CLINICAL SCIENTIST TRACK FOR CA-3 RESIDENTS

Rotation: Clinical Scientist Track 
Type: CA-3 Elective 
Duration: 6 months
Faculty:  Christoph N. Seubert, MD, PhD
Prerequisite: Approval of Faculty mentor, Departmental Research Committee, Departmental Education / Clinical Competency Committee

Residents interested in an career in Academic Anesthesiology who would like to perform clinical or basic science research during their primary Anesthesiology Residency may apply for participation in the Clinical Scientist Track in the CA-3 year.  

Procedures for Application:

1. Identify a faculty mentor with similar research interests.  This faculty member will assist you in drafting a full research proposal to submit to the Departmental Research Committee.  The format and requirements for this proposal may vary from year to year.  To obtain the current requirements and format, please contact Christoph Seubert, MD, PhD, the chair of the research committee.  His pager number is 413-8067 and his office number is 846-1308. 

2. The research committee will review your proposal.  They will either approve it or disapprove it.  If it is approved, they will give it a priority score.  The priority score is important as only 2 residents can be on a research rotation at a given time.  Thus, a total of 4 residents per class will be permitted to participate in the clinical scientist track.  You will be given one opportunity to revise your proposal and improve your priority score.  

3. Once your proposal is approved, the Education Committee will review your clinical performance to date to make certain that a six-month period outside the operating room will not jeopardize your clinical performance and your possibilities of passing the ABA written examination.  The Education Committee / Clinical Competence Committee must agree that you are a good candidate for the Clinical Scientist Track in order for you to be allowed to participate.

Timeline:

March 1:  Deadline for submission of proposal to Dr. Dennis and the research committee.  You must have chosen your mentor and written your completed proposal for review by the committee.

April 15:  Clinical Competence / Education Committees will review all approved proposals.

April 20:  All candidates approved for the Clinical Scientist Track will be notified.  They will then choose what period of time (1st half or 2nd half of the year) they would prefer to conduct their research project.  In the event of a conflict between 2 residents, the program director will decide the period of time when the research will be conducted. 

Be aware that only 2 residents at a time may participate in research projects.  This limitations allows a total of 4 residents to participate in this competitive program (2 residents for each six month period).

Goals and Objectives for Clinical Scientist Track:

The exact goals and objectives will vary for each research project.  However, all research projects must have the following goals and objectives in common:

1. Learn to design a basic or clinical research project.  Included in this process, an understanding of biostatistics and how statistical consultation helps with sound research design MUST be attained.

2. If the project is clinical, the resident must learn how to submit a project to the Institutional Review Board, submit the project, and obtain approval PRIOR to starting the research rotations.  This may require some of your own time during clinical rotations preceding the research rotations.

3. Learn to collect research data in an organized fashion.  This process must include learning about the use of spreadsheets and databases.  Currently, this will require a working knowledge of Excel and Access.

4. Analyze the data with the assistance of faculty mentor(s).

5. Present the research work at a regional or national level meeting.  Residents will be expected to present their work AT LEAST at the Gulf-Atlantic Residents' Conference, even if all the results are not yet available.  The Department will fund any and all presentations resulting from this research work.  It should be a goal to present the work at a major subspecialty meeting (such as the Society for Cardiovascular Anesthesiology), a national meeting (e.g. American Society of Anesthesiologists or International Anesthesia Research Society), or a basic science meeting relevant to the work (or a combination of the above).  One presentation is REQUIRED.

6. Prepare your research for publication.  You must prepare your work for publication in an appropriate journal (decided by you and your faculty mentor).  Prior to graduation, a paper MUST be submitted to both the research committee (Dr. Dennis, chair) and the program director (Dr. Mahla).  The paper must be suitable for publication and submitted to the chosen journal.  It does not have to be ACCEPTED prior to graduation.

RETURN TO INDEX FOR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Revised 7/2004, reviewed 6/2005