FAQ

  1. Is there a requirement for a specific type of research in the R38 program (e.g. clinical research, population-based, basic science, etc.)?
    There is no specific requirement for the type of research in the R38 program. This program offers residents to choose from four tracks based on their research interests, offering curated curricula and specialized research exposure. The four tracks for the program are, 1) Clinical cardiovascular epidemiology and translational research, 2) Genomics, computational biology and bioinformatics, 3) Health systems research and implementation science, 4) Regenerative medicine. All tracks offer opportunities for cross-track exposure and collaboration and have multidisciplinary approach.  

  2. Does the K38 application during fellowship need to be an extension of the research as performed under the R38 program?
    The goal would be for whoever joins this program to apply to a clinical fellowship with a K38 award after residency. The K38 award would allow you to be on the path towards a strong research career. You would be able to do different research in any subspecialty if awarded the K38 after residency.


  3. How will the monetary compensation be arranged under the R38 program and the residency chief year? Is the resident officially graduated from the program after the third year or will the resident be switching to a “four-year” residency with an extra year of research built-in? R38 4th year will continue to be apart of the residency program. While 80% of resident’s time starting the third month of PGY3 is for research purposes, the residency does not end till the end of PGY4 to allow for ABIM board eligibility (given shortened clinical training time). The compensation for PGY4 will be as per the level set by BMC GME. While technically your residency won’t be done till the end of PGY4, the research chief part of the job will be woven into the PGY4 year.

  4. How is the monetary support for any sample storage / bench work that the applicant might be interested in? The monetary support for sample storage etc. must come from the mentor as there is no specific R38 funding for this. There is part for meeting attendance and other logistical research related training expenditure but not for sample and research supplies itself.

  5. What is the process of choosing a mentor?  You could have 1 or multiple mentors depending on your interest. We will provide you with a list of mentors to choose from or choose one for you based on your research interest.

  6. Are participating resident-investigators eligible to perform research activities at any point during their residency even if it requires additional years of residency training?Resident-investigator participation in research activities as a part of the R38 program can occur at any point during residency training provided that each research period is a minimum of 3 consecutive months of at least 80% effort within one year of residency, and all research periods add up to a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months. Longer contiguous periods are preferred, but not required. Also, a Board recognized by the ABMS, the ADA CODA, or the ABVS must approve the overall structure of research and clinical activities outlined in the application.
    Example scenarios of 12-month total research periods over a typical 3-year residency include but are not limited to the following:
    • 12 months during the PGY-2 or PGY-3 year
    • Last 6 months of PGY-2 year and first 6 months of PGY-3 year
    • 3 months during the PGY-2 year and 9 months during the PGY-3 year
    • 3 months in PGY-1 year, 3 months in PGY-2 year, and 6 months in PGY-3 year

  7. Will the R38 program work for short-track residents or after the completion of their residency training? Resident-investigators selected for the institutional R38 program must participate and complete all research requirements during residency, and prior to any subspecialty training (fellowship). Sufficient participation requires a minimum of 3 consecutive months with at least 80% effort in one academic year, and at least 12 months total over the duration of residency training. With approval of the overseeing Board (e.g. ABIM, ABP, ABS, etc), eligibility for a certifying examination may be achieved during participation in an accredited subspecialty fellowship.

  8. Are there restrictions on what the residents should do with the 20% effort that is beyond the 80% effort designated for research activities?During the remaining 20% effort outside of research activities, it is anticipated that resident-investigators will perform clinical duties (e.g., continuity clinic, call back-up, night float, etc.) or other administrative activities, and maintain in good standing in their residency training program. All activities should be approved by the R38 PD/PI and residency program director.

 

June 23rd Science Dissemination Workshop

Training Support Resources for Visual Abstracters:

Click here to watch on YouTube and here to view the PDF. Youtube

References

  1. Ibrahim AM et al. Visual abstracts to disseminate research on social media: A prospective, case-control crossover study. Ann Surg. 2017;266(6):e46.
  2. Tufte ER. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Second edition. Cheshire, Conn. Graphics Press, 2001. https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/999913808702121.
  3. Polishing Your Presentation. http://web.archive.org/web/20001014041642/http://www.3m.com:80/meetingnetwork/files/meetingguide_pres.pdf. Accessed May 28, 2017.
  4. 7 reasons you need visual content in your marketing strategy. https://medium.com/@nikos_iliopoulos/7-reasons-you-need-visual-content-in-your-marketing-strategy-bc77ca5521ac. Accessed May 28, 2017.
  5. Wray CM et al. The adoption of an online journal club to improve research dissemination and social media engagement among hospitalists. J Hosp Med. 2018. doi: 10.12788/jhm.2987.

Dr. Vasan Ramachandran Ted Talk: “Rapid Decline in Rural Health”

In just over a 10-minute drive, your life expectancy can differ by 25 years. There has been a seismic shift in mortality from urban to rural areas over the last two decades, especially affecting Southeastern US. A call for rural health equity is warranted. Vasan S. Ramachandran, M.D., Principal Investigator and Director of the FHS, and Director of the FHS fellowship program in cardiovascular epidemiology for the last 25 years. Dr. Ramachandran is a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at BUSM/BUSPH, and Chief, Section of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, BUSM. He is the Jay & Louis Coffman Professor of Vascular Medicine at BUSM. Dr. Ramachandran is a trained cardiologist with subspecialty training in echocardiography. He is a fellow of the AHA Councils on Epidemiology and Prevention and Functional Genomics and Translational Biology, and a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. He received the Outstanding Mentor awards from the Department of Medicine, BUSM, and the AHA Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, and the prestigious AHA Population Science Award in 2014. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/teTED Talk: Rapid decline in rural health – What’s in a zip code?