The Fellows’ Pelvic Research Network (FPRN) 5 years later: an update

Abstract

IntroductionFive years agoaninitiative was launchedduring the meetingof the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) by thepresident of the Society of Gynecological Surgeons (SGS),the head of the research committee of the SGS, and a fellowof the society: to establish a research network for fellows inurogynecology and female urology. The agenda of the net-work was published in this journal [1] and included thefollowing objectives: “Create an environment for fellowsto participate in collaborative research and conduct multi-center studies as primary investigators”. The main purposeof the network was to enhance fellows’ knowledge andskills in study design, implementation of multicenter stud-ies, data management, and statistical analysis. It was alsohoped that the network would provide an environment forfellows to develop long-term professional relationships.This initiative was inspired by acknowledgement of majordifferences in clinical research and mentoring opportunities forfellows from different programs throughout the USA. In addi-tion to didactic research training for fellows, the network wasenvisioned to enable the conduct of large scale studies withparticipants from across the USA. This was believed to beparticularly important for the investigation of rare conditionsand regional differences in clinical practice and outcomes.WemodeledthisnewnetworkonthetwoNationalInstitutesofHealth(NIH)-sponsoredmulticenterclinicaltrialnetworksinurogynecology that were being conducted in the USA at thattime: (1) the Urinary Incontinence Treatment Network, whichincluded urologists and urogynecologists from nine centersacrossthecountry;and(2)thePelvicFloorDisordersNetwork,whichincludedsevencenters. Our networkdiffered from theseNIH networks in two main ways: (a) we operate on a very lowbudget, which is allocated by the SGS, (b) we have no restric-tions or limitations on initial me mbership. Participation in thenetwork was extended to all fellows in female urology andurogynecology programs in the USA.First scientific meetingOn April 2007, 18 fellows from 18 different urogynecologyand female urology programs across the USA attended thefirst meeting of the Fellows’ Pelvic Research Network(FPRN) at the annual SGS scientific conference. An advi-sory board consisting of six senior urogynecologists – asubgroup of the SGS Research Committee – volunteeredto mentor the fellows and assist in establishment of thenetwork. Three fellows were elected to the FPRN SteeringCommittee, in the roles of chair, secretary, and treasurer. Atthe first meeting two multicenter clinical research trials werechosen as the first projects. These were selected from nineprojects that had been submitted by fellows. One of theadvisory board members was selected to oversee the