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Midwinter Meeting

Organization

Positions

 

Association for Research in Otolaryngology 

Physician Research Training Committee

 

  • David R. Friedland, M.D., Ph.D. Chair (3/05-2/08)
  • Timothy E. Hullar, Ph.D. (3/06-2/09)
  • Joseph Kerschner, M.D. (3/07-2/10)
  • Charles J. Limb, M.D. (3/06-2/09)
  • Saumil N. Merchant, M.D. (3/05-2/08)
  • Yael Raz (3/05-2/08)
  • Claus-Peter Richter, M.D., Ph.D. (3/05-2/08)
  • Konstantina M. Stankovic, M.D., Ph.D. (3/07-2/10)
  • Ebenezer Nketia Yamoah, Ph.D. (3/07-2/10)
  • NIDCD Dir ex-officio: James F. Battey, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Exec VP Rsch, ex officio: Maureen Hannley, Ph.D.
  • Council Liaison: P. Ashley Wackym, M.D. (3/06-2/07)
  • spARO Representative: Harrison W. Lin
  • spARO Representative: Fabio A. Thiers

     

 

Purpose:

To encourage Physician-Scientist preparation and life career

Charge:

  • Chair and Direct:
    • National Research Encouragement Program for Residents, Fellows, and Faculty and
    • National Research Mentors Group and
    • Physician Research Trainees
  • Select Travel Award recipients to the MidWinter Meeting

 

National Research Encouragement Program for
Residents, Fellows, and Faculty

and

National Research Mentors Group

and 

Physician Research Trainees

Chair: Chairperson, Physician Research Training Committee (ARO),

Definitions:

National Research Encouragement Program for Residents, Fellows, and Faculty- is newly structured to focus effort upon positive nurturing of physician-scientists. The function of the Program is to present a positive national voice of encouragement for physicians doing research by planning and implementing educational meetings and activities between research mentors and physician research trainees committed to a life as a Physician-Scientist.

National Research Mentors Group- is a group of research scientists and physician-scientists with demonstrated interest and ability to mentor and collaborate with physician research trainees and research progressive faculty of all ages. These individuals demonstrate this function at their local institutions and are willing to share their talents nationally to stimulate the scientific development and progression of physician researchers.

Physician Research Trainees- is a group of physicians adequately training for and committed to a life-time as a physician and as a research scientist.

Objectives:

  •  To present a positive national voice of encouragement for physicians doing research
  •  To facilitate liaison between individuals, organizations, and societies in order to stimulate, nurture, and guide physicians in research careers.

Background:

"I believe that the only practical, currently available way to guarantee the future of the American system of health care, irrespective of what financial goal is set, is through research...The greatest national resource for the effort is not money. It is the ideas and the concepts that are the products of the minds of men and women." [Theodore Cooper, MD, PhD. Concluding remarks at the symposium of the Academic Physician: An endangered species (October 1980). cited in Swartz, Harold M. and Gottheil, Diane L. The Education of Physician-Scholars. Preparing for Leadership in the Health Care System. Rockville, Maryland: Betz Publishing Co, 1993.]

Current trends in the health care system may become increasingly adverse to high levels of education and research.

If we believe in and care about the concept of the Physician-Scientist, we have a moral obligation to marshal our resources to encourage preparation for and careers in this life style.

Local mentoring is fundamental to research education and productivity. A laboratory or research office "home" for the medical student, resident, fellow, young AND older faculty is as crucial to research productivity as is a hospital in which to practice medicine. [Neely JG, Woodson G. Medical scholarship: How can a practicing surgeon do research? Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 1996;115(4):275-7.] However, at times, it is nice to feel that a greater society cares and to hear about solutions that work.

The purpose of establishing the National Research Encouragement Program for Residents, Fellows, and Faculty, the National Research Mentors Group, and the Physician Research Trainees is to facilitate liaison between individuals, organizations, and societies in order to stimulate, nurture, and guide physicians in research careers.

