The Impact of an Early Structured Research Elective for Medical Students on Research Confidence, Scholarly Output, and Residency Outcomes at a Community-Based Medical School

Abstract Background The Research Experience for Medical Students (REMS) elective was developed to reduce barriers to scholarship through a structured, longitudinal curriculum within a community-based medical school. This study evaluates its impact on research confidence, research skill, scholarly productivity, and residency-related outcomes between 2020 and 2025. Methods A cross-sectional program evaluation was administered in 2025 using electronic surveys distributed to current REMS participants, past participants, nonparticipants, recent graduates, and faculty mentors. Survey metrics were supplemented by institutional Independent Student Analysis data (2020–2022). Quantitative between-group comparisons were evaluated using non-parametric analyses. Results Sixty-six students and graduates participated (58 REMS participants, 8 nonparticipants). REMS participants demonstrated significantly higher scholarly productivity than nonparticipants ( M = 4.22 vs. 0.57 products; p =.004). Participants reported increased confidence in conducting research, identifying mentorship as the primary program strength. Among responding graduates, 81.3% discussed their REMS experience during residency interviews. Institutionally, student satisfaction with research access increased from 47% to 74%, and satisfaction with research support rose from 52% to 74% following REMS implementation. Conclusions Longitudinal structured research electives foster scholarly productivity, enhance student confidence, and cultivate a positive institutional research culture. The REMS Logic Model offers a reproducible framework for distributed, community-based medical schools.