Building a virtual summer research experience in cancer for high school and early undergraduate students: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

  1. Timothy W. Corson
  2. Shannon M. Hawkins
  3. Elmer Sanders
  4. Jessica Byram
  5. Leigh-Ann Cruz
  6. Jacob Olson
  7. Emily Speidell
  8. Rose Schnabel
  9. Adhitya Balaji
  10. Osas Ogbeide
  11. Julie Dinh
  12. Amy Hinshaw
  13. Laura Cummings
  14. Vicki Bonds
  15. Harikrishna Nakshatri

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Abstract

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a unique challenge for summer research programs in 2020, particularly for programs aimed at hands-on experience for younger trainees. The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center supports two pipeline programs, which traditionally immerse high school juniors, seniors, and early undergraduate students from underrepresented populations in science in hands-on projects in cancer biology labs. However, due to social distancing policies during the pandemic and reduction of research operations, these students were not physically allowed on campus. Thus, the authors set out to strategically pivot to a wholly virtual curriculum and evaluate the Virtual Summer Research Experience in Cancer outcomes.

Methods

The virtual program included four components: 1. a core science and professional development curriculum led by high school teachers and senior undergraduates; 2. faculty-delivered didactic sessions on cancer science; 3. mentored, virtual research projects with research faculty; and 4. online networking events to encourage vertical mentoring. Outcomes data were measured using a locally created 11-item Research Preparation Scale, daily electronic feedback, and weekly structured evaluation and feedback via Zoom.

Results

Outcome data suggested high self-reported satisfaction with the virtual program. Outcome data also revealed the importance of coordination between multiple entities for seamless program implementation. This includes the active recruitment and participation of high school teachers and further investment in information technology capabilities of institutions.

Conclusions

Findings reveal a path to educate and train high school and early undergraduate students in cancer research when hands-on, in-person training is not feasible. Virtual research experiences are not only useful to engage students during public health crises but can provide an avenue for cancer centers to expand their cancer education footprints to remotely located schools and universities with limited resources to provide such experiences to their students.

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  1. Version published to 10.1186/s12909-021-02861-y
  2. Version published to 10.21203/rs.3.rs-114315/v1 on Research Square
  3. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.11.23.393967: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementIRB: This study received approval from the Institutional Review Board at Indiana University (IRB protocol #1110007280).
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    Surveys were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools.
    REDCap
    suggested: (REDCap, RRID:SCR_003445)
    A Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to compare interns’ responses on the Research Preparation scale, using SPSS v.
    SPSS
    suggested: (SPSS, RRID:SCR_002865)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  4. Version published to 10.1101/2020.11.23.393967v1 on bioRxiv