By Joanna Zurko, PGY2

Even as our residents train to become excellent clinicians, they also find time to develop their skills as researchers and academicians. Our program has a research curriculum designed to encourage resident involvement in the process of investigation in a variety of arenas including basic science, clinical research, and quality improvement. Residents can spend between 1-3 months devoted to research during their residency, during which time they work with faculty members on a specific project or collection of projects that they often continue throughout their training. 

In addition to offering protected research time, the program provides residents with resources for insight into future careers in research through the Pathways in Academic Medicine Program. Residents are exposed to a variety of topics throughout the year such as “How to be productive in research as a resident and fellow”, “Finding a research mentor” and “Career strategies for the clinical investigator”. The program also reimburses residents up to $750 for travel and conference registration to present their research at regional and national conferences as well as provides poster printing free of charge. 

The program offers three ways for residents to get protected time for research during their residency: a one month research elective, the TIME-R research block elective, and the Medicine Scholar’s (ABIM Research) Program Pathway.

Any resident in their second or third year can elect to complete a one-month research fellowship for a total of two months over their three year residency. During the 2016-2017 year 39 residents are completing a one-month research elective.

Residents who desire a more intensive research experience can apply for a competitive TIME-R block option. The TIME-R program provides three months of dedicated research time over the second and third year and is awarded through a competitive process. One to three residents a year are accepted for the program. Our current TIME-R Awardee is Dr. Amier Ahmad for his project entitled “Effect of Systolic Heart Failure on Septic Shock Associated Outcomes” with faculty mentor Todd Brown MD and additional fellow mentorship from Sam McElwee MD. Dr. Ahmad notes the dedicated time provided by the TIME-R has been invaluable for "getting experience writing research proposals, introducing me to great faculty mentors and giving me the opportunity to work on different projects".

The Medicine Scholar’s Program (ABIM) Pathway is a short-track research pathway option for physicians who plan to pursue academic careers as physician scientists. These residents complete two years of internal medicine training followed by 1-2 years of subspecialty training, followed by three years of research training. We recently welcomed two residents into our Medical Scholar’s Program Pathway this year, Dr. Awal Chadha and Dr. Yulia Khodneva.

Left to right: Drs. Amier Ahmad, Awal Chadha, and Yulia Khodneva

In addition to producing numerous abstracts, case reports, book chapters, and poster presentations at local, regional and national meetings, many of our residents have published original research papers during their short time in residency. Several of our distinguished third year residents have published original research papers in just these past three months. Here is a sample of their recent work:

• Cossío-Aranda J, Zamora KD, Nanda NC, Uzendu A, Keirns C, Verdejo-Paris J, Martínez-Ríos MA, Espinola-Zavaleta N. Echocardiographic correlates of severe pulmonary hypertension in adult patients with ostium secundum atrial septal defect. Echocardiography. 2016 Sep 5. doi: 10.1111/echo.13358. [Epub ahead of print]
• Biswas M, Patel R, German C, Kharod A, Mohamed A, Dod HS, Kapoor PM, Nanda NC. Simulation-based training in echocardiography. Echocardiography. 2016 Sep 1 [Epub ahead of print]
• Saddekni MB, Saag KG, Dudenbostel T, Oparil S, Calhoun DA, Sattui SE, Feig DI, Muntner P, Redden DT, Foster PJ, Rahn EJ, Biggers SR, Li P, Gaffo AL. The effects of urate lowering therapy on inflammation, endothelial function, and blood pressure (SURPHER) study design and rationale. Contemp Clin Trials. 2016 Aug 29.
• Warriner AH, Foster PJ, Mudano A, Wright NC, Melton ME, Sattui SE, Calmbach W, Curtis JR, Kilgore M, Lewis CE, Pace W, Saag KG. A pragmatic randomized trial comparing tablet computer informed consent to traditional paper-based methods for an osteoporosis study. Contemporary Clinical Trial Communications. 2016 August;3(15)32-38.
• Sattui SE, Gaffo AL. Treatment of hyperuricemia in gout: current therapeutic options, latest developments and clinical implications.Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2016 Aug;8(4):145-59.
• Hellenbrand DJ, Kaeppler KE, Ehlers ME, Thompson CD, Zurko JD, Buchholz MM, Springer AR, Thompson DL, Ibrahim RK, Hanna A. Immunohistochemical assessment of rat nerve isografts and immunosuppressed allografts. Neurol Res. 2016 Dec;38(12):1094-1101.
• Chatterjee A, White JS, Leesar MA. Management of radial artery perforation during transradial catheterization using a polytetrafluoroethylene covered coronary stent. Cardiovasc Revasc Med. 2016 Aug 15.
• Chadha AS, Khoo A, Aliru ML, Arora HK, Gunther JR, Krishnan S. Recent Advances and Prospects for Multimodality Therapy in Pancreatic Cancer. Semin Radiat Oncol. 2016 Oct;26(4):320-37.

Left to right: Drs. Anezi Uzendu, Charles German, Sebastian Sattui, Colton Thompson, Jeremy White, and Awal Chada

We are proud of the strong work that our residents continue to do, both as clinicians and academicians. In the upcoming year we anticipate they will continue to impress us with their work at the bench, bedside, and beyond.