Mentors

Lead Mentor(s): The individual(s) will be a Morehouse School of Medicine full-time faculty member identified early in the application process, and should be conducting primary research in the fellow’s chosen field. Upon approval from the MSCR Program Committee, individuals from outside MSM may serve in this capacity. To request this, fellows should provide the Program Director or Associate Director with the individual’s curriculum vitae and a letter of justification.

Co-Mentor(s): Non-Morehouse School of Medicine faculty lead mentor(s) will have one or two Morehouse School of Medicine full-time faculty as co-lead mentor(s) identified early in the application process. The individual(s) must have working knowledge of the fellow’s substantive interests.

Overall Objective:The lead mentor(s), in consultation with the co-mentor(s) will direct the MSCR fellow’s project proposal development in the context of a career development plan.

 

Activities/Timeline:

Activity

Timeline

Meet with the fellow to identify and develop a research area of focus and career development outline.

During the application process

Work with MSCR Program faculty to develop the project proposal.

During the July-August Project Development Workshop

Refine hypothesis and specific aims.

July

Dedicate time to Proposal Development.

July and August

Mentor teams meet regularly via e-mail.

July and August, 1-2 times per month

Mentor teams meet weekly.

September - December

Mentor teams meet face-to-face monthly.

July - December

Review project proposal for research methods, IRB (Human subject issues, etc.) in consultation with MSCR Biostatisticians, Epidemiologists and Research subject advocate.

August - October

Mentor Team will suggest external funding sources, based on project area and in consultation with MSCR Program administration.

July - August

Fellows must have a grant proposal in the correct format.

November or December of Year One

Mentored project and career development progress will be graded with recommendations for adjustments, as needed.

December

Requests for change in project area and or mentor(s) must be approved by the Master of Science in Clinical Research Program Committee

 

Mentoring Committee

A mentoring committee shall be granted by the MSCR Program Committee to evaluate the achievement of the requirements for graduation. The mentoring committee will consist of three or four faculty members as follows:

  1. A representative from the fellow’s Mentor Team. This individual should be a faculty member at MSM.
  2. An epidemiologist/clinical researcher’s faculty member. If possible, this individual should be a full-time MSM faculty member with working knowledge of the fellow’s substantive interests.
  3. A biostatistician faculty member. If possible, a faculty member with working knowledge of the fellow’s substantive interests.

One committee member, not the representative for the fellow's mentor team, should be selected as the chairman, to whom all correspondence will be addressed. The mentoring must be presented at a seminar and then provided in written form suitable for publication. This committee must approve and grade the oral and written presentations.

 

Outcomes of Mentored Research Project

Grant submission. Fellows must be able to prepare and submit at least one National Institute of Health proposal, including a budget using Public Health Service Form 398 or a format consistent with the guidelines of the specific funding agency.

Presentation at a national/regional meeting. This requirement involves the submission of a first-authored abstract to a nationally recognized scientific meeting/conference within the fellow’s academic field and acceptance of that abstract for either poster or oral presentation. The abstract should describe a study of a comparative nature and not simply a case report or case series. While the topic of the abstract is expected to be closely related to the fellow’s systematic literature review, the abstract should not solely consist of a systematic review or meta-analysis.

Publication as first author of a peer-reviewed clinical research project. Using data analyzed during residence in the Master’s Program, the fellow will prepare and submit a first-authored manuscript for publication in an approved peer-reviewed journal. It may be acceptable in selected cases, upon approval of the fellow’s Mentoring Committee to submit work that was started prior to enrollment in the program. The manuscript should describe a study of a comparative nature and not simply a case report or case series. The manuscript may be a comprehensive extension of the work submitted in abstract form to a national meeting.

 

List of Mentors