How Sidney Kimmel Medical College’s Scholarly Inquiry Program Shapes the Next Generation of Physician-Researchers

At Jefferson’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College, research isn’t something students squeeze in between classes; it’s built into the foundation of their medical education. Through the JeffMD Curriculum, students begin exploring research early in their training and continue developing those skills throughout all four years.

The centerpiece of that experience is Scholarly Inquiry, a longitudinal program that allows every student to design, conduct and present meaningful research. What makes it exceptional isn’t just the requirement, but the depth of support, the range of tracks and the caliber of the work students produce.

A Curriculum Built for Discovery
Unlike many medical schools, where research is optional or limited to a select few, the Scholarly Inquiry program is required for medical students, spanning all four years of their education. Students choose from seven distinct tracks: clinical and translational research, population health, design, digital health, medical education, health policy and systems, and humanities. From there, they’re matched with mentors, connected with faculty investigators and supported with dedicated institutional resources to bring their ideas to life.

In the first two years, students learn the fundamentals of research methodology while developing their own projects. By the end of year two, they present their work in a conference-style poster session—a milestone that mirrors the professional research experience.

As students move into clinical rotations, the focus shifts: Third-year students refine their ideas and learn how to communicate their findings, while fourth-year students can expand their work, pursue publications or take on additional projects aligned with their career goals.

“We designed this curriculum so that students don’t just complete a project and move on—they develop the habits of mind that define a physician-researcher,” says Dr. Karen Bussard, co-director of Scholarly Inquiry. “By the time they graduate, they understand how to ask a meaningful clinical question, evaluate evidence rigorously and contribute to the scientific conversation in their field. That foundation doesn’t disappear when they enter practice. It travels with them into every patient encounter, every treatment decision and, for many, into ongoing research that advances medicine for decades to come.”

What Students Are Building
The program’s tracks aren’t interchangeable. Each one has a distinct identity and a record of real student-achievement.

For example, students in the clinical and translational research track have won awards and presented their work at national conferences, competing alongside physician-researchers with years of experience. In the design track, students have gone beyond prototypes: one alumnus redesigned the standard hospital gown to improve patient dignity and ease of use, and another developed a toilet seat designed to improve patient accessibility. Both products have moved toward real-world applications. Students in the health policy and systems track have taken their work to Washington, D.C., traveling to Capitol Hill to advocate for scientific research funding and other policy priorities.

For first-year student Ian Cherry, who’s working on a 3D-printed surgical training tool in the design track, the program has already changed the way he approaches problems.

“The skill of learning how to frame research questions is one that I will carry with me throughout my career,” Cherry says. “I’ve felt a lot of relief knowing that research is built into the JeffMD program. You can find a project you’re passionate about, connect with a mentor and focus on meaningful work without having to search for those opportunities on your own.”

The Institutional Investment Behind the Work
What distinguishes Scholarly Inquiry isn’t just the students’ achievements; it’s the level of resources Sidney Kimmel Medical College puts behind them. Scholarly Inquiry is its own department within the medical college, with dedicated administrative staff who actively support students throughout the process, often going well above the expected level of assistance.

Students are guided through every stage with structured mentorship, faculty time and a digital platform called ForagerOne, which helps students identify and connect with faculty mentors whose research aligns with their interests.

The financial support is equally substantial. Students have access to research supply grants, and those who present at conferences are eligible for a travel reimbursement, which provides a meaningful credential when applying to residency programs. The program also offers Research Excellence Awards of $500 to $1,000 to up to two students per track and class year, nominated by their faculty mentors.

Between the first and second years, students can receive $2,000 in summer research stipends, with faculty investigators sometimes further supplementing the funding. Students also have access to a division of biostatistics and bioinformatics partnership for methodological support, as well as research databases available directly through the Scholarly Inquiry program.

“It’s a fully integrated program with many layers of support,” says Dr. Michael Pasirstein, co-director of Scholarly Inquiry. “Most medical schools treat research as an add-on. What we’ve built here is something structurally different—a program with its own department, staff, funding mechanisms and infrastructure. That’s a deliberate institutional commitment, and students feel it. When a student comes to us with a research question, our job is to make sure resources are never the limiting factor.”

The investment is paying off in measurable ways. Class of 2026 medical students co-authored 332 manuscripts, serving as first authors on 115 and second authors on 217 papers in peer-reviewed journals, reflecting the program’s scale and depth. Beyond publications, students present at regional and national conferences, design medical devices and develop new curricula that are still used at Jefferson.

Additionally, working with third-year medical student Sarel Cordero-Hernandez, Dr. Lauren Delaney recently won first place in the Great 8 Abstract Competition at the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine annual meeting.

Research Skills That Follow Physicians for Life
Sidney Kimmel Medical College’s emphasis on students’ early exposure to research is intentional, and its purpose extends well beyond building a competitive residency application.

“At Sidney Kimmel Medical College, we’ve never accepted the premise that research and clinical care are separate pursuits,” says Dr. Said Ibrahim, dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College. “They’re the same pursuit, approached from different angles. Scholarly Inquiry is how we make that conviction real for every student who walks through our doors. We don’t expect every graduate to become a full-time researcher, but we do expect them to be consumers of research and understand how to evaluate evidence and apply it to patient care. The ability to critically assess medical literature is essential in a field where new discoveries constantly reshape clinical decisions. It’s a skill physicians rely on throughout their entire careers, not just in training.”

For Venkata Dasuri, a rising third-year student in the clinical and translational research track, that shift in thinking has already taken hold. His research on acute lymphoblastic leukemia and solid tumors allowed him to explore both laboratory and literature-based approaches, deepening his understanding of how molecular discoveries translate into patient care.

“Early involvement in research has strengthened my ability to think critically about medical evidence and has influenced the way I approach patient care,” he says. “It has encouraged me to evaluate the strength and applicability of clinical data rather than relying solely on memorization.”