Research 101

Research Benefits (travel policies, form, funds) 

 

Goals for ALL residents 

To become an author or coauthor on one research project presented at a national meeting or become an author or coauthor of a publication. 

The ACGME has created milestones for residents.  

For the "Scholarly Activity" milestone (under Practice Based Learning and Improvement), to reach: 

- Level 4 = 1 presentation/publication.  

- Level 5 = Completing an IRB and at least 2 projects. 

 

R1 residents should complete 2 tasks: the CITI modules on ethics/informed consent and conflict of interest (COI).  

  1. Direct CITI link here (https://www.citiprogram.org/) https://www.citiprogram.org/ 

  1. Instructions and tutorials on how to register for CITI training are 
    online.   

  1. Overall Conflict of interest (COI) 

  1.  All individuals engaged in human subjects research are required to complete COI training, as well file of a statement of financial interests. For COI questions and instructions please reach out to Angela Ellis, (409) 747-8795. 

*Required minimum to join already-existing IRB projects; more forms are required to start your own IRB. 

 

Note on Quality Research:  

R1s are encouraged to start/join/do their own QI project, which satisfies 3+ requirements: 

- AGME milestone #1: Scholarly Activity 

- AGME milestone #2: Quality Improvement 

Most quality projects and case reports do not need an IRB, if you would like to publish your findings, you can retroactively apply for an IRB waiver.  

Please note that there are suggested guidelines for quality related research, SQUIRE 

- Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE) http://www.equator-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SQUIRE-Checklist-PDF.pdf  http://www.squire-statement.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&PageID=471 

 

 

How to start a project 101 

Authorship --> Study/Statistics Design --> IRB 

 

Authorship: 

DISCUSS AUTHORSHIP BEFORE YOU START ANY PROJECT! 

Not the same as simply having participated in data collection or "helping" with the study. 

 

Typically, the person with the biggest intellectual contribution to the project (especially the conception/writing of the manuscript)should be the first author.  

Authorship CAN CHANGE, but make sure your mentor(s)/faculty members on the project agree with the change. Possible reasons for change: 

  • Contribution to workload for poster/manuscript has changed dramatically, for whichever reason (type of study, personal/family, work duties, waning interest, etc.) 

  • Significant personnel change (new talents needed, graduation, mentor leaving, new mentor, etc.) 

  • Funding change (loss of grant, new grant, etc.) 

Also see the 4 criteria from ICMJE, which many top journals use:  

 

Study design/Statistics: 

  • Think ahead about the data.  Especially study population, what types of data will be meaningful, etc. (Don't get to the end, and realize your data is meaningless) 

  • What will your final abstract / poster / manuscript look like?   

  • Make a draft / outline of the study design. 

  • Consider asking for study design help from: 

  • Official UTMB help 

  • Location: 4.500 Rebecca Sealy Hospital 

  •  Main Line: (409) 266-9400  

  •  Email: research.education@utmb.edu 

  • Your mentor/PI 

  • Your colleagues who may have performed similar studies 

  • Data Extraction 

  • Extract data prior to June 1, 2018: Danielle Smith(dabsmith@UTMB.EDU) with Health Information Management 

  • Extract data AFTER to June 1, 2018: Richard Grassmuck(ragrassm@UTMB.EDU) 

  • For statistical analysis:  

  • Library Liason for Radiology department 

  • Tara Atkins(tnatkins@utmb.edu) 

  • (409)772-6312    

  • Location: Moody Medical Library2nd floor, 242 

  • Once your study is approved. 

IRB: 

You should determine what level you need - IRB or IRB waiver.  

Timeline 

  • New IRB: months 

  • IRB waiver: It can take 1-4 weeks  

  • Location: 4.500 Rebecca Sealy 

  • Main Line: (409) 266-9400 

 

(Any study >1 patient requires paperwork!  Either a full IRB or an IRB waiver application). 

CITI training – renewal every three year 

COI – renewal every four year  

Disclosure – renewal every year 

 

  • In general, prospective projects will need an IRB approval while retrospective projects need an IRB waiver. Even if it qualifies for exemption, the IRB must grant that exemption waiver.  

  • Are you joining or writing/leading an IRB or IRB waiver? 

  • https://research.utmb.edu/home/irb/getting-started 

  1. Writing/leading an IRB or IRB waiver: 

  • Velos eResearch training(learn.utmb.edu) 

  • Once you complete that, your department's trusted requestor will give access to Velos and InfoEd. 

  • Open InfoEd, submit your protocol under the appropriate form. 

  1. Joining an IRB or IRB waiver:  

  • PI needs to submit an amendment to the protocol via InfoEd 

  • Then complete Velos eResearch training(learn.utmb.edu) 

  • Once Velos eResearch is completed, your department's trusted requestor will give access to Velos and InfoEd. 

  • Open InfoEd, submit your protocol under the appropriate form. 

  • *Waiver would be the exempt category. * 

For more help or questions: 

  • Official UTMB help 

  • Grant proposal 

  • Collaboration folder for template 

PUBLICATION(abstracts, manuscript..etc) 

Abstracts / Posters / Electronic Exhibits / Oral Presentations 

  • For templates, please see the:   

  • It is OK to submit these to multiple meetings, e.g. ASNR and RSNA.  

Manuscript  

  • Ideally a poster/presentation should be converted into a publication. 

  • If you present at a meeting the journal of the society sponsoring the meeting typically claims "right of first refusal" for your manuscript. e.g. if you present at ASNR, you should submit to AJNR. If AJNR rejects your manuscript, you are free to submit it to another journal. (For AUR/Academic Radiology, this policy seems only to apply to those that receive the "Ethics and Professionalism Grant".)  

  • Resources 

  • How to write a manuscript? 

  •  

  • Journal Impact factor (and it’s academic implication) 

  • For those considering academic careers, please note that original research publications are key. (Case reports do not really count toward academic promotion.) 

  • Journal with a high Impact factor is considered more prestigious and valuable for promotion. 

Radiology 

RSNA 

6.339 

AJNR 

ASNR 

3.67 

AJR 

ARRS 

2.897 

Radiographics 

 

2.791 

Neuroradiology 

 

2.7 

Academic Radiology 

AUR 

1.914 

J Dig Imaging 

 

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