Residents will participate in research activities for six protected months divided equally over PGY3 and PGY4. The duration of each rotation (one or three months), will depend on the number of residents in each year of training.  In the years when we have 3 residents, the rotations will be one-month long distributed over the year.  When we have two residents, the rotations will be three-consecutive months long.

Residents will prepare for their research period in advance of the actual rotation (preferably during PGY2), in order to be able to start the project without delay. Residents will update the director of research on their progress toward project selection. After residents have met with and received approval from a faculty sponsor, they must write a proposal to submit to the director of research prior to initiating their research. The director of research will review and evaluate the proposal for educational and scientific value.

• Approval of the proposal is necessary to initiate the project.
• Approval must be received at least one month prior to resident rotation.
• Approval qualifies the proposed project for funding from the division.

Besides the expected written research proposal prior to the start of the rotation, a project progress report is required at the end of the rotation. Residents will present their proposals and findings in didactic conferences. It is hoped that a progress report can serve as a first draft of a report to be submitted for publication.

Research projects will have faculty advisors and oversight of the projects will be by the appropriate faculty advisor. The director of research will monitor resident progress and provide further guidance, as needed.

The division, within reason, provides funding for resident research projects. The research proposals prepared by the residents are expected to be of sufficient quality to allow submission to funding agencies. When a project is deemed to be beyond the resources available to the residency program every effort should be made to submit the proposals for outside funding when available and appropriate.