Conducting Research on a Shoestring Budget - OPTI-West

<strong>Research</strong> on a Shoestring
Budget – or No Budget at All
Jane Z. Dumsha, Ph.D., CHES
Director, <strong>Research</strong> and Sponsored Programs

Core Competency 2
• Residents are expected to demonstrate and
apply knowledge of accepted standards of
clinical medicine in their respective
specialty area, remain current with new
developments in medicine, and participate
in life-long learning activities, including
research.
Dumsha 2

What Is <strong>Research</strong>
• Federal government definition (regardless of
funding source):
– “<strong>Research</strong> means a systematic investigation, including
research development, testing and evaluation,
designed to develop or contribute to generalizable
knowledge.”
– http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidanc
e/45cfr46.html#46.102
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Steps in the Process
• Identify a research project
– Does your residency program require research
What kind What level of involvement
– Whole project vs. one aspect or mini-project
• Select an appropriate study design
• Find a suitable mentor (perhaps first)
• Find other resources
Dumsha 4

Identifying a Project
• Why does this project or research question
interest you
– Interesting case
– Anecdotal evidence
– Emerging trend
• Why will others care
– What is potential contribution to your field
• Is the project appropriate to your specialty
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Choosing a Study Design
• Retrospective Chart Review
• Surveys, Questionnaires, and Interviews
• Epidemiologic Studies
• Case-Control
• Prospective/Longitudinal Study
• Clinical Trial
http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/archive/irb/irb_chapter4.htm
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Think Small – Reality Check
• Realities
– Recruitment
– Available time
• Can’t do research project as a one-month elective
– Learning curve
– Time to secure regulatory approval(s)
• Talk to a statistician or researcher in your field
early
• Team member or co-investigator vs. PI
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Find a Suitable Mentor/Collaborator
• For each topic
– Yours
– Mentor’s
• Matching process
• Job responsibilities
– Yours
– Mentor’s
Dumsha 8

Job Interview
• Apprenticeship – learn under supervision
• Your job
– Assume responsibility for own scientific and professional
development
– Honor commitment(s)
• <strong>Research</strong> the researcher
– Literature searches
– Ask other residents
– Ask other faculty and administrators
– Ask prospective mentor questions
Dumsha 9

Job Interview
• Mentor’s job
– Supervise (in person!)
– Provide scientific training, guidance, instruction in
RCR, resources
– Serve as a role model
– Guide, coach, give feedback
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Goals
• What are YOUR goals
– Satisfy residency requirement
– Learn about research and gain
experience
– Acquire technical skills
– Develop professional network
– Pursue your passion
– Get published (and enhance your
resumé)
– Earn an additional degree (e.g., M.S.,
Ph.D.)
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Goals
• What are your prospective mentor’s goals
– Train the next generation of researchers (and future
mentors)
– Extra hands for research
– Extra brains for research and publications
– Enhanced reputation
– Personal satisfaction (“parental” pride)
• List of faculty willing and able to take trainees
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Previous Experience
• Related knowledge or skills you already possess, if any
– Any lab experience
– Any other type of research experience
– Fine motor skills Computer skills
– Communication (writing, presenting)
• Learning curve (time!)
– How to do the work
– How to document (lab books, case report forms, etc.)
– How to analyze results
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Previous Experience
• Not related to mentor’s age
• Experience of mentor as
– <strong>Research</strong>er
• Consider non-D.O.s – transferable research skill set
• BioPsychoSocial
• Complementary skills
• Newly independent
• Clinician
• Peer reviewed (articles,* grants)
Dumsha 14

Previous Experience (cont.)
• Experience of mentor as
– Mentor
• Advisor to other trainees
• AREA (R15) grants
• Peer-reviewed articles with trainees*
• How to determine
– CV
– RePORTER (NIH)
– Databases (e.g., PubMed, Medline, PsycInfo)
Dumsha 15

Commitments
• You already have a full-time job
• Other time commitments
• Feasibility – linked to goals and time
– De novo vs. piggyback/spinoff/
plug-in/existing data (research is a PROCESS)
• Regulatory approvals average 3 months
– Required by journal editors
• Clinical research = longer timeline
– Factors beyond control, e.g.,
subject recruitment and F/U
Dumsha 16

