Research Plan | Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
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PCOM Research and Scholarly Activity Strategic Plan

PCOM flame and shield logo with Division of Research text next to it

The mission of the Division of Research is to develop innovative approaches for promoting health through basic, translational, clinical, behavioral, education and community research.

Integral to this mission is mentoring students in investigative methodologies and information retrieval, appraisal and dissemination. PCOM recognizes the importance of research and scholarly activity for promoting health, creating a climate of inquiry, innovation and collaboration among faculty and students, and enhancing the reputation of the institution as a contributor of new knowledge. The goals of this strategic plan are aligned with PCOM's latest strategic plan.

Through research, PCOM enhances students':

  • Curiosity and creativity.
  • Disciplined thinking.
  • Communication skills.
  • Appreciation of evidence-based medicine.
  • Sense of responsibility to their patients, profession and community.
  • Pride in their accomplishments.
  • Preparedness and competitiveness for residency and/or future employment.

PCOM creates research experiences for medical and graduate students across multiple programs that stimulate the imagination, promote critical thinking and instill commitment to evidence-based practices. PCOM's mission for research and scholarly activity addresses the overarching goals of:

  • Creating a climate of innovation that promotes wellness, enhances healthcare delivery, and improves outcomes within communities through basic, translational, clinical, behavioral, population health, community-based, anatomical pathology and educational research.
  • Mentoring students in investigative methodologies, ethical conduct of research and critical thinking.
  • Promoting students’ curiosity, application of evidence-based clinical practice, commitment to scholarly achievement and competitiveness for post-graduate residencies and programs.

2028 Strategic Plan Goals

PCOM prepares students to excel in tomorrow's healthcare workforce and lead in their chosen professions.

Research Goal

  • Further distinguish PCOM and our students in the increasingly competitive medical and healthcare professional school landscape by emphasizing PCOM's unique research expertise and capabilities.

Metric

  • Increase in the number of research studies involving collaborations between faculty, students, schools/departments and clinicians in the PCOM laboratories, at internal and external healthcare centers, and with local and national collaborators.

Strategy

  • Expand OMM-focused clinical research through OMM fellow projects and osteopathic-focused grants.
  • Leverage PCOM's Academic Clinical Research Center (ACRC) designation to expand basic and applied clinic research on medical cannabis.
  • Increase the number of behavioral, community-based and integrated health research and program evaluation projects through internal and external collaborations.
  • Utilize comprehensive databases such as NIH All of Us to conduct scholarly work.

Tactic

  • Provide comprehensive education to students in human studies research and related methodologies.
  • Train faculty and mentor students in the use of clinical databases for generating research questions and hypotheses, and data mining.
  • Explore opportunities for community-based, multidisciplinary, and behavioral research in the PCOM integrated health center and other PCOM healthcare centers.

PCOM leads with cutting-edge processes by leveraging best practices and transformative technology, creating an environment where the PCOM community flourishes.

Research Goal

  • Explore research opportunities that utilize and/or develop novel technology, including opportunities with pathways to intellectual property and commercialization.

Metric

  • Increase in the number of inventions submitted to PCOM administration for support.
  • Increase in the number of biotechnology grant applications submitted and/or awarded.

Strategy

  • Provide guidance to faculty in determining the novelty of the research and in the process of reporting inventions.
  • Leverage partnership opportunities to expand preclinical and clinical research opportunities.

Tactic

  • Explore mechanisms to support patent applications and faculty spin-out companies.
  • Participate in local organizations and events that provide opportunities to interface with other faculty and investors.
  • Develop policies to ethically and appropriately leverage AI in the conduct of research.

PCOM creates and sustains diverse sources of revenue through a multi-pronged approach.

Research Goal

  • Position PCOM faculty to be more competitive for extramural funding across campuses, schools and departments.

Metric

  • Increase in the number of extramural applications and funded grants, awards and contracts.
  • Increase in faculty time dedicated to research activities.
  • Increase in the visibility of student and faculty research activities.
  • Increase in the amount of revenue from student funding, faculty salary recovery and indirect costs.

Strategy

  • Strengthen collection, tracking and reporting of research output.
  • Collaborate with chairs and deans to allow faculty time to develop papers and grants.
  • Subsidize costs associated with professional presentations and peer-reviewed publication of research findings with joint faculty and student authors.
  • Explore the potential for industry-sponsored clinical trials at the PCOM healthcare centers.
  • Further diversify sources of extramural funding to include industry, government and foundation grants, awards and contracts.

Tactic

  • Encourage faculty grant applications by identifying diverse sources of research support, tracking requests for applications from funders, and retaining/recruiting faculty with active research programs and grants.
  • Organize research-related data and metrics to more effectively showcase faculty and student peer- reviewed publications, grants and professional presentations to external audiences.
  • Leverage PCOM's social media and the Office of Marketing and Communications to highlight faculty and student research achievements.
  • Utilize existing Open Access relationships between the PCOM Library and biomedical science publishers.
  • Encourage relevant findings to be submitted to PCOM's peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Integrated Primary Care.