Welcome to U-MATCH (UMass Medical Academic Training and Collaborative Hub)!
Engaging in scholarly activity is a crucial part of medical training. Whether it be clinical research, quality improvement, bench science, or an educational project, participating in scholarly activities offers numerous benefits to medical trainees.
- Scholarly activities provide opportunities for collaboration and networking with experienced researchers and clinicians, fostering valuable professional relationships and mentorship. These connections are essential for career advancement and professional growth.
- Participation in scholarly projects also shows dedication, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to manage complex tasks.
- Engaging in scholarly activity is an increasingly important aspect of career planning, particularly for those who are interested in competitive medical specialities.
At UMass Chan, most students consider scholarly activity to be important (89%) and many report participating in at least one scholarly project. However, 50% report that it is difficult to become involved in a project and 72% want to be involved in more. The #1 barrier to research reported by UMass Chan students in 2022 was that research opportunities are difficult to find.
We created U-MATCH to address these issues and help students become more involved in scholarly activity through a central database of ongoing research and a hub of resources geared toward trainees. Our goal is to help trainees achieve their academic goals through scholarly work. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our team with questions, suggestions, or project recommendations to include in our list.
Sincerely,
Katherine Cooper, MD; Internal Medicine PGY-3, UMass Chan Medical School Class of ‘22
Christopher Zammitti, BS; UMass Chan Medical School Class of '25
Deepika Devuni, MD; Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of Medical Student Summer Research Program
Ben Gerber, MD, MPH; Professor of Medicine, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
On behalf of the U-MATCH Steering Committee