Research Program and Faculty

Core Research Faculty

Our dedicated core research faculty includes Drs. Christina Wee and Kenneth Mukamal, Associate Program Directors and Directors of the Resident Research Curriculum. They assist residents with identifying potential mentors and projects across the research spectrum. Their expertise spans basic, translational, clinical, and population-based research, allowing them to foster connections between residents and mentors in every domain of biomedical research.

Devoted Elective Time for Research

Residents are strongly encouraged to do research during elective Area of Concentration (AOC) time. Most residents who elect to do research choose a mentor and project toward the end of the PGY1 year or beginning of the PGY2 year. To find the right mentor and project, residents can review an updated list of previous resident projects and meet with Drs. Wee or Mukamal.

Working with their mentors, residents prepare a short proposal for elective research. At least two faculty members unconnected with the project review each proposal and offer formal feedback NIH-style, helping to identify new opportunities or potential pitfalls and to develop residents' skills in grant writing and revision. A major block of elective time for research is available in the PGY2 and/or PGY3 years. About 70% of residents will take advantage of this protected research time.

Research Infrastructure for Residents

The Department of Medicine devotes considerable infrastructure to support resident research:

Partial funding for an expert biostatistician as a consultant to residents
Computer resources in the housestaff lounge include several statistical packages, EndNote, RedCap, and the full MS Office suite, among others
Core facilities in genomics, proteomics, and imaging are fully available to residents
The Harvard Clinical and Translational Research Center, or Harvard Catalyst, supports resident research with clinical, laboratory, statistical resources and online training, and financially supports some resident projects
Free assistance, tutorials, and unparalleled access to digital resources are available at the Harvard Countway Medical Library

Research Course

The resident research course is a two-week introduction to research methods and resources, grant and paper writing, and career development. Residents develop a research project in workshops with other residents and faculty mentors, and receive seminars on study design, research methodology, and local research resources.

Presentations

Residents have the opportunity to present their research in several venues. The entire Department of Medicine gathers for Resident Research Day where every resident involved in research presents a poster describing their work. The final Medicine Grand Rounds of each year is devoted to resident research. In addition, the Department provides funding for residents to present their work at national meetings.