Objectives: The Anatomy Education Research Institute (AERI) was designed to train participants in education research methods and mentor them in developing an anatomy education research project. We previously evaluated AERI 2017 and are now assessing AERI 2022’s impact using Kirkpatrick Four Levels of Evaluation Model. How did AERI 2022 impact participants’ Behavior (Kirkpatrick Level 3) and Results (Level 4) regarding developing and presenting anatomy/medical education research? We hypothesize AERI 2022 participants were more engaged (as attendees and presenters) at the American Association for Anatomy (AAA) 2023 meeting compared to AAA 2022 (which was held prior to AERI 2022)
Methods: Of the 63 individuals who participated in AERI 2022, 40 were attendees/mentees, 19 were mentors/speakers or conference co-organizers, and 4 who were speakers only. Using the AAA 2022 and 2023 meeting websites, AERI participant data was mined regarding meeting attendance, presentation, and co-authorship.
Results: At AAA 2022, 50% (10 of 20) AERI 2022 mentors/co-organizers and 15% (6 of 40) mentees were co-authors or presenters of an education research project. At AAA 2023, 90% of the mentors attended and 75% of mentors were co-authors or presenters. For mentees, 52.8% attended AAA 2023 and 35% (14 of 40) were co-authors or presenters on an education research project. There were 26 separate projects presented by mentors and 18 presented by mentees at AAA 2023.
Conclusion: AERI 2022 participants demonstrated increased engagement with education research (by increased attendance at AAA 2023) and presented more education research at the AAA 2023 meeting compared to AAA 2022.
Keywords: Kirkpatrick Model; SoTL; anatomy; education research; medical education
Ethical statement: The education research to evaluate the effectiveness of AERI 2022 was deemed exempt by Indiana University IRB – Protocol #15719.
Funding statement: AERI 2022 was made possible by sponsorship from the American Association for Anatomy (AAA) and registration fees.