Research Mentor Name
Alan Dombkowski
Research Mentor Email Address
adombkow@med.wayne.edu
Institution / Department
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Document Type
Research Abstract
Research Type
medicaleducation
Graduate Level Research
no
Abstract
Background
Presently, there is great emphasis on medical students' research output and demand for healthcare practitioners with skills in data appraisal, research methodologies, and evidence interpretation; however, medical students do not receive formal training in research and data science. This presents a major gap in medical education as curriculums focus on USMLE preparation without exposure to statistical software or analytical thinking required for productive research outcomes or evidence appraisal. Accordingly, the “Data Science Research Bootcamp” addressed this gap through workshops focused on Python, R, and SPSS.
Methods
WSUSOM students attended Python (n=22), R (n=9), and SPSS (upcoming) workshops to learn coding and statistical skills. Students were taught to choose and run appropriate statistical tests and interpret findings. Participants completed pre- and post-surveys to assess their confidence and knowledge levels using a 5-point Likert scale. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests assessed results.
Research
Completed workshops significantly improved students’ confidence and knowledge in data science. Python participants showed significant improvement in writing code (p< .001), importing/cleaning data (p< .001), data visualization (p< .001), performing statistical tests (p=0.008), and calculating descriptive statistics (p=0.017). R participants demonstrated significant improvements in writing code (p=0.020), importing/cleaning data (p=0.011), data visualization (p=0.010), and performing statistical tests (p=0.035). Notably, the R workshop improved confidence in interpreting statistical outputs (p=0.014) which the Python workshop did not (p=0.564).
Conclusion
The bootcamp significantly improved students’ knowledge and confidence in data science. This innovative curricular addition equips students for challenges in medical education and prepares them for future requirements as physicians. Importantly, these skills empower students to conduct novel, independent research.
Disciplines
Biomedical Informatics | Medical Education | Medicine and Health Sciences
Recommended Citation
Haireek, Marta; Idrees, Muhammad; Demetriou, Yiannos; Benjamins, Laura; and Dombkowski, Alan, "Data Science in Medicine: Bridging the Statistics & Research Skills Education Gap Through Multi-Platform Bootcamps" (2026). Medical Student Research Symposium. 481.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/som_srs/481