Methods:

  1.  Meeting of mentors and trainees at the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) and at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS):
  2.  Liaison with other societies, foundations, industry, and funding organizations concerned and interested in physician research.
  3.  Issues for continued iterative discussions and solutions:
    •  Training pathways
    •  Progressive mentoring when changing institutions
    •  Securing and selecting faculty positions
    •  Career life styles and income
    •  Should MD's do research, why, how?
    •  Attitudes of Heads of Divisions/Departments
    •  Attitudes of Deans
    •  Attitudes of the health care market
    •  Attitudes of surgical colleagues
    •  Bridging funds
    •  Reward systems
    •  Types of research
    •  AAO-HNS and Societies granting mechanisms and opportunities
    •  NIH training grants and opportunities
    •  NIH entry level grants
    •  Jobs availability
    •  Funding dilemmas
    •  Solving obstructive problems
    •  Topics of intense interest from previous meetings

 

Travel Awards

Purpose:

To select residents and medical students to receive travel awards for attending the midwinter meeting (MWM) and to assist in promoting and evaluating the awards program.

General Charge:

  1. To ensure that the Travel Awards program is adequately advertised and that information about the program is distributed to residents and medical students.
  2. To screen award applicants and choose awardees for the MWM.
  3. To monitor the success of the awards program and provide Council and the President with feedback to be used in obtaining support for the program.

Assumed Effects:

  1. Improved interaction between MD's and PhD's and between clinical and basic researchers.

Requisites for Applications:

  1. Letter from applicant stating desire, need, and qualifications for award:
    •  a) Resident in ACGME accredited program in Otolaryngology
    •  b) Medical student in ACME accredited medical collage
    •  b) Career goals directed towards academic practice.
  2. Copy of submitted abstract for poster or paper presentation; please indicate if it was accepted for the program. (Note: This is an informational copy, only for consideration for the travel award; it will not be forwarded to the scientific program committee.)
  3. Curriculum vitae.
  4. Letter from Chairman, Department/Division. of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ENT)
    • a) Recommendation
    • b) Guarantee of matching funds
    • c) Priority rank of applicant (if more than one applicant,per category, is from the same program
  5. Deadline for application: November 1 of each year.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Resident or medical student in good standing in accredited program.
  2. High potential for academic career.
  3. Abstract submitted.
  4. Abstract accepted.
  5. Copy of abstract with application.
  6. Application letter and curriculum vitae.
  7. Supporting letter, with prioritization when indicated, from Dept./Div. Chairman.
  8. MD fellows have low priority.
  9. Medically oriented undergraduates have low priority and are ineligible unless extraordinary circumstances arise.
  10. Graduate fellows are ineligible.
  11. Selection notification deadline: December 1 of each year.

Award:

  1. Usually $500/resident and $400/medical student awards, in the form of expense reimbursement. Occasionally funds may be split between deserving applicants.
  2. Usually 20 resident and 3 medical student awards. Dependent upon the quality of applications, a shift in this ratio may occur,
  3. Matching Funds must be available from the applicant's Dept./Div.

Mechanisms of Award:

Following the trip, the applicant submits the following for reimbursement to the ARO Office:

  1. A photo copy of expense receipts.
  2. Social security number.

Administrative Time Table:

JANUARY

  • Submit report of activities to ARO Business Office for February Council Meeting.

APRIL

  • Coordinate mailing of travel award applications with call for MWM abstracts.

MAY/JUNE

  • Mail general information about ARO and the Awards Program to ENT chairs for inclusion in resident/medical student orientation packets.
  • Mail questionnaire to recipients to inquire about response to ARO MWM.

JULY

  • Mail letters/releases to ENT chairs regarding availability of MWM travel awards.

AUGUST

  • Submit report of activities to ARO Business Office for September Council meeting.

NOVEMBER

  • Meet to decide awardees and inform ARO Business Office and President of travel award recipients. Coordinate with acceptance of MWM abstracts.
  • Submit list of awardees to Editor for inclusion in the Winter ARO newsletter.

 

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