Anesu Karen Murambadoro has had a transformative summer. As an intern in our Visiting Research Internship (VRIP) program, she successfully completed an eight-week research project under the mentorship of a Harvard Medical School physician. This experience, she says, has not only taught her new skills but has enabled her to make lasting connections. And importantly, she is returning to medical school with greater confidence in her ability to conduct clinical and translational (c/t) research.

A second-year medical student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Murambadoro returned to school two days after VRIP ended. We caught up with her from her apartment while she was in between classes and taking refuge from the Texas heat.

Tell me about your summer c/t research project. What were your findings?

This summer, I was able to work in the orthopedic trauma department at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). I had a dual mentorship experience – which was great. I worked with my assigned mentor Edward Rodriguez, MD, PhD, an orthopedic trauma surgeon and chief of the Department of Orthopedics, and I also got to work with his colleague, John Wixted, MD, chief of the Division of Orthopedic Trauma Surgery.

My project involved analyzing the Open Payments Database, which is a public database that tracks industry payments to physicians from medical device and pharmaceutical companies. It was made public by the 2010 Sunshine Act, which states that all payments made to physicians over $10 should be publicized. My project focused on looking at the breadth of payments to orthopedic surgeons. This is important because it has been cited in the literature that orthopedic surgery receives a greater amount of payments in comparison to other medical specialties.

“The number one thing I’ve gained from the program is confidence. I feel like I have a lot more confidence in research and in my medical journey now.”

Our analysis revealed that many of these payments are made in the forms of royalties and licensing, which are usually an indicator of intellectual property. If you’re getting these payments, it typically means you’re making some contribution to the field of orthopedics, and that can be in the form of an invention, meaning you’ll most likely have a patent to back it up.

During my project, I looked to see if surgeons who are receiving these payments have patents. What we found is that some surgeons who receive high amounts don’t always have corresponding patents. To us, this disparity highlights potential issues because while these payments are often linked to legitimate contributions in the field, such as inventions, they may be made for other reasons, potentially leading to conflicts of interest.

Our research findings suggest that the Open Payments Database could do a better job in defining its payment categories to make the database more transparent to the general public.  I’m continuing to work with my mentors on the project; we’re currently finishing a manuscript on our initial data.

What’s your biggest takeaway from the VRIP program?

The number one thing I’ve gained from the program is confidence. I feel like I have a lot more confidence in research and in my medical journey now.

Another takeaway is the number of opportunities offered to us in the program. For example, we were able to take the “Fundamentals and Applications of Clinical and Translational Research” course, attend weekly seminars with speakers, and meet students from other Harvard summer programs. We had the opportunity to not only work with our mentors, but to meet other Harvard physicians and network with Harvard Medical School students. The resources and the networks I’ve accessed through the program have positioned me to approach research and medical school with more preparedness and vigor.

What are your future career plans in clinical research?

Initially, I wasn’t sure how research would fit into my career plans because my only exposure to research was in basic science which I did in undergrad. But through this program, I’ve gotten a better idea of how to integrate my passion for research into a future career. The Open Payments Database project was a passion project that my two mentors had. They’re really interested in the literature surrounding the database and industry payments in general. Through working with them, I was able to see how doing a project on a topic you’re passionate about can make the whole process fun and interesting.

The data from our findings is valuable – it can improve the Open Payments Database and can improve patient-physician relationships, just because of the transparency that we’re trying to put out there. I plan to continue exploring how research can inform clinical practice, better patient-physician relationships, and also contribute to advancements in medicine.

September is women in medicine month. Why is it important to have greater representation of women in medicine? What inspires you as a woman to serve as a physician and researcher?

I think greater representation of women in medicine is crucial for reshaping the image of who can be a physician. And that’s inspiring, not only to patients, but also to aspiring women physicians.

“I think greater representation of women in medicine is crucial for reshaping the image of who can be a physician. And that’s inspiring, not only to patients, but also to aspiring women physicians.”

Seeing women in leadership and in medicine has inspired me. During the program, I got to spend some time with female residents in the Harvard Orthopedic Residency Program. There are many men in the field of orthopedics, and I feel like I always hear the term “ortho bros,” but meeting all these women in this field has changed the narrative for me around who can specialize in orthopedic surgery and in surgery, in general.

I’ve started to see myself more in that residency. At first, I was hesitant to even say I was interested in orthopedics or a career in surgery, but having the opportunity to talk to these women who are thriving in this residency program has made me feel more confident in taking that leap and doing something I genuinely want to do.

Why do you think medical students should consider the VRIP program for themselves? Is there any advice you would give to those interested in applying?

This program was extremely beneficial to me, especially as someone who had just finished my first year of medical school. I feel like medical school moves by so fast. Sometimes, it’s hard to find a place where you can really sit down and do research and understand each process of a research project. This program gave me structure and support and taught me new ways of approaching research, which will be meaningful for the entirety of my time in medical school and beyond.

My experience in the program was transformative, and I feel like the connections that I made will last forever. My advice would be to seize the opportunity to apply. I personally was on the fence. I thought, “I don’t know if I’ll necessarily get in – there are so few spots”. But it’s an opportunity that I cherish and have benefitted from significantly. I would say to anyone interested, when you see the application, take the leap and apply.