Commitments
• Is your prospective mentor
stretched too thin
– Residents and other trainees
– Staff supervision
– Administrative chores
– Teaching load
– Committees and societies
– Travel
• Does mentor have support
personnel
– Supplement, not replace, faculty
Dumsha 17

Passion
• What is your passion or fascination
• Don’t have one What kind of research interests
you
– Bench
– Psychology
– Psychology in medical settings, e.g., quality of life,
health education
– Social, e.g., family influence on health
– Clinical, e.g., patient outcomes
Dumsha 18

Passion
• What is your prospective mentor’s focus
– Laser beam, not shotgun
– Existing project with clearly defined parameters
– Peer-reviewed journal articles and grants
• Quality
• Quantity
• Trainee coauthors
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Personality and Related Factors
• Are you a multitasker or do you need to focus
on one task at a time
• Are you an orchid or rhinoceros
• How independently do you like to work
• Think about your learning style
• Think about what you enjoy
• Need more insight Look at the Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator ®
Dumsha 20

Personality and Related Factors
• Is mentor a multitasker or do they focus on
one/person task at a time
• Personality important, but not first consideration
– StayPuft vs. Attila
• Teaching style
– Repetition vs. one-and-done
• Doing research you’ll still enjoy months later
• Are current trainees happy and productive
• Does s/he communicate openly, clearly, and
effectively
Dumsha 21

Matching Process
• Goals
– Shared expectations (toy rocket vs. satellite)
• Experience
– Less you have, more mentor should have
• Commitments
– More you/they have, less you’ll be able to accomplish
• Passion
– Don’t have one Find an enthusiastic, focused researcher
– Mutual interests and good rapport
• Personality
– Mutual interest, trust, and respect
– Professionalism
Dumsha 22

Job Responsibilities
• Establish a few SMART objectives with mentor
• Take job seriously
• Keep mentor informed (+ and -)
• Keep good records
• Be a team player
• Be considerate of mentor’s pressures and demands on
time (see Commitments)
• Accept criticism and follow advice
• Maintain confidentiality
Dumsha 23

Job Responsibilities
• Supervise (RCR, safety)
• Guide you in setting and achieving objectives
– SMART
– Education and training
– Feedback (+ and -)
• Help you acquire related skills
– Writing
– Presenting
– Time management
– RCR
• Help you gain increasing independence
• Help you formulate a career plan
• Be a good role model
Dumsha 24

Look Around
• Lots of institutions of higher learning in
Southern California and some large ones in
Oregon
• Your passion and mentor’s
• Complementary skill sets, etc.
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Finding Mentors With Money:
NIH RePORTER
• <strong>Research</strong> Portfolio Online Reporting Tool
Expenditures and Results (RePORTER)
– http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm
‣Grant Number
‣Project Title
‣PI Name, e-mail, Title
‣Abstract
‣Thesaurus Terms
‣Grant Start and End Dates, etc.
Dumsha 26

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Finding Mentors With Money:
NSF
• NSF Award Search
– http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/
– Includes free-text search capability
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Finding Mentors With
• Intramural researchers
Other Resources
– NIH, AHRQ, CDC, state
or local departments of
health
• Nonresearchers
– Skills and/or datasets
from state or local
agencies, such as AHECs
or departments of health
Dumsha 29

Finding Mentors and Money:
Subscription Services
• InfoEd
– GENIUS http://www.infoed.org/GeniusSearch/genius.asp
– SPIN http://www.infoed.org/new_spin/spinmain.asp
• IRIS
– Expertise Service http://iris.library.uiuc.edu/~iris/expertise/
– IRIS Database http://iris.library.uiuc.edu/~iris/search.html
• Community of Science
– Expertise http://expertise.cos.com/
– Funding Opportunities http://fundingopps2.cos.com/
Dumsha 30

Finding Seed Money
• Talk to Your Pharma Sales Rep
– Educational grants (usually to attendings)
– “Does your company support research in …”
– “Do you have anything that I need” (supplies,
models, etc.)
Dumsha 31

Finding Seed Money:
Other Sources
• Private and Corporate
Foundations
– Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.
org/search/
– Subscription Services
• Voluntary Health
Organizations (AHA,
etc.)
• AOA
• Institutional Support
– Department budgets
– OPTI/GME budget
– Dean’s funds, if
applicable
– <strong>Research</strong> reinvestment
funds
• OHF-funded Centers
• Bake sales
Dumsha 32

