Highlights from the First Student-Run Orthopedics Clinical Research Showcase at Wayne State University School of Medicine

The Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group Clinical Research Showcase took place on December 3, 2019 on the campus of Wayne State University School of Medicine as the first such student-run event of its kind since the school was established in 1868 as Detroit Medical College. The Clinical Research Showcase was developed by the student leadership of the Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group (Arif Musa, Emily Lau, Martin Weaver, and Collin Bennet) with the support of the Office of Medical Student Research Programs, which was established in 2017. Medical students were encouraged to submit abstracts for poster and podium presentation with the latter taking place in the Margherio Conference Center (Figure 1). The goals of the showcase were to promote student engagement in research, develop skills such as abstract writing and poster design, receive valuable feedback from judges, and foster inter-disciplinary collaboration. These goals were based on previous articles that have documented the impact of peer-led symposia as a valuable learning experience and means promote student involvement in research endeavors [1-3.] It was explicitly stated in the call for abstracts that medical student were welcome to submit abstracts of completed, ongoing, and planned research in any medical discipline. The research showcase was supported by the generous Office of Medical Student Research whom provided dinner and funding for several students’ posters to be printed.