to the clinical research field for students, showcasing the interconnected teams at the UVMMC working on promoting and advancing healthcare. It is very clear that the EMRAP staff and professors put so much of their personal time and effort into giving students priceless connections and opportunities, which has made this program one of the most valuable courses I have taken during my time here at UVM.
-Lindsay Aldrich '20