title: Advancing research transdisciplinarity within our discipline.
abstract: Advancing biomedical knowledge is crucial to the understanding of disease pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and the maintenance of health. Whereas collaborative pursuits among basic and translational scientists, clinical researchers, and clinicians should advance biomedical progress and its translation to better medicine. The field of obstetrics and gynecology and its subspecialties has not escaped this problem. Obstetrics and gynecology specialists and subspecialists have limited opportunities to interact with translational or basic investigators, and cross-fertilization and collaborations are further challenged by the current healthcare and funding climate. This opinion manuscript focuses on the field of maternal-fetal medicine, serving as an example that illustrates the risks and opportunities that might exist within our obstetrics and gynecology academic community. A Pregnancy Task Force recently sought to identify ways to overcome hurdles related to research training, and ensure a sufficient pool of physician-scientists pursuing pertinent questions in the field. The group discussed strategies to promote a culture of intellectual curiosity and research excellence, securing additional resources for trainees, and attracting current and next generation basic, translational, and clinical scholars to our field. Recommendations encompassed activities within annual academic meetings, training initiatives, and additional funding opportunities. Inferences from these discussions can be made to all obstetrics and gynecology subspecialty areas.
authors: Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors: Yoel
authors: Y
authors: Sadovsky
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
authors: M Sean
authors: MS
authors: Esplin
authors: Obstetrix Medical Group, Littleton, CO.
authors: Thomas J
authors: TJ
authors: Garite
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.
authors: D Michael
authors: DM
authors: Nelson
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
authors: Samuel I
authors: SI
authors: Parry
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX.
authors: George R
authors: GR
authors: Saade
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
authors: Michael L
authors: ML
authors: Socol
authors: Division of Extramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
authors: Catherine Y
authors: CY
authors: Spong
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
authors: Michael W
authors: MW
authors: Varner
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, New York, NY.
authors: Mary E
authors: ME
authors: D'Alton
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*
keywords: maternal-fetal medicine; reproductive sciences; scholars; transdisciplinarity