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Office of Student Research
Offices of the DeanOffice of Student ResearchFRCTMentoring for FRCT

Mentoring for FRCT

The Foundations of Research and Critical Thinking (FRCT) course is required in the medical school curriculum. The goals of FRCT are to stimulate critical thinking, to enhance intellectual acuity and inquisitiveness in our medical students, and to foster excellence in the development of clinician educators, clinician scientists and physician investigators. A key component of FRCT is the requirement that all medical students complete a mentored Scholarly Project.

We welcome faculty members to serve as enthusiastic and engaging mentors for student Scholarly Projects.

Mentor Registration Form:

Please complete the Mentor Registration Form to register as a mentor. 

Even if you already serve as a mentor in one of our summer research programs, please provide the information requested in this form to complete our database.

Guidelines for FRCT Research Mentors:

  1. Mentors should review student research proposals. The two-page proposal describes students' planned project, which they must submit before the research begins. This allows the Course Director time to review and approve the project for FRCT. Failure to submit a proposal before research begins may result in students completing work that does not meet course requirements.
  2. Mentors must submit a Mentor Declaration Form at the time the proposal is submitted.
  3. Mentors should be aware of and discuss with students all expectations regarding the FRCT course deadlines. With these deadlines in mind, mentors should assist in the project planning by addressing the preparation of items such as equipment, supplies, reagents, data access, and special training or approvals.
  4. Mentors are responsible for ensuring that any project has the appropriate IRB or IACUC approvals and that the students meet regulatory requirements.
  5. Mentors should encourage students to apply for fellowship opportunities when appropriate. Please discuss with students any fellowship applications they are submitting, and make sure that any required IRB or IACUC proposals are submitted in a timely fashion. Mentors should be aware of fellowship or research elective deadlines/timelines and expectations.
  6. Mentors must review and approve Final Reports before students submit them to the course director.
  7. Mentors must submit their evaluation of the students’ work.
  8. If you have any questions about these FRCT guidelines, please contact Dr. Matteson (dmatteson@som.umaryland.edu).