1. Resident Research: Getting Started
Melissa Schiff, MD, MPH
DOIM Thursday School
August 22, 2019

2. Who has been involved in a research project before?

3. Who has presented their research project at a conference?

4. Who has published their research project in a journal?

5. Learning Objectives Understand the steps in the research pathway
Describe where research ideas come from
Understand the process for finding a research mentor
Describe the timeline for your research project

6. Research Pathway Research Idea Literature Review Refine Question &
Hypothesis
Design Study
Collect &
Analyze Data
Present Findings

7. Research Pathway Research Idea Literature Review Refine Question &
Hypothesis
Design Study
Collect &
Analyze Data
Present Findings

8. Where do research ideas come from?

9. Clinical Scenario: 23 y.o. G1P1 woman who had a Nexplanon contraceptive implant inserted 6 months ago. Patient noticed that implant was not in its usual position. She reported that she fell recently on her arm. Patient denied any partner violence. Her main concerned was if the implant was still going to be effective. On exam, patient’s upper arm had a bruise over the implant site and the implant itself was bent. Gyn doc recommended removal and replacement with another implant.

11. Interesting clinical question (5 minutes)
Write down an interesting clinical question
Share your question with your neighbor
Discuss how you might use a research study to answer your question

12. Research Ideas – where do they come from?
Clinical encounter with patient
Question or problem about lab test, disease process, treatment plan
Patient safety issue
Colleague /faculty working on research project
Journal article – “…further studies should evaluate….”

13. Clinical presentation – M&M conference, morning rounds
Poster presentation at scientific meeting
Reverse engineering an idea
Existing database used for answering new question

14. Databases for IM Research Projects
Health Facts – Cerner EMR data for UNM hospital, 600 hospitals
Truven – 240 million patients, pharmaceuticals
New Mexico Tumor Registry (SEER) – all cancer cases in NM
New Mexico Death Certificates

15. Selected National Databases
National Inpatient Sample (NIS) – 7 million hospital stays
National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey
Veteran’s Administration

16. Research interest Important to find topic of interest to you
Interesting case  Case Report
Medicine specialty area  Future fellowship
Medical education  Curriculum
Social media use in medicine  Technology application
Patient safety issue  QI Project

17. Focus on new area to promote personal knowledge and growth
Develop new skills
Literature searching
Designing a survey
Collecting and analyzing data
Writing a scientific paper or poster
Presentation skills

18. Research Pathway Research Idea Literature Review Refine Question &
Hypothesis
Design Study
Collect &
Analyze Data
Present Findings

19. Literature Review Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center
Your Lit Search Expert: Sarah Morley, PhD

20. Research Pathway Research Idea Literature Review Refine Question &
Hypothesis
Design Study
Collect &
Analyze Data
Present Findings

21. How to turn your idea into a research question?

22. Identify the W’s Who - Study Population What –
Disease
Exposures/Risk Factors/Interventions
Outcomes
The Problem (QI projects)
Where – Clinical Setting
When – Time Period

23. Types of questions
Descriptive – describe an interesting case or case series
Quantitative – assess relationship between 2 variables
Identify population
Identify exposure/intervention (independent variable)
Identify outcome (dependent variable)
Formulate your question
Develop a hypothesis

24. Technical aspects of research question
Well-defined – answerable
Feasible
Limited time frame
Research takes longer than anticipated
Consider deadlines – research elective, abstract submission, scientific meeting date, graduation
Project success

25. Finding a Research Mentor
Ongoing research study by faculty member
New research question – faculty mentor assistance
Approach faculty with your research question
Prepare ahead of time
Know the literature
Refine your question
Brief written summary if possible

26. Input from faculty for Refinement Data sources
Experience with your topic

27. Faculty Mentors Meeting with Division Chiefs UNM projects –
Jens Langsjoen, MD,
Knowledge about UNM faculty research interests, ongoing projects
VA projects
David Olson, MD
Knowledge about VA faculty research interests, ongoing projects

28. Faculty Mentors Patient Safety / Mortality
Tony Worsham, MD
Glucose control / Ease of practice / IT usability
Kendall Rogers, MD,
C diff prevention / Reducing unnecessary hospital interventions / High value care
Mary Lacy, MD

29. Research Project Timeline
Tasks
Time Frame
Develop research idea, literature search, find mentor
August-May 1st year
Develop research proposal (research elective)
May-June 1st year
Obtain or collect data, analyze data, preliminary write-up
July – June 2nd year
Develop abstract for submission
January-June 2nd year
Presentation at scientific meeting
2nd or 3rd year
Manuscript preparation, submission
July – March 3rd year

30. Timeline Additional considerations IRB approval time frame
Coordination of work load with light rotations
Availability of others on research team, mentor
Data analysis takes significant amount of time
Fellowship interviews – completed project, presentation listed on CV

31. DOIM Chief Residents’ Website https://imchiefs.unm.edu/

33. Questions?
Melissa Schiff, MD, MPH