Research Component-- current student thoughts

[KristenMarie]

Hi there! I am a Yale On-Campus PA program applicant and wanted to get some opinions on Yale's curriculum, specifically its research piece. How do current students and alumni feel about the research component? Was it beneficial? Did it increase opportunities and/or improve your clinical abilities?

 

Thanks for your help!

[jl3267]

Current third year student, so I've recently finished my thesis and have some of the clarity of hindsight without all the distance so as to have forgotten the torture. 

You will hate every second of it. BUT, I can absolutely confirm that I have seen the benefits first hand.

Example: I recently worked with a PA preceptor who graduated from another program. I'm obviously not sure of that program's research curriculum and am not about to go look it up to prove a point, but given how notorious Yale's is, I feel relatively confident in at least saying it probably was less hard-core than ours. While this was otherwise a very smart and capable preceptor, I consistently noticed that he fell prey to research interpretation errors that I now consider second nature, i.e. recommending a supplement to prevent recurrent UTI that was only studied in one poorly designed trial. I have had several other similar experiences with PAs from other programs throughout my rotations. I also have noticed it when I was able to (politely) fight back during drug rep lunches to point out flaws in their data that other practitioners don't catch on to. 

Long story short, did I choose to attend Yale because of the research curriculum? No. I was not a research junkie, unlike some applicants, and rather came here in spite of that. However, I do feel that I am more adequately prepared to keep myself in the loop of evidence-based medicine once I enter the work force.