Research

Fellows meet with the Director of Fellowship Research during the first month of training regarding the scholarly expectations of the fellows. They are expected to identify a research project and a mentor in their first year. They can work with one of the division’s faculty or a faculty member in another department or institution. They are encouraged to meet with the different faculty to learn about the faculty’s research activities and ideas, and to discuss their own ideas. The Director of Fellowship Research is responsible for ensuring that fellows identify a project and a mentor during their first year of training.

Each fellow is introduced to the Scholarship Oversight Committee for Pediatric Fellowship Programs. This committee is responsible for overseeing and assessing the progress of the fellow towards meeting the American Board of Pediatrics requirements for scholarly activity. Each fellow presents a report of his/her research project to the Scholarship Oversight Committee annually (1st year) and at least semi-annually thereafter. Fellows use their first year research time to review literature, collect information, meet regularly with their mentor, and develop and write up the project proposal. By the end of the first year, fellows must have their project submitted to the IRB and must have applied for funding. The fellows’ research time during the second and third year is dedicated to conducting research projects as proposed. They are expected to present preliminary results at a national meeting and to submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal during their third year of training.

Fellows are required to attend the Research Seminars and the Biostatistics Course during their first year of training. Through the Biostatistics course they learn about basic biostatistical methods, study protocol and research design, data collection and analysis and IRB requirements. They also learn epidemiological methods by attending the Infection Control/Hospital Epidemiology Committee Meetings, which are supplemented by required reading materials. Biostatistical support is available through the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville Office of Research Affairs. The pediatric infectious disease faculty and other research mentors teach and guide the fellows in experimental design, data collection and analysis.

The UFCOM-J encourages resident research through the availability of Dean's Fund Research Awards and an annual Research Day held every spring. It is expected that each fellow will write and publish at least one meaningful research project, one review article, one book chapter (if opportunity arises) and one case report or case series.

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