title: Learning by doing: developing fellows' academic skills through collaborative research.
abstract: Physicians in postgraduate training are expected to learn research methods but how best to achieve that curricular goal is unclear. This article describes a novel educational approach to develop research skills among infectious disease fellows. Five infectious disease fellows and two faculty members participated in a collaborative research project as a vehicle for active, problem-based learning. During the learning experience several tasks with specific learning objectives were achieved. The authors evaluated the weaknesses and strengths of the collaborative research project as an educational program. This problem-based approach for learning research methods seems more effective than traditional methods and may be applicable to a broad range of training programs.
authors.affiliation: John H. Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL, USA. migmad@worldnet.att.net
authors.forename: Miguel G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Madariaga
authors.forename: Arthur T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Wahab
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Brobbey
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Katayoun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rezai
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Gordon M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Trenholme
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D003141:Communicable Diseases; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007087:Illinois; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012106:Research / Q000193:education*; D012107:Research Design