Short Term Training: Students in Health Professional Schools



 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Support is requested for six optometry students to participate in a three-month research training program at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. The goal of the training program is to encourage professional students to embark on a career in eye research. Students in the program primarily learn about vision research in their mentors' laboratories, but they also participate in a journal club, attend vision science seminars, and discuss topics in an informal luncheon setting that range from enrolling in the graduate program to research ethics. The training will be conducted in the laboratories of 24 established eye and vision researchers (six per year), primarily members of the College of Optometry but with representation from the Neuroscience, Psychology, Biomedical Engineering, and Ophthalmology. The mentors' specific areas of research include, but are certainly not limited to refractive error, ocular embryonic development, color perception, pediatrics, cataractogenesis, vision rehabilitation, retinal detachments, adaptive optics, and corneoscleral biomechanics. Students will gain research experience and knowledge in order to stimulate knowledge of and interest in vision research. To that end, of the 116 College of Optometry graduates who previously participated in the T35 program, 59 (51%) received Master's degrees, three received PhD degrees, five (4%) are currently enrolled in PhD programs, and four received K08 or K23 awards from the National Eye Institute. These students have also been co-authors on 195 scientific abstracts and 54 peer-reviewed publications. Continued support of the OSU College of Optometry T35 program will therefore contribute to the scientific literature and engage future independent clinician scientists who perform independent research on vision- related topics.