A method of teaching clinical research in a community hospital residency program.
BACKGROUND
To provide clinical research experience in community hospital programs, we integrated research training with the daily work of surgical residency.


METHODS
Teaching conferences and daily care of patients served as a source of projects. Emphasizing team work, high-yield projects are assigned to principal resident investigators, who lead a project team. Regular meetings with the faculty provides guidance and supervision, working to meet an abstract deadline.


RESULTS
Over a 3-year period, 10 of 16 trainees participated in at least one project. Thirteen projects were presented at national meetings and 13 articles (including 6 from presentations) were published. Three projects were abandoned for lack of progress, and 5 manuscripts have been rejected.


CONCLUSIONS
The integrated program trains multiple residents/projects with low requirements in space and funding, but high demands of organization and faculty time.
Department of Surgery, Meridia Huron Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Health Systems, Ohio 44112, USA.
R
R
Chung
J
J
Diaz
P
P
Li
D003479:Curriculum; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D011643:Publishing; D012106:Research / Q000193:education*