Scholarly Activities

​​John Hartline, MD, FAAP

Academic practices traditionally have required participation in research, publication of peer-reviewed original papers, presentations at nationally-recognized meetings, and success in teaching to attain academic advancement and for tenure. Scholarly activities may fall into several academic categories:

• Discovery: traditional clinical or bench research
• Application: outcomes analysis, eg, VON
• Integration: exploring assimilation into practice, eg, Cochrane analysis
• Teaching: finding effective strategies of continuing education
• Administration: effective and efficient means of getting the job done

The time allocated for research and for other scholarly pursuits is another component of the workload needing comprehensive analysis within practices. Clinical and/or laboratory research is a major component and time commitment of university-based, academic track neonatologists. Faculty also function as mentors and co-investigators in scientific or scholarly projects being developed, implemented, completed, and presented by fellows. For new junior faculty members in academic practice, a start-up package needs to include both time and support for the academic interests of junior faculty. Mentoring, when available, is highly associated with success in establishing an academic career. While junior associates may be assigned a considerable fraction of the clinical work loads, success in the scholarly arena demands protected time and colleagues dedicated to your success.

Many neonatologists who are not in traditional academic practices participate in projects and commit considerable time to clinical trials and/or laboratory-based studies. In addition to the direct time commitment, much time goes to the administrative activities specific to research, including grant writing, coordinating with collaborators, preparing presentations and manuscripts, and attending meetings. Surveys of recently graduated fellows demonstrate a need to address some of the elements of research more thoroughly during fellowship and to provide a continuum of education in research technique and administration in the junior faculty years. Some experienced investigators have opined that a research-based career in neonatology requires 3 to 5 years beyond the traditional fellowship to acquire the skills needed to perform and direct a research program. [See Getting ahead in Academics for an in-depth discussion of Academic Medicine as a career choice.]

Topic outline for discussion of scholarly activities in neonatal practice.

• Types of scholarly activity among practice members
• Discovery
• Application
• Integration
• Education
• Administration
• Which of the following best describes the relationship of the practice to productivity in scholarly activities?:
• Ongoing and mandatory
• Some independent studies have been done by the practice
• Some collaborative studies have been done by the practice
• Haven't done, but are interested
• No research anticipated
• Research support for young faculty or new practice associates
• Protected time
• Mentor
• Start-up support: funds, lab, lab staff etc
• Faculty requirements
• Publications
• Presentations
• Tenure requirements
• Securing independent grants
• Faculty members' interests
• Faculty to be recruited

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