First year fellows are allowed time for independent study for two to three months of the first year. First year fellows are expected to use this time to focus their academic interests and identify a mentor, and begin designing projects to be executed during their second and third years of fellowship. During the independent study rotation, fellows do not cover the inpatient consult service, unless they are assigned to weekend on-call coverage. However, they do continue to participate in all of the scheduled ambulatory clinic rotations.
By the end of the first year of fellowship, fellows typically have identified a primary research mentor and formulated research projects to be conducted during the second and third years of fellowship. All second and third year fellows also attend and participate in the Endocrine Research Conference, which occurs weekly and offers the opportunity for both basic and clinical research faculty and fellows to present their ongoing research.
Some fellows choose to receive didactic training in research during their second and third years of fellowship. Several non-degree courses are available free of charge through Harvard Catalyst – more information is available here. A few particularly well-received courses are:
Several fellows have also participated in the Summer Program in Clinical Effectiveness at Harvard School of Public Health. This program is not free of charge. However, thanks to the generosity of grateful patients, the fellowship established the Robert G. Dluhy, MD, Fund for Fellowship Enrichment. Fellows can apply to this fund for support to engage in a professional development activity (beyond those offered as part of their fellowship) that will enrich their career, such as the Summer Program in Clinical Effectiveness. However, the availability of funding cannot be guaranteed as support is awarded through a competitive application process.
There are a range of other Masters level training programs that are available to fellows, described in detail below. These Programs are not free of charge and the tuition typically exceeds the funds available from the Dluhy Fund described above. Therefore, funding cannot be guaranteed- additional funds would have to be secured from other sources. These are the current Masters Program offered by Harvard Medical School that are of most relevance for those in the Research Track.
Master of Medical Science in Clinical Investigation
Delivers world-class training in the methods and conduct of clinical investigation for future leaders in patient-oriented research. New this year, a Translational Track and pathways on comparative research and clinical trials have been added.
Master of Medical Science in Immunology
Designed for students with a strong undergraduate biology background and an interest in medicine or fundamental research, as well as academic physicians who seek an in-depth knowledge of immunology to further their professional goals and research expertise.
Master of Medical Science in Global Health Delivery
Provides global health professionals with the knowledge and skills in management, program design and field-based research necessary to become leaders who impact the future of global health delivery.
Equips students with the foundational theoretical knowledge, practical skills and hands-on experience needed to engage in—and lead—the integration of ethics into meaningful work in their chosen fields.
Master of Biomedical Informatics
Develops highly-trained researchers who can integrate, interpret and act upon the large-scale, high-throughput, and complex data that are generated in the course of biomedical research and the practice of medicine.
Fellows in this track will also spend the ambulatory time in their first year laying out their plans for the second and third years of fellowship, including identifying a mentor in the fellows’ area of academic interest. In these years, fellows are expected to work with the mentor to identify training experiences and projects that can help make the fellow well positioned to take on academic leadership positions upon graduation. This may include training programs and mentored projects in areas such as medical education, quality improvement, hospital leadership and administration, clinical innovation, etc. This path is highly personalized to the fellows’ career goals. Many of the courses listed above may apply to fellows in this track also, and additional programs may be of interest. Some relevant programs (funding not guaranteed) include:
Master in Clinical Science Operations
Provides physicians, clinicians, nurses, allied health professionals and administrators with operations management training they need to lead teams, optimize efficiency and improve the patient experience.
Master of Healthcare Quality and Safety
Equips clinicians and clinical administrators with the operational skills to lead and work effectively in quality improvement and safety initiatives within their health care organizations.
Master of Medical Science in Medical Education
Gives those who already excel in one of the health sciences disciplines an opportunity to turn their specialized knowledge and skill towards the advancement of health professions education.
The Deland Fellowship is a one-year administrative experience which prepares professionals to be leaders of health care institutions. Fellows are exposed to the operations of an academic and community-based medical center and develop the skills which are fundamental to their professional development as healthcare professionals.
The Harvard Macy Institute offers a variety of courses focused on leadership and medical education.
The MGB Population Health group offers a variety of electives and training programs to provide direct experience and leadership development to spark innovation for the next generation of population health leaders.
Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education
The Rabkin Fellowship in Medical Education provides faculty with an opportunity to develop the expertise and skills needed to launch or advance academic administration.
The Academy at Harvard Medical School offers the Academy Fellowship in Medical Education and Scholarship which provides rigorous and comprehensive training preparing fellows for an academic career as leaders, innovators and scholars in academic medicine.
Ursula Kaiser, MD, Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, describes research aspects of the Endocrinology Fellowship Training Program.
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