Finding Other Resources
• Pharmaceutical and equipment reps
– “Could your company provide standard care (wrist braces,
placebo, medication, etc)”
– Loan of “old” equipment
– Lease of newer equipment
• Talk to lab and other providers
– Discount/free lab tests, x-rays, etc.
• Higher ed institutions
– Grad students in epidemiology, statistics, etc.
– May work for cheap or free (if they get a thesis/dissertation
out of it)
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Finding Free Resources
• Historical controls
– Do you really need a control group Or is
disease/condition and its course well documented
• Chart data
– Save $ on tests if performed as part of standard of
care
– Free databases from NIH, AHRQ, CDC (incl.
NCHS), state or local departments of health,
AHECs
Dumsha 34

Informal Processes
• Ask your friendly neighborhood <strong>Research</strong>
Director (OPTI/entire school)
• Conferences and other meetings
– Including ones you don’t attend
• Pick up the phone!
• Send an e-mail with a catchy Subject line
• Six Degrees of Separation
Dumsha 35

Formal Processes
• Regulatory approvals (HIPAA, IRB)
• Certificate of Confidentiality/
Nondisclosure Agreement
• Statement of Intent
• Letters of commitment
– Collaborator(s)/Mentor(s)
– Department chairs/Program directors
– Other “higher ups”
• Other institutional P&P
– Internal approvals
– Faculty sponsor
Dumsha 36

Why Do <strong>Research</strong> as a
Medical Resident
• Mentor as career resource
• Impact of research on medical practice
• Work with faculty and build relationship
• Contribute to knowledge faculty generate
• Gain an advantage for fellowships and jobs
• Be a better physician
– Sharper mind
– Critical thinking skills
– Other transferable skills, such as literature searching
Dumsha 38

Uncle Andrew Wants YOU!
• Osteopathic profession needs residents
who understand how to search the
literature, ask research questions, gather
data, and draw conclusions
– “The process of diagnosis and treatment is
the same process as research.” (Marion,
2004)
• Learning about the process and
acquiring the skills valuable to you and
the profession
Dumsha 39

Funding for Formal Training
• Bitten by the bug and willing to put in extra time
– K, F, or T awards
– Big push for training next generation of physician-scientists
• Require significant lead time to apply
• Competitive
• Formal training programs – some require extra year(S!)
– AOA fellowships ($5,000)
– American Heart Association
– NIH intramural and extramural training
• Fellowships, Training awards, K awards, supplements
Dumsha 40

<strong>Research</strong> Training on a
Shoestring Budget
• PCOM CCDA (OHF-endowed Center)
– Priority given to PCOM OPTI partners
– Resident research training $ for supplies, travel
to/from PCOM
– Must have PCOM faculty mentor and do research
on site
• Other OHF-endowed Centers
– http://www.osteopathicheritage.org/UserUploads/
2010%20Conclave%20Report%20Final.pdf
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Remember…
Lack of money is no obstacle. Lack of
an idea is an obstacle.
- Ken Hakuta
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Where to Get More Information
• AAMC Graduate Compact
– http://www.aamc.org/gradcompact
• Myers Briggs Personality Indicators
– http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personalitytype/mbti-basics/
• The Whole Art of Deduction: <strong>Research</strong> Skills for New
Scientists
– http://www.sahs.utmb.edu/pellinore/intro_to_research
/wad/wad_home.htm#contents
• <strong>Research</strong> Self-Evaluation Checklist (good!)
– http://ctsi.ucsf.edu/files/PACCTR_Checklist.doc
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Where to Get More Information
• Choosing the Right <strong>Research</strong> Mentor:
Mentor/Trainee Responsibilities
– https://www.temple.edu/medicine/departments_center
s/clinical_departments/documents/ICTR_Paranjape2.p
df
• NIH RePORTER
– http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm
• NSF
– http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/
Dumsha 44

Where to Get More Information
• AOA fellowships
– http://www.do-online.org/pdf/res_hndbk.pdf
• American Heart Association
– http://my.americanheart.org/professional/<strong>Research</strong>
/<strong>Research</strong>_UCM_316889_SubHomePage.jsp
• NIH intramural and extramural training
– http://grants.nih.gov/training/index.htm
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