Research/Scholarship

Research is an integral component of fellowship training and mentorship plays a vital role in the career development of junior investigators.

• The Department of Pediatrics has a diverse group of investigators with established collaborations across the university, region and nation.
• Many faculty hold joint appointments in other departments and actively collaborate with other faculty.
• The layout of our medical center promotes high quality, interactive, and interdisciplinary research and environments for investigation that nurture the next generation of physician-scientists.

Mentoring

Within the first six months of training, fellows will identify their primary research mentor and Scholarship Oversight Committee (SOC) members, and convene formally to guide the fellow’s progress. The mentoring relationships established supports trainees in reaching their fullest potential. Program Directors actively work with fellows to establish a SOC and obtain a primary mentor. The Division Chief, faculty, and departmental leaders are available to assist in identifying an area of research interest and mentors. The SOC continues to meet formally at least twice per year throughout the duration of training to guide progress and oversee timely and appropriate development of the scholarly work.

Fellow Scholarly Development Program (FSDP)

Through the Department of Pediatrics, each fellow participates in the Fellow Scholarly Development Program (FSDP). Through the FSDP, trainees develop the necessary skills to prepare an in-depth research proposal, apply for funding, and learn about various funding sources. Each trainee is expected to develop a well composed-research proposal under the guidance of their primary mentor, director and/or SOC. Research proposals provide the foundation for submission to grants/awards, publications and presentations. Thus, the program provides fellows with a framework to develop scholarly skills to be used as a guidepost for future/long-term career endeavors. After fellows complete a research project proposal, the Department of Pediatrics Vice Chair for Research reviews each proposal, offers feedback and poses relevant questions to foster critical thinking. Fellows incorporate these suggestions and finalize their research proposals.

To promote national networking and collaboration, the division provides financial support for fellows to present their research annually at national meetings.