With the assistance of the Department of Medicine, the former GCRC developed a two-week research rotation for second-year residents. During their second year, all medical residents take this rotation. Over 18 days, it includes introductions to several of our clinical investigators and experience at an IRB meeting. The major goal of the rotation, however, is the development of research protocols. Although some of the protocols could actually be conducted by the residents during their elective time in the third year of residency, the focus is on the process of asking and answering a clinically relevant question.
In its present format, a cohort of four residents are introduced to the program by Dr. Dan Donovan (a graduate of our POR program). With the focus described earlier in mind, residents develop an IRB protocol for a study of their choice. During the rotation, they meet several times with Dr. Rajasekhar Ramakrishan, a member of the CRC biostatistical team. In addition, residents have two sessions with the Director of the CRC Nutrition unit, Dr. Wahida Karmally, one session with the Core Laboratory Director, Dr. John O'Connor, and one session with the Director of our Research Pharmacy core resource, Dr. R.B. MacArthur.
At the end of each rotation, the residents present their IRB protocols at a meeting attended by the Program Director, Dr Ginsberg, Drs. Donovan, Ramakrishnan and Karmally. Additionally, one of the chief residents and one of the faculty members involved in the Housestaff Training Program, also attend. Virtually all 45-minute presentations are characterized by a lively debate about key issues such as recruitment, feasibility, confounders and biostatistics. The program has been received enthusiastically by both the residents and the Housestaff Program coordinators. This series now stands out as one of the factors that attracts prospective residents to the Columbia program. We have compiled a collection of these presentations and provided the Department of Medicine with copies.
You can view here Resident Schedules , online Power Calculation Module and list of PGY2 Medical Residents and their research protocols.