Hot Topics in Postgraduate Education

Hot Topics in Postgraduate Education

Session 1: Optimizing Resident Research Opportunities

The first of our new series, "Hot Topics in Postgraduate Education", was held December 1 at University Hospital. This series aims to bring together individuals invested in postgraduate medical education for thought-provoking discussions of timely issues. The first session, "Optimizing Resident Research Opportunities", featured presentations by Dr. Michael Rieder (Director of the Clinician Investigator Program) and Dr. Susan Huang (CIP resident), followed by a lively discussion of issues related to enhancing the engagement of residents in research.

Many valuable points emerged from the discussion. Participants identified the importance of careful and thoughtful planning for research success, and the need to match residents with skilled research mentors. The importance of the learning environment to resident engagement was recognized: the most fertile environments are those that promote a culture of research, that work collaboratively, and that can tailor experiences to individual resident needs. It was also recognized that the seeds of success are planted before residency, highlighting the importance of engaging medical students in research and creating opportunities for early successes that encourage residents to continue to move forward in their research. Challenges identified included the constraints of some residency curricula, the challenge of linking residents with appropriate supervisors, especially supervisors outside their department, and uncertainty about funding for periods of intensive research work within residency training.

The level of interest in this discussion was encouraging. There is clearly the will and the enthusiasm to enhance and promote research as an essential aspect of the residency experience. We will look for opportunities to continue this conversation into the future.

The next session in this series, "Resident Duty Hours: Issues and Impacts", will take place from 12-1pm on February 24 (location to be announced).