integrated research year?

[dunkindona]

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What are all the neuro programs that offer a formal research track (I know of only UCSF)? And do any of them offer a full year (within the 4 year neuro residency) as opposed to just 6 months?

Alternatively, which programs offer integrated fellowship (EEG, specifically) within the traditional 4 yr residency?

Thanks

 

[Neurologee]

Penn State University offers the Neurology Flexible Residency (an optional extra integrated year of clinical or basic science research), one slot per year.
Translation: Medicine intern year, plus standard three years of Neurology Clinical, plus one year of full-time research integrated somewhere in the Neurology Clinical years, with some flexibility in the timing of the research year based on individual goals.
I think many programs actually choose to integrate extra time rather than trying to cram research into an already full training program -- that way you do not devote all elective time solely to research at the expense of clinical electives. A year is probably about the minimum amount of time required to undertake research at the level necessary to build a foundation toward an academic career (i.e., gather data toward a grant or publication, or to get a good start on research you plan to further develop during fellowship).

http://www.aan.com/news/?event=read&article_id=4800.
This article references/links to the AAN statement encouraging flexible residency options.

 

[Vader]

UCLA (6-9 months, depending on scheduling)
Stanford (time guaranteed during residency or for a year after residency)
Partners (~6 months during residency)
Columbia (separate formal track, during residency or support for 1 year post-residency)
UCSD (physician-scientist training program, up to 3 years of research funding post-residency)

to name a few... many programs do not have formal research tracks, but offer flexibility in how they schedule rotations to maximize your research time. Some of the more clinically-oriented residency (particularly smaller-size programs) are somewhat wary of this, as it places more of a burden on the other residents.

 

[doxtyp]

If I remember correctly, at WashU you can put together up to 9 months of research time if schedule electives appropriately.

 

[kapMD/PhD]

Any thoughts on residency--> fellowship transition and applications for K08 awards? of NIH loan repayment programs? Anyone been through this process? Timing? etc?

 

[Vader]

Any thoughts on residency--> fellowship transition and applications for K08 awards? of NIH loan repayment programs? Anyone been through this process? Timing? etc?

From what I understand, if your goal is to do research straight out of residency, then it makes sense to do a significant amount of research during PGY3 year and then apply for the K08 during PGY4. Ideally, you would give yourself 2 application cycles in advance to provide enough time to get it by the second go around and start funding upon graduation. Not sure about the specific dates/deadlines involved, but this information is posted on the NIH web site.

If your goal is to do a clinical fellowship after residency, then it makes more sense to apply for the K08 during the last year of fellowship. Then again, I am not sure if this applies mainly to the clinically-heavy fellowships where you wouldn't have as much time for research, or to all fellowships. Perhaps someone who has been through this can answer that question?

There might be some fellowships that are less formally structured that could allow for significant research time... in which case having the K award might help. Does anyone have some insight into this possibility?

 

[typhoonegator]

Even in the best of circumstances, getting a K08/K23 from research done during residency is a very tall order. One of my co-residents tried to do this, and even after devoting all his PGY3 research time to his project, and with all 5 of his PGY4 elective blocks back-to-back (which was tough to schedule), he barely had enough time to get the grant out. I don't know if his K23 is decided yet, but he did get an AAN Foundation Award, which is a big deal. Bottom line is that it is very difficult, requires copious planning and foresight, and you probably don't want to rely solely on this possibility. Money ain't so easy to get, nowadays.

I agree that if you are planning to do a non-ACGME/UCNS fellowship that is unfunded, a K would be a great way to pay for yourself and your research supplies through the fellowship, but it certainly isn't the easiest way, particularly if you don't have a lot of time to spend on your research. Remember that a K23 assumes you will be involved in research-related didactics and conferences and whatnot, which might not really be possible in a clinic-heavy fellowship. You'd probably have a better time finding a reputable mentor and then applying for research fellowships/teaching grants to get yourself started and pay your salary, and then build the K08/K23 from there. The AAN, ASA, and some private foundations and University programs have fellowship grants like this.

I myself went the route of getting funded for a 1 year research fellowship, with the goal of starting a project that I can then continue through a 2 year salaried UCNS clinical fellowship that will follow. I will write my K23 in the second half of my clinical fellowship. This gives a little more leeway in case projects don't go exactly the way you want them to (which is always the case).