Part II     Preparing for a career in academic medicine

Selecting a practice specialty and identifying the requirements for certification is the first step, identifying a practice environment is the second step.  Whatever the medical specialty you have chosen, there are practical activities you can put in place toward an eventual academic appointment. 

Make a plan.  Identify the skills you need to develop, and find the resources and      opportunities to develop them.  This may include continuing education seminars and workshops or additional course work for teaching and research skill development.  For residents, resources are available through the Graduate Medical Education (GME) office, BRF G37, 272-6225, the Learning Center (2ACC-UNMH), 272-4277, and Teacher and Educational Development (Division of Education Development and Research-SOM), 272-8042.  The Hispanic and Native American Center of Excellence (BMSB B81, 272-1419 and 272-8433) offers professional writing workshops, periodic meetings and discussions with SOM faculty on developing academic careers, and guest speakers discussing careers in academic medicine.

Choose a Mentor.  Identify a senior faculty member in your specialty area that is willing to work with you to develop your academic skills.  As a resident, identify institutional programs that have been developed specifically for skill enhancement, such as proposal writing workshops, statistics courses, and presentation skills development.  (See the UNM Clinical Research Center programs, UNM SOM Continuing Medical Education, and the Center of Excellence programs).

Network.  Join the national and regional professional associations relevant to your intended specialty and subspecialty practice areas.  Attend annual meetings, make presentations describing your research when possible.  Meet faculty, residents, and other medical students with similar research and practice interests.  Contact faculty members, or the division chief, in the area where you hope to gain appointment.

Develop Research Skills. Participate in research projects, clinical trials, Grand Rounds presentations.  Present your research at regional and national conferences, and try to publish your research, preferably in a peer-reviewed professional journal.  Concentrate your research efforts in one main area in order to develop a reputation.  Use your mentor's experience and expertise to get started publishing in the field, and to introduce you to knowledgeable faculty at other institutions.  Collaborate with your mentor and with peers on research publications. Make sure to move toward first authorship on a peer reviewed journal article.

Research methods, statistics, epidemiology or other specific course work may be helpful.  Completion of a second graduate degree (such as Ph.D., M.S., M.P.H.) may also be helpful for the extensive training in research methodology that it offers, but not necessary. This training can also be developed through research seminars, collaborations, experience, fellowships, and mentoring.

Participate in seminars on professional writing, work with an editor to improve writing style for publication.  Develop a relationship with your department's statistician, and become accustomed to working with the statistician at the beginning of the research project since the type of statistical model will determine research design.

Develop Teaching Skills.  Participate in Grand Rounds presentations, and other public forums when possible.  Help coordinate seminar presentations, and guest speakers.  Attend continuing education and teaching skill development workshops.  For example, Tutor Training workshops as sponsored by the Teacher and Education Development Division.  Participate in Problem-Based Learning group tutorials as a tutor or co-tutor.

Fellowships.  Consider applying for a fellowship to build your curriculum vitae (CV) concerning teaching and research experience, and development of medical practice skill in your specialty area(s).  Become familiar with the most current clinical techniques and procedures.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have a wide variety of research and teaching fellowships. Programs such as The Fellowship Program in Academic Medicine for Minority Students, sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., provide physicians with biomedical research experience in a laboratory environment, under the mentorship of a biomedical researcher.  Completing a research fellowship between medical school and residency, or after residency is especially appropriate for physicians interested in academic careers.  Consider choosing your residency with a view toward its ability to help you get into a good fellowship program.

Certification.  Work toward board certification in your specialty, and subspecialty area.