There are presently two specified ways that a resident may become involved in research during their residency. The first is to become involved in the “Resident Research Track”. The other is to apply for an NIMH sponsored fellowship.

Resident Research Track:

If a resident becomes interested in research and would like to focus more time in research, he/she may apply to be involved in the resident research track. A meeting will be held in the second year during the regularly scheduled didactics. This meeting will be directed by the Vice-Chair for Research and the Resident Research Track Director. This meeting will include a discussion of research as a career, different research activities within the department, and a description of the Resident Research Track. Interested residents are then encouraged to contact either the Vice-Chair of Research or the Director for an appointment. There will be an application process that includes approval of the Residency Program Director. Application materials will be available at the PGY II meeting and/or from the Research Track Director.

There will be an identified and approved list of mentors for this track. A resident will choose a mentor based on their area of interest. By April of the PGY II year, the resident will have identified a mentor, an area of interest, and a start date for the track. This proposal will be submitted to the Residency Research Committee for approval. Ongoing documentation of progress will be submitted quarterly.

By the beginning of the third year of training, a resident will have identified a specific project. During the third year, at least one half day per week will be protected for a resident to work on the project. During the fourth year, a research track resident may schedule as much elective time as needed to work on the project. This will need to be at least twenty-five percent and probably more. It is expected that the resident will have regularly scheduled weekly meetings with their mentor and the mentor will evaluate the resident with respect to their performance on a quarterly basis. There will be monthly meetings of all of the residents involved with a research faculty who will present educational activities and discuss the research experiences and activities of the members.

The intended product of a resident’s involvement in the Research Track is manifest competency in all of the following areas:

1. A written protocol regarding intended research
2. IRB approval of the project or completion of the course if IRB approval already received
3. Presentation at the departmental poster session
4. Presentation of Departmental Grand Rounds
5. Presentation at a national meeting (poster or presentation)
6. A manuscript submission to a peer reviewed journal

NIMH Fellowship

Residents may become involved in an NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) Health Services Research Fellowship as well. Residents may become involved in this research fellowship during their third, fourth and/or fifth year of residency. In order to participate, an application should be made to Geoff Curran, PhD. Application materials should include curriculum vitae, personal statement and three letters of reference. Application can be made at any time and the resident should plan to start in July. Approved residents will be involved with the research track mentioned above. The protected time available for this fellowship will vary according to resident commitment and residency obligations and is negotiable within certain limits to be determined by Dr. Curran and the Residency Education Director.