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Community Engagement Research Studios

The Community Engagement Research Studio (CERS) provides a structured forum for YSM investigators to gain valuable patient or community insight that has the potential to transform the way community and academic researchers work together. Community members with relevant lived experience in the proposed research focus assist investigators in prioritizing their research topics, resulting in:

  1. Increasing the relevance of the research to patients and the community.
  2. Strengthening recruitment and retention efforts.
  3. Expanding the dissemination and uptake of research results.

The interaction created through the studios is designed to increase investigators’ understanding of and sensitivity to the community and create an awareness of community priorities, values, and needs. The community, in turn, increases its understanding of the research endeavor, including the motivation of the researchers and how and why research is conducted. Although OHER recommends that investigators utilize CERS at the idea stage of research, an investigator can request a studio session at any stage of the research continuum (Concept to Dissemination).