Student Dr. Elizabeth Chan is the 2025-26 Campbell medical school Student Researcher of the Year (SROY).
Chan, of Holly Springs, advances to the national SROY competition. She is a third-year student in the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM).
“This award is especially meaningful to me because it represents far more than a single research paper, but also reflects the doors that research has opened throughout my medical training,” Chan says.
“Much of my work has been rooted in the musculoskeletal field, particularly orthopedics. And while I have since discovered a strong passion for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, I am deeply grateful for the foundation and opportunities my earlier research provided.”
Chan thanked Dr. Gregory Hon, an assistant professor and director of Sports Medicine at CUSOM, for his mentorship and for giving Chan the opportunity to present her first case report.
The experience, she says, sparked her continued involvement in research. Chan says she is grateful” for mentor Dr. Vani Sabesan, who offered “unwavering support in my research development and career growth.”
She met Sabesan, a shoulder and elbow and Sports Medicine surgeon in Florida, through the Nth Dimensions program, a collaboration with academic institutions, community surgeons and the healthcare industry to expand opportunities in orthopaedic surgery and other competitive specialties, the program’s website says.
Chan thanked many others at the med school, including interim Dean Dr. David Tolentino and Dr. Craig Fowler, vice chair of Surgery and Professor Surgery and Ophthalmology at the med school.
Through the support of CUSOM and several collaborative research groups, Chan says, she has been fortunate to contribute to six published manuscripts, with more than 10 currently under review.
“The work that has been most meaningful to me centers on patient education and medical student education, particularly projects that explore how we can improve understanding, confidence and engagement through innovative tools,” Chan says.
One of her most gratifying studies involved several CUSOM classmates, who evaluated the use of immersive virtual reality to enhance procedural knowledge and confidence in orthopedic surgery. Because most participants were still in their preclinical years, exposure to operative concepts was limited, she says.
“Designing the study and coordinating participation were challenging but rewarding, and it was especially meaningful to see how quickly students became engaged, something that can be difficult given the busy schedule of medical school. Many students reported increased confidence and a clearer understanding of surgical anatomy and workflow, which reinforced my interest in educational research with direct, practical impact.”
Their work is published here.
Chan says her studies gave her the chance to connect with mentors and peers across institutions and to travel to regional and national conferences where ideas, feedback and collaboration strengthened her research and helped her through her journey as a student doctor.
“I am deeply grateful to Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine for its support, particularly through travel grants, which made these experiences possible. As I understand how time commitment and finding a mentor in research can be challenging, I hope to serve as a mentor for future medical students, paying forward the guidance and support that were critical to my own development.”
Started in 2015, the SROY Award is piloted by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine’s Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents, the AACOM website says. The award recognizes osteopathic medical students with highly competitive experiences and advancement in clinical, translational or basic science research.
“With a distinguished portfolio of research and scholarly activity, Student Dr. Chan has demonstrated an exemplary commitment and passion for high caliber research that incorporates osteopathic principles,” wrote second-year student Dr. Megan Assante, Student Researcher of the Year liaison.
“We are very proud to recommend Student Doctor Elizabeth Chan for consideration for the National Student Researcher of the Year award,” Assante wrote.
The SROY award, Chan says, helps motivate her to continue pursuing research that is clinically meaningful, patient-centered and grounded in function and quality of life as she pursues a career in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R).
“It reinforces the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, advocacy and service — core principles of PM&R that extend beyond the clinic. As I move forward in my training, I hope to remain actively engaged in serving as a mentor for medical students navigating research and career development.”
Among Chan’s accomplishments is a 2025 Outstanding Student Scholarship from the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics and being named a Nth Dimensions Summer Internship Scholar, as well as becoming a Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Site Representative for the CUSOM Class of 2027
Chan also received a $17,000-grant from the 2024 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons IDEA Grant Program to create YourMedMom, an online initiative to help women in Orthopedics. She says she enjoys volunteering at the Campbell University Community Care Clinic and was grateful to have served as the scheduling coordinator in 2024.
Chan says she chose Campbell because of its mission to improve rural health care and its strong connection with the North Carolina community.
“Growing up only 30 minutes from Campbell, I remember touring the undergrad campus with my sister just as the medical school had finished construction. Flash forward to today, my sister is a proud CUSOM alumna and I am excited to join her as a DO in 2027.”