This summer, Indiana CTSI Community Health Partnerships (CHeP) proudly hosted six medical students for research internships through the Indiana University Medical Student Program for Research and Scholarship (IMPRS). Over the course of eight weeks, these students gained hands-on experience in community-engaged research projects, guided by CHeP-affiliated faculty mentors. They also attended weekly seminars to deepen their understanding of community engagement principles and heard from a diverse group of scholars about their community-engaged research on topics ranging from childhood nutrition to sexual health education.
The Community Health Partnerships track of the IMPRS program offers medical students a unique opportunity to explore the benefits of research that collaborates with patients and community members. These projects aim to identify and address the most pressing health issues in their communities by partnering with the communities themselves, maximizing the positive impact on the populations they serve.
Arnelle Ky, who worked with Dr. Nana Gletsu Miller at Indiana University Bloomington, shared her experience: “I found my time during IMPRS to be insightful on the intricacies of research processes and it provided me exposure to different methods of research that I did not have prior experience with on the investigator’s side such as clinical research and community health engagement research.”
Susie Kim, mentored by Dr. Heidi Beidinger at the University of Notre Dame, reflected on her growth through the program: “The conversations I had with health care practices in my community challenged me to grow as a communicator and taught me about advocacy in health care, empathy, and the broader environmental and structural determinants of current health disparities. Being included in community-engaged research and learning of partnerships that are improving health across Indiana was the highlight of my IMPRS summer. Dr. Beidinger and Dr. Fox’s mentorship and the Community Health Partnerships weekly seminars gave me tangible examples of how collaboration and trust are integral to advancing health equity in Indiana, and I am inspired by the generosity and passion of the community partners and researchers I have connected with.”
The students concluded their internships by presenting posters of their work. Click here to view the posters summarizing their impressive projects!
To learn more about these projects or to connect with the student researchers, email us at chep@iu.edu. If you are interested in becoming a community-engaged mentor for future students, please submit your information here.
