SOCIAL MEDICINE PROJECT OVERVIEW (updated August 2019)
The overarching goal of the residency program in social pediatrics is to train outstanding pediatricians who will become future leaders and advocates for children and families, especially in underserved populations. The residency program trains physicians to understand and work with local communities to improve health outcomes. Residents will learn that to create effective advocacy opportunities, involvement in community work must be conducted with academic rigor.
The Social Medicine Project serves as a core methodology for meeting the goal of the social pediatrics program. In the course of conducting the project, residents will develop competencies in the ACGME defined areas of systems-based practice, practice-based learning & improvement, and professionalism.
Type of Project
Social Medicine Projects may involve:
1- Patient-oriented community focused research.
2- Quality Improvement Intervention
3- Advocacy project
All projects must be patient-oriented and focused on the community. Research or quality improvement projects that involve only human specimens (bench research, etc) are not appropriate for social medicine projects. Projects that involve secondary analysis of data are only eligible if the results of the work are disseminated to the local community, such as in an educational session at the health center, a school or a community center, or through presentation to practitioners that would use the results to make a change in patient care with the goal of improving health outcomes (for example, clinic staff, school health staff, hospital staff).
Project Requirements
In order to demonstrate that the standards for academic rigor have been met, the project must culminate with at least one of the following:
1) Submission of an abstract to a scientific or academic meeting, including but not limited to: the Pediatric Academic Societies, the Eastern Society for Pediatric Research, the Ambulatory Pediatric Association Regional Meeting, the American Academy of Pediatrics Chapter 3 Regional Meeting, the American Public Health Association meeting.
2) Submission of a review article, brief report, or original manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal.
Content & Focus
Residents may choose to either identify a new project idea, or to participate in a project that is ongoing by residents or faculty at Montefiore or at other hospitals. Residents are encouraged to participate in cross-track partnerships. A major consideration is to develop a project that has the potential for longevity/sustainability.
In addition to the above list, projects may focus on any areas within child health, including but not limited to, HIV, chronic diseases, international health, palliative care, environmental health, prenatal and perinatal health.
Mentorship
A faculty member will be as the primary mentor at the beginning of PGY-2 year for all social medicine projects
(see Research Mentor Guidelines). The role of the primary mentor is to 1) conduct the ongoing evaluations to monitor the resident’s competency development; 2) ensure that the resident is meeting the required timeline and project requirements; 3) guide the resident in identifying the secondary mentor and other consultants; 4) assist the resident in identifying funding, publication, presentation opportunities; 5) assist in research techniques or statistical analyses as needed, and 6) guide the final presentation of the project.
Each project may also have a secondary mentor. Depending on the project area, another faculty member may also serve as the secondary mentor. Additional mentors and consultants are encouraged. The role of the secondary mentor is to provide expertise in the proposed area of focus. The secondary mentor serves as a role model for the resident, indicating clinical expertise in the area of focus and a link to the community/resources that the resident will need to complete the project.
Evaluation & Feedback
Each PGY-2 will be scheduled a brainstorming session during Cycle 1 or 2. Projects will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, through informal and formal research updates during SPR.
Review Criterion ACGME Competency
1) Literature Review Practice-Based Learning & Improvement
2) Research Methods Practice-Based Learning & Improvement
3) Community Participation Professionalism, Systems Based Practice
Important Dates 2019-2020
PAS/ESPR/APA Abstract deadline: early January (Usually very early Jan --TBA)
CATCH Application deadline: early January (exact date TBA)
CHAM Peds Research day deadline: early March (exact date TBA)
Academic Pediatric Society: mid-late March (exact date TBA) (Region 2 and 3 Meeting)
ESPR: mid-March
CHAM Pediatric Research Day: April
PAS Meeting: late April/Early May
Social Medicine Rounds presentation: May/June
DFSM Poster Day: June (exact date TBA)
Resident Resources
Project Ideas:
● List of previous resident projects: 2018 and 2019
● Collaboration with family medicine or social internal medicine residents
● Discussion with mentors and senior residents
● Database of previous CATCH projects
● Build off of projects you were involved with prior to residency
Grants:
● AAP CATCH grant
● Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program
● AAP Advocacy Training Grant
● APA Young Investigator Award Program
● Anne E. Dyson Child Advocacy Award
● AAP International Elective Award