Research
The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's Resident Research Training Program integrates a practical research experience with education on research principles and integration with clinical patient care. This is accomplished through didactic lectures; careful research mentoring by experienced physician-scientists, PhD-level basic scientists and allied health professionals; and exposure to a rich clinical environment within which to carry out medically-related research activities.
Requirements
All residents are required to submit a completed research abstract of publishable quality to the Resident Research Committee office prior to completion of residency training. Residents are expected to present this abstract at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Resident Research Day prior to graduation in their PGY-4 year. This event is held annually and provides an opportunity for all residents to present their research projects to the AbilityLab and Northwestern communities. The Sarah Baskin Award is given to the top resident research projects every year.
The research projects must be on a topic in physical medicine and rehabilitation in any of the following forms:
- Prospective clinical study
- Innovative device design
- Medical education study
- Quality improvement project
- Retrospective chart review
- Basic laboratory study
- Comprehensive literature review of a rehabilitation topic
Residents are urged to use the most comprehensive research design possible in order to gain the widest research experience and maximize the quality of their research project within realistic budget and time constraints. The research abstract must be written by the resident. It is understood that the mentor may be first author on the manuscript, but there should be evidence that the resident had a significant contribution to the project.
Presentation of projects at national meetings and publication of a manuscript within peer-reviewed journals is highly encouraged to further enhance the resident's experience and career, but it is not a requirement of the Resident Research Training Program. The program will provide support for any resident presenting a national meeting.
Curriculum & Support
Formal research training is provided via a dedication lecture series, weekly journal clubs and the research mentorship program.
Research didactic topics include:
- Basic statistical analysis
- Clinical research design
- Data management techniques
- Research ethics
- Scientific writing
- Critical review of scientific literature
The Resident Research Committee, chaired by the director of Resident Research, acts to support resident scientists and their mentors by providing resources for research activities and overseeing the Resident Research Program. All residents are required to submit a research proposal to the committee if they would like to request elective time dedicated toward research. Additionally, the committee provides written feedback and recommendations to each resident that may help improve the quality of research projects.
All residents are assigned a Research Process Mentor when they first arrive. Residents will also find a Research Content Mentor once they find or develop their own project. Residents will meet with both of their research mentors regularly through their training. Please refer to the Mentorship Program page for further details.
Individual statistical consultation is available to all residents with the Biostatistics Collaboration Center at Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. Statistical software packages are available for free through Northwestern University. All residents will have access to PubMed, Ovid and other medical literature databases through Northwestern University’s Galter Library system.