jessica's journey

Full-Time Clinical Research Faculty

Jessica Lang is a 38-year-old clinician who is a full-time assistant professor within the clinician researcher stream. She has a Masters Degree in Health Research Methodology and some experience as primary investigator for local research studies in Thrombosis funded by small grants. All of her studies have been clinical, but she doesn’t have a dedicated research assistant of her own yet. She has to share the time and cost of a part-time research assistant with 3 other researchers. Jessica finds it difficult to establish herself as a clinician researcher and educator.

Q1. What is my research or scholarship philosophy?

To get started: https://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/

McMaster Program for Faculty Development and MERIT has created the HPER (Health Professions Education Research) modules. Here are some helpful links:

HPER module 1-1 “the philosophy of science”: https://www.macpfd.ca/hper-curriculum/hper-module1-1-phil-of-sci
HPER module 1-2 “the nature of evidence: inductive and deductive reasoning": https://www.macpfd.ca/hper-curriculum/hper-module1-2-nat-of-evi

Q2. Who are some examples of the faculty members with a substantial program of research?

Some examples of faculty program of research are linked here: https://www.macpfd.ca/pillars/scholarly-practice/schpra-profiles.

Q3. What is a “program of research”, and how is it different from a research portfolio?

Here is a helpful article discussing program of research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19566633/.

Her program director has been encouraging her to get more involved with learners and has encouraged her to take on supervision of research projects for medical students and/or residents. Jessica has never supervised anyone before and is nervous about acting as a research mentor.

Q4. What are the different levels of learners who require a supervisor for their research projects?

Here is a resource that explores this topic: https://www.macpfd.ca/pillars/leadership-management/lm-event-researchsupervisoryskills-wrc

Q5. How do I find these students?

Currently being developed.

Q6. What are the required skills for supervising student research projects?

In terms of skills for supervising students, here are some helpful readings:

Want to take your supervision to the next level? Here are some McMaster based resources:

Q7. How do I decide which students/projects I should take on?

Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIvikvLKGlI.

Jessica receives an email about a Department Grant Competition that provides a small amount of money to Faculty who take on supervising medical students. She decides to enter the competition, but she is worried about commiting to a Timeline in the application. As it is, she is already finding it difficult to balance her heavy clinical load and her own research projects.

Q8. As a busy clinician researcher who supervises learners, how can I efficiently teach my students the basics of conducting research?

You can direct your students to these online resources developed by MacPFD:

Anatomy of a research project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JPmObrqHT
Types of clinical scholarship: https://youtu.be/2m1EkLCAR90
Formulating research question: https://www.macpfd.ca/hper-curriculum/hper-module2-2-defining-research
Conducting a literature search: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmkGFT70fZM
Completing ethics application: https://www.macpfd.ca/hper-curriculum/hper-module4-1-research-ethics
Peer review process: https://www.macpfd.ca/pillars/scholarly-practice/schpra-event-peerreview

Q9. How do I organize my time to meet all of my commitments?

Peter Drucker “Managing Oneself” - HBR article, narrated in this article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9eDntumN5o
Here is a video about selecting projects - https://www.macpfd.ca/pillars/scholarly-practice/schpra-picking-projects
Here is a one hour video about time management: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTugjssqOT0
Spark Podcast (avoiding procrastination with Dr. Shenvi): https://soundcloud.com/macpfd/graceful-self-promotion-with-dr-morahan-avoiding-procrastination-with-dr-shenvi
Mindfulness resources: https://www.macpfd.ca/modalities/mindfulness/mindfulness-resources-update

Q10. Amongst her other commitments, I need to document my work for the purpose of promotion and tenure to Associate Professor. How would I go about doing this?

Resources for documenting your work:

Teaching Dossier Guide: https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/facultyrelations/documents/TeachingPortfolioJan2012-1.pdf
Clinical activities portfolio and template: https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/facultyrelations/documents/ClinicalActivitiesPortfolioJan2012-1.pdf
https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/facultyrelations/documents/ClinicalActivitiesPortfolioTemplate.docx
Spark Podcast on tenure/promotion: https://soundcloud.com/macpfd/tenure-promotion-with-dr-chen-advocacy-as-scholar-with-dr-verhovsek
Self-assessment: https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/fulltext/2010/07000/The_Processes_and_Dimensions_of_Informed.28.aspx
Negotiating for more: https://icenetblog.royalcollege.ca/2019/08/06/leadership-in-medical-education-negotiating-for-more/
Maintaining an academic CV: https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/facultyrelations/documents/20140115LunchandLearnCVPresentation.pptx

Q11. Do I need some mentorship in my work?

Some resources on mentorship:

Q12. What supports are available for junior faculty who are new to the mentor/supervisor role?

Review the following links:

https://www.macpfd.ca/modalities/coaching-mentorship/1on1-coaching-in-the-health-professions (part 1 and 2)
https://www.macpfd.ca/modalities/1on1-instruction/1on1-a-day-in-coaching
MacPFD blog “So you want to coach” 5 resources: https://www.macpfd.ca/modalities/coaching-mentorship/1on1-so-you-want-to-coach
https://www.thefemaledoc.com/mentors-vs-sponsors-in-medicine/
https://soundcloud.com/macpfd/macpfd-spark-ep9-downeyhannah-nh