Advancing Research Capacity in Post-Graduate Medical Education.

Universities are increasingly offering post-graduate medical education though Doctorate of Medicine (MD) programs. To achieve Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) accreditation a MD program must provide students with specialised research skills including the ability to generate and disseminate findings that contribute to the discipline of medicine. In 2014 the Flinders University MD introduced Advanced Studies as a core subject requiring students to select course-work or research project activities equating to 135 hours per year during years 2, 3 and 4 of the four-year course. Methods: A case-study including a description of Advanced Studies governance, education objects and research outputs since inception. Content analysis was used to classify research topics and Proceedings of the Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators 2018 Conference methods adopted by over 600 medical students. An overview of the implementation and variation of research education for students based in metropolitan, rural and remote locations will be presented. Results: Advanced studies provides students with research exposure that produces outputs valued by students, faculty and community. Research fields are diverse with rural and remote stream students engaging in more community-based projects, compared with metro-based students who have greater access to laboratory equipment. Discussion: Advanced studies has formally recognised the importance of student research and evidence-based practice in the Flinders MD program. Coordination, supervision and research funding is a major investment and preliminary findings indicate Advanced Studies is providing positive returns. Other medical