FAQs
What type of project can residents work on during the dedicated research year?
A wide range of projects are available to residents during the dedicated research year. The specific topic is decided upon by the individual resident. It is encouraged that residents seek out research in areas related to their developing clinical interests. Oftentimes, residents are inspired by problems they face in the clinical care of patients or by faculty and Grand Rounds speakers. Residents with a good research background and a desire to design their own project should identify faculty mentors who have the resources to start something new. Those with less research experience can look for faculty mentors with ongoing projects to which they can contribute.
Yes. Residents who take this route should work with faculty mentors to develop clinical projects or other academic activities that can lead to publications.
Who can residents work with?
In principle, residents can work with any faculty member at Penn. Previous residents have been mentored by faculty within neurosurgery but also in bioengineering, radiology, neurology, neuroscience, the Institute for Medicine and Engineering, the Nano/Bio Interface Center, the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, the Center for Brain Injury and Repair, the Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Residents are encouraged to work with faculty with a track record of and interest in mentorship, as well as well focused expertise in their area of study. They can also take advantage of the rich collaborative research environment at Penn by identifying co-mentors. Arrangements that have worked well in the past include co-mentorship teams including one basic science and one clinical faculty member, one junior and one senior faculty member, or one mentor from neurosurgery and one from another department. These co-mentorship arrangements provide the benefit of committed intellectual input from two sources with different points of view, as well as the resources and expertise of two labs.
How do residents find a mentor?
Residents are encouraged to meet with prospective mentors during their PGY3 year, during which Thursdays are a protected academic day, or sooner. Discussing their interests with Dr. Yoshor, the program directors, and fellow residents can help provide recommendations for mentors. Searching Penn websites, such as those listed below, is another route for identifying mentors.
How are resident research rotations funded?
Residents are encouraged to write research proposals and apply for individual grant awards from extramural funding sources. Alternative funding options include the NINDS R25 program, which is newly expanded to include neurosurgery at Penn, and T32 Brain Injury Training Grant. Other training grants outside of neurosurgery are also available to residents. Residents should discuss relevant deadlines with their mentor as soon as they have committed to a project.
Grant writing - why, how and when
Grant writing is an essential part of research training. Academic neurosurgeons are commonly expected to write or contribute to K grants, R01 awards, and program project grants at their institution. As soon as residents identify their research mentor(s), they can begin formulating their project and writing a grant proposal.
There are four key goals:
- To get experience in summarizing the literature, formulating a hypothesis with a strong premise, and presenting supporting preliminary data in a compelling way
- To become familiar with NIH formats and the submission/review process
- To clarify the research goals and methodologies with the mentor before starting in the lab, in order to "hit the ground running"
- To bolster the resident’s research credentials for future faculty positions. Successfully competing extramural funding is especially beneficial for residents seeking to obtain a position at an academic institution
Where do residents submit their research grant proposal?
Past residents have submitted their research proposal to one or more of the following sources: NIH (e.g., NRSA post-doctoral fellowships), AANS/CNS/NREF, medical device companies, and R25/T32 training grants.
Is there a possibility of turning the resident rotation into a PhD?
Yes, but residents must apply to and be accepted by a Penn graduate group, and the training plan must be acceptable to both the graduate group and the neurosurgery department.
What are residents expected to accomplish during their research rotation?
Residents are expected to generate a body of novel research and publish it. The faculty mentors are aware of the time constraints that apply to residents and will work with residents to keep their project focused.
What other resources are available to residents?
Penn has a large number of core facilities that can help speed up the technical aspects of research.
Is the research rotation protected?
The time is fairly well protected. Lab residents are expected to cover the HUP OR when the chief residents are away for meetings or job interviews.
Do residents attend meetings?
Residents may attend the national neurosurgical meetings (AANS and CNS) when their work is accepted for oral presentation. During their research time residents may attend specialty meetings where their presentations have been accepted.
When is the written board exam taken?
Residents are encouraged to take the written board exam for credit as a PGY4. The exam should be taken for credit no later than the PGY5 year.