Scholarly Pursuit and Thesis (SPT)
The Scholarly Pursuit and Thesis (SPT) course is integrated longitudinally throughout the TCU Burnett School of Medicine four-year curriculum. It is designed to develop physicians who are lifelong learners capable of critical inquiry and medical information literacy — producing physicians for patient-centric care.
Program Overview
What the SPT is and what it asks of students.
Students will rediscover curiosity and skills needed to understand and use evidence-based approaches for basic and clinical research. They work closely with mentors they choose, course directors, and faculty to utilize these skills to develop a scholarly research prospectus.
By the end of the SPT course, students each write a capstone thesis and present their projects to the community at a research symposium — showcasing their findings and innovative ideas for the future of medical research and patient care.
At a Glance
Duration: Longitudinal — integrated across all four years of medical school
Institution: TCU Burnett School of Medicine, Fort Worth, TX
Culminating Deliverable: Capstone thesis + research symposium presentation
Mentor Commitment: ~1 hour/week face-to-face on average; varies by project phase
Mentors and Projects
What makes a valid SPT project and what mentors commit to.
Field
Any field — as long as the student can propose a project that can be researched effectively.
Intervention or Examination
Must include some sort of intervention or examination: experiment, chart review, product design, data collection, etc.
Analysis Plan
Must have a good plan for analysis of results.
Discussion
Must include a discussion of results with potential application and questions for the future.
Duration
Projects are chosen and designed at approximately end of Semester 1; thesis submitted at approximately end of Semester 7.
Time Commitment
Approximately 1 hour per week face-to-face on average, though this varies widely by project type and phase.
Note on mentor time: During the program, meeting frequency may range from almost daily in some labs to every two to three weeks for clinicians with full schedules. As projects progress, there may be less need for frequent interactions until data review and analysis. Mentor-student meetings often include "life lesson" discussions and the potential to develop a lasting professional relationship.
Mentor Benefits
What Cook Children's faculty and mentors gain from participating in the SPT program.
All mentors receive an academic affiliation with the Burnett School of Medicine. Mentors with current appointments are placed at that level; mentors from outside academia are typically placed at the rank of Assistant Professor of Medical Education.
An enthusiastic and curious student for four years who receives additional research skills and training through the SPT program. Many students also bring prior research experience from their pre-med years.
The curriculum design provides education in basic science (Year 1) and clinical training (Year 2) in an accelerated fashion — producing an experienced mini-physician to enhance the research team.
Students have experiences across Fort Worth with the potential to share or expand your research to new audiences and venues.
Student Training
Before choosing a mentor and project, students receive foundational training in the following areas.
Literature search strategies and critical appraisal of literature
Activities to rediscover childhood curiosity and become proficient questioners
Human subjects research and responsible conduct of research
Research ethics, plagiarism awareness, and conflict of interest
Sample Research Projects
Examples of research projects completed by TCU Burnett School of Medicine SPT students (Class of 2023).
Sacroiliac Joint Fusion using the iFuse Titanium Triangular Implant System: Two-Year Clinical Outcome Study
Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: Mapping Brain Plasticity using Multimodal Neuroimaging Due to Robotic Rehabilitation
Young onset colorectal cancer: should we be pushing for earlier screening?
Sleep and Exercise Among Incarcerated Youth: Establishing a Generalized Approach to Improve Sleep Quality/Quantity and Improve Mood for Adolescents in the Juvenile Justice System
Reducing Adverse Birth Outcomes and Infant Mortality in African American Women: Assessing the Efficacy of a Medical-Legal Partnership
Congestive Hepatopathy and Clinical Outcomes: Assessing Liver Dysfunction and Outcomes in Patients with Heart Failure
Potential disparities in lung cancer screening among patients at an urban safety-net health system
The Mental Health Effects in Adolescent/Young Adult (AYA) Patients Coping with Cardiotoxicity Related to Cancer Treatment
Automated Pupillometry: A More Sensitive Approach to Detect Opiate Abstinence Syndrome in Pediatric Critical Care Patients Weaning Off Opiates
Reducing Rates of Amputations Relating to Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Patients Suffering from Homelessness with Hygiene Supplies
TCU SPT Program Contacts
For questions about the SPT program at TCU Burnett School of Medicine.
Mike Bernas
m.bernas@tcu.eduTristan Tayag
t.tayag@tcu.eduQuestions About SPT at Cook Children's?
For questions about TCU SPT-related opportunities at Cook Children's — including mentor alignment, project fit, and next steps — contact the PRTP team.
prtp@cookchildrens.orgExplore other medical student pathways available through PRTP.