The Student Research Initiative (StRIve), is the University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Science’s new, student-conceptualized and student-run research collaboration for undergraduate medical students interested in research. We established this collaboration at the start of this year-2016. This is the first collaboration of its kind in our faculty. It is widely accepted in the world of m
odern medicine that in order to deliver the best possible care to their patients, it is imperative that doctors practice evidence-based medicine (EBM). In the 21st century, we, as students, have the ability to contribute to this evidence base, improve on current knowledge and understanding, and help develop more effective and efficient diagnostic methodologies and treatments for patients. Our collaboration strongly believes that it is important for all doctors and medical students, regardless of their desire to ultimately pursue a career in academia, to conduct,interpret, and utilize research relating to the biological, clinical, psychological, social, ethical or legal aspects of medicine. Medical students are renowned for their enquiring minds, inquisitiveness, curiosity, and innovation. These are attributes that should be honed in order to advance the field of healthcare and to allow us to better serve our society. The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Faculty of Health Science is renowned for the quality and breadth of its health science research, and thus provides an unrivalled environment in which to train students interested in research. In this context, we aim to cultivate an appreciation for research amongst the student body and show that despite the difficult task of confronting the large healthcare burden in South Africa, the pursuit and utilization of research offers a substantial mechanism through which change can be effected. The members of our collaboration are medical students - for whom our events and projects are catered. Our members are committed to organizing lectures and workshops, as well as providing opportunities for students to develop skills and hone their interest in research. Our key objectives are to:
• Bridge the gap between medical students and research entities - this includes connecting students with research conducted at Wits as well as research conducted and published nationally and internationally.
• Producing students who are eager and capable of conducting and appraising research.
• Fostering a culture of appreciation for, and interest in, research among medical students.
• Establish channels through which multi-disciplinary projects can be facilitated. This entails linking students from different branches of health sciences to enable collaborative projects.
• Allowing like-minded students with a research interest to network, share ideas and engage in a research positive environment. This will be achieved through various events such as lecture series and workshops.
• Promoting academia and medical research as a career choice among medical students. This will be achieved by hosting career talks; talks about job applications; lectures by members of faculty who are in clinical practice as well as conducting research; and talks by current doctors about their research projects.
• To enable and encourage medical students to share their research on a local, national and international scale.
• Create ‘research literacy’ so as to enrich students’ learning experience.
