21. ESTABLISHING THE RESIDENT ACADEMIC PROJECT TO INCREASE SCHOLASTIC ACTIVITY AMONG PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS

Abstract

Introduction Participation in scholarly activity is a critical element of clinicians’ training. Required research projects are becoming increasingly more common among medical schools and residency programs. The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) pediatric residency program aims to increase research participation among its residents by launching and evaluating a new Resident Academic Project (RAP Project). Methods The RAP Project will be initiated starting with the UCSD pediatric residency class of 2021. The RAP Project is introduced during the fall of their first year. In the spring of their first year, residents will attend an afternoon-long research session that will connect them to potential mentors within each available research area (basic science, clinical, quality improvement (QI), education, and advocacy/global health research). Residents will select a project chair and two committee members and, with the help of their chosen mentor, develop a research proposal. Proposals will be approved by each trainee's research committee as well as the RAP oversight board by the beginning of their second year of residency. Residents will complete their project within the two months prior to graduation, submitting a yearly update at the end of their second year. Residents will present their work at an annual research day at the end of residency. Conclusions A pediatric and adult neurology residency program found that requiring residents to participate in mentored projects aimed at producing peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations increased research productivity among residents as well as expanded its pool of research mentors. 1 We will use baseline data from previous residency classes to determine if the Resident Academic Project increases scholastic activity (peer-reviewed publications, conference participation, ongoing projects) among UCSD pediatric residents and if it increases residents’ satisfaction with their research opportunities during training. We will also create a database of research opportunities, funding sources, and mentors to continue to make the scholastic experience among pediatric residents more robust.