Bridging the gap between research training and dissemination: evaluation of a feedback- rich medical student research presentation program

Background Following the transition of the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 to Pass/Fail scoring, research productivity and the ability to communicate scholarly work effectively are increasingly important for residency applicants. While medical schools have expanded access to research opportunities, structured training that prepares students for research dissemination remains limited. To address this gap, the Student Opportunities for Advancement in Research Office implemented and evaluated the Medical Student Research Presentation (MSRP) series, a feedback-rich program designed to support research communication skill development and presenter confidence among medical students. Methods The MSRP was hosted monthly from December 2024 to November 2025 to support medical students across two campuses. Student participants delivered 7-minute research presentations followed by a 3-minute question-and-answer session with reviewers, who provided feedback using a standardized rubric. Program evaluation was conducted using a 33-item post-session survey guided by the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize presenter motivations, perceived usefulness of the session, changes in confidence across presentation skills, and application of feedback to scholarly products. Results Twenty-eight medical students presented during the study period, with 17 (60.7%) completing the post-session survey. All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the MSRP provided actionable feedback and would recommend the program to peers. The most frequently reported areas of improvement included communication (76.5%), confidence (70.6%), and responding to audience questions (70.6%). Directional confidence gains were observed across presentation skills, with first-time presenters showing the largest gains in explaining research clearly and answering audience questions, and presenters with prior presentation experience demonstrating the strongest gains in engaging the audience. Most participants reported incorporation of feedback into revised presentations (64.7%), manuscripts (41.2%), or conference presentations (35.3%). Thirteen participants (76.5%) reported applying to present their MSRP talk at other conferences. Among those who applied (n = 13), 76.9% were accepted to present. Conclusions The MSRP is a transferable research presentation program that supports medical students’ confidence, communication skills, and early scholarly dissemination. By providing structured, feedback-rich presentation practice prior to formal conferences, the MSRP addresses a gap between project execution and scholarship in the undergraduate medical education research pipeline.