“A Window into Research” — Thinking Like Physicians, Asking Like Researchers

The “A Window into Research” course offers medical students, already at the beginning of their journey, a glimpse into the world of biomedical and medical research. Through meetings with leading researchers, the course cultivates critical thinking, scientific curiosity, and a deeper understanding of the close connection between research and medicine.

Led by Prof. Moshe Dasso and Prof. Meital Gal-Tanamy, the course invites students to view medicine not only as a clinical practice, but also as a space for questions, discovery, and innovation.

How do we choose a meaningful research question? How do we formulate a hypothesis? What personal and professional journey do researchers in different disciplines go through, from the early stages of their careers to developing their identity as independent scientists? And what can we learn from challenges, failures, and moments when the path seems to reach a dead end?

Throughout the course, students were introduced to a wide range of research fields. Prof. Elliott captivated participants with his research on autism; Prof. Koren introduced the world of the microbiome and the challenges involved in understanding mechanisms within complex systems; Prof. Birti brought the clinician’s perspective, demonstrating how attention to details at the patient’s bedside can become the foundation for a fascinating research question; Dr. Liron Rosenkranz discussed the connection between belief and health; and Prof. Keren Agai-Shai shared her personal and scientific journey into the field of environmental epidemiology.

Through the personal stories of the lecturers, students are exposed not only to research outcomes, but also to the journey itself: the curiosity that drives discovery, the dilemmas, the successes, the failures, and the ability to persevere even when the solution is not yet in sight.

In doing so, the course seeks to encourage students to see themselves as part of shaping the medicine of the future — physicians who think, ask questions, investigate, and make an impact.