276 - Promoting Early-career Pediatric Researchers through a National, Topic-focused Research Network

Publication Number: 1262.276

Lillian Juttukonda, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States; Jami Longo, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, SAN DIEGO, CA, United States; Jingshing Wu, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Sarah Haskell, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, United States; Neal B.. Blatt, Corewell Childrens Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, United States; Stephanie Davis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; David A. Hunstad, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States; Michelle Gill, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States; Aaron Hamvas, Lurie Children's Hospital / Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States; Bruce Hammond, Society for Pediatric Research, Aurora, IL, United States; Michelle Brunoehler, Society for Pediatric Research, The Woodlands, TX, United States; Liz Giannini, Society for Pediatric Research, Chicago, IL, United States; Jessica Millard, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States; David McCulley, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, United States

Background: Building and sustaining a supportive peer research network is a major challenge for pediatric trainees and early career investigators. To address this challenge, the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) and Midwest SPR developed the Regional and National SPR Research Cohort Program. Our objective was to facilitate networking among pediatric fellows and early faculty who conduct research within specific research topics. Fellows and early-career faculty (6-10 total/group) were grouped according to their research topic and met monthly with 2 faculty topic experts over 6-8 months. Cohort meetings included research presentations and career development discussions. Now in its third iteration, this program has developed cohorts focused on neonatal nutrition and growth, lung biology, neurological development and disease, human genetics and genomics, pediatric immunology, nephrology, and health services research. In this study we investigated responses to the program by surveying cohort participants and leaders.

Objective: To test the hypotheses that participants desired topic-focused research networking and found the Program worthwhile.

Design/Methods: Surveys were conducted prior to and after each series of cohort meetings. Pre-meeting surveys investigated the motivations of participants to enroll and access to research career development. Post-meeting surveys investigated whether the program facilitated networking, program benefits and limitations, and if participants would recommend this program to others.

Results: Pre-meeting survey results demonstrated the desire of participants to network with early-stage investigators at a similar career stage who conduct research in the same topic. Applicants desired topic-focused research feedback (82%) and research career development (78%). Post-meeting survey results demonstrated that all participants found the program worthwhile (100%) and would recommend it (100%). The most common program benefits were detailed suggestions about their work (78%) and stage-specific career guidance (68%), while the most common challenge was scheduling meetings (54%).

Conclusion(s): Participants and group leaders had a positive experience participating in the Regional and National SPR Research Cohort Program. Focusing on early-stage investigators and organizing cohorts based on specific research topics enabled participants to receive detailed suggestions regarding their work and develop connections with colleagues within their field. Whether this program can facilitate lasting collaborative research connections that promote successful pediatric research careers remains an open question.