Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
The Translation of Epigenetics into the Medical School Curriculum Jacqueline A. Nguyen Mentor: Valerie Olson Epigenetics has been commonly defined as heritable changes in gene expression without modifications of DNA sequence. The objective of my study is to understand the process of if and how knowledge regarding epigenetics investigated by research labs translates to medical and post doctoral students during their medical education for future diagnoses and treatment. My secondary research questions include whether universities with centers of epigenetics contribute to this awareness used in daily patient care and if the intentions of translational research is being clearly demonstrated through the UCI School of Medicine curriculum. Eight to ten interviews will be conducted with UCI medical and post-doctoral students, which will be recorded then transcribed to identify and analyze reoccurring themes in the participants’ responses. This study will allow research to potentially be better used by making explicit if, how, and where medical students obtain their knowledge about epigenetics, and this can be used to inform translational centers in order to improve processes of communication and translation. As translational research is still a newer type of process, translation of results from clinical studies into everyday practice requires a mastery of implementation science by which my research will attempt to examine and potentially allow a more efficient flow of all updated knowledge. Analyses of the interviews suggest that translational knowledge of epigenetics is currently not a formalized part of the core education curriculum. Rather, there may be more specialized seminar courses underway in the near future; this finding also suggests opportunities for translational education exist at UCI.