The Research Associate Program in the Emergency Department at Hennepin County Medical Center hosts medical students, undergraduates, graduate students, and post-graduate students interested in medical careers to participate in data collection for academic research projects. As RAs, students are afforded the opportunity to interact with patients, observe the practice of Emergency Medicine, and learn some of the methodology of clinical research. All of the research projects undertaken by the department are aimed at improving patient outcomes. As such, RAs participate daily in the innovation of emergency medical practice.

The Research Associate Program runs year-round with students generally working 6-8 hours a week during the academic year. The summer program is a highly intensive twelve week program from June through August during which students are scheduled to cover the ED for 24 hours a week. In addition to time spent in the ED, students in the summer program attend weekly lectures on selected topics in Emergency Medicine and research methodology. Each year a lecture is devoted to the medical school application process.

The Research Associate Program began in 2000 with a group of ten undergraduates and medical students who were recruited to help collect data for headache, conscious sedation, overdose, and economic hardship studies. Today the program has grown to a group of over 70 students, presently gathering data on a group of studies ranging from shock to procedural sedation. Many past participants have gone on to win admission to medical school on their first attempt and have reported that participation in the program gave them a competitive edge. Additionally, past medical student participants have gone on to win spots at prestigious EM residency programs including Hennepin.

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