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Goals for residents

Ideal: To become an author/coauthor on at least 1 research project
presented at a national meeting or published in a journal.

• ACGME milestones for residents. (Must satisfy this to graduate!)

 "Scholarly Activity" milestone (under Practice Based Learning and Improvement), to reach:

• Level 4 (most residents) = 1 presentation/publication. 

• Level 5 (aspirational) = Completing an IRB and at least 2 projects.

• All residents (especially R1s) should complete 2 tasks:

  1. 1. CITI modules, especially on ethics/informed consent: 

        • • See the Mt. Sinai link that describes requirements (http://icahn.mssm.edu/research/pphs/training)

          • Direct CITI link here (https://www.citiprogram.org/)

     2. Overall annual Conflict of interest (COI) form: https://sinaicentral.mountsinai.org/

These 2 things are the required minimum to join already-existing IRB projects.  So do them ASAP!!!
Additional forms are required to start your own IRB (see below "How to Start a Project 101" > "IRB", for more details).

• Special note: Quality Improvement (QI) Research 

R1s are encouraged to start/join/do their own QI project, which satisfies 3+ requirements:

• ACGME milestone #1: Scholarly Activity, and 

• ACGME milestone #2: Quality Improvement

• QI presentation (at least 1 during all of residency): required internal presentation usually during R2-R4 year, scheduled per Amion/Chiefs

• Bonus: One external quality conference is covered by CIR annually, up to $3000 (Please see Educational Funds for details).

Note: Most quality projects and case reports do not need an IRB, if you would like to publish your findings, you can retroactively apply for an IRB waiver. 

Suggested guidelines for quality related research:

• Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE)
  http://www.equator-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SQUIRE-Checklist-PDF.pdf 
  http://www.squire-statement.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&PageID=471

• Also see article on "How to Write Up Your Quality Improvement Initiatives for Publication (click for PDF)"
   

• Mount Sinai has a resident/faculty point system that is tracked by GME (more of a program-level thing, but something to be aware of). 

Goals for residents:
Residents can accrue points for PMID (PubMed ID) publications and presentations at national meetings. 

 Non PMID publications (e.g. Case-in-Point) help us meet our faculty point count, but do not contribute to our resident point count.

Goals for the attendings:
Mount Sinai GME asks that we have at least 50% of faculty with at least 2 points each academic year.
Faculty get points for PMID publications, non PMID publications, and presentations at national meetings.   

How to Start a Project 101

Short version:  (1) Discuss Authorship --> (2) Study Design/Statistics --> (3) IRB

Authorship:

Typically the person with the biggest intellectual contribution to the project (especially the conception/writing of the manuscript) should be the first author. 

• Not the same as simply having participated in data collection or "helping" with the study.

• Please see https://hms.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/assets/Sites/Ombuds/files/AUTHORSHIP%20GUIDELINES.pdf for extensive discussion of this topic. 

• If any issues arise, please discuss with Drs. Kagetsu, Dr. Kamath, or Dr. Kagen.

Authorship CAN CHANGE, but make sure your mentor(s)/faculty members on the project agree with the change. Possible reasons for change:

• Contribution to workload for poster/manuscript has changed dramatically, for whichever reason (type of study, personal/family, work duties, waning interest, etc.)

• Significant personnel change (new talents needed, graduation, mentor leaving, new mentor, etc.)

• Funding change (loss of grant, new grant, etc.)

Also see the 4 criteria for authorship credit from ICMJE, which many top journals use: 

http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html

Note: The subsequent sections may not apply if you are doing an educational exhibit or case report. (Discuss this possibility with your mentor)

Study design/Statistics:

• THINK ABOUT YOUR DATA IN ADVANCE!!!  Especially study population, what types of data will be meaningful, etc. (Don't get to the end, and realize your data is meaningless)

  • What will your final abstract / poster / manuscript look like?  

  • Make a draft / outline of the study design.

• Consider asking for study design help from:

  • Mt. Sinai Research dept during free walk-ins: http://researchroadmap.mssm.edu/reference/walk-in-consultations/

  • Your mentor/PI, colleagues

• For securely storing data: Always remember HIPAA! 

  • If no funding: Always password-protect and encrypt your data (i.e. secure Excel sheets). Think - if you lost your USB or computer, would it be secure?

  • If you have funding ($$): Consider using REDCaps to securely store your data. After study approval, email: redcap-support@mssm.edu to get access

• For statistical analysis:

  • SPSS available in the West radiology library, computer closest to the window (free). 

  • Consultation with MSH statistician also an option ($$ after initial meeting).

IRB:  

(Any study >1 patient/>1 patient's data, requires paperwork! So start ASAP)

You should determine what level you need - IRB waiver or IRB approval

• Any project that needs an IRB approval (NOT a waiver) has to be signed off by either Dr. Kamath or Kagen prior to submission to the IRB.

• In general :
  retrospective projects need an IRB waiver (~4 weeks), while
  prospective projects will need an IRB approval (6 months-1 year+)

3-5 total steps for both IRB and IRB waivers:

1. CITI modules: 

   • See the Mount Sinai page that describes the requirements (http://icahn.mssm.edu/research/pphs/training)

2. Conflict of interest (COI)

   • https://sinaicentral.mountsinai.org/ 

     • COI > Annual Report of Outside Relationships (every year)

     • Project-specific FCOI (per project) after you file an Investigator Form (IF) on same page

   •  https://peak.mountsinai.org

     • Complete the PEAK training course: Online Courses > Functional > Research > "Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research"

3. Branch point:  Are you joining or writing/leading an IRB or IRB waiver?

   • Joining an IRB or IRB waiver: 

     • (Step 3) Upload your CV onto  Ruth. You're done after this. 

       • https://ruth.mssm.edu

       • Click "Manage" > "My User Profile" > Upload your CV, preferably in PDF format.

   • Writing/leading an IRB or IRB waiver:

     • (Steps 3, 4, and 5) Applications need to be made through:

       • MS Ruth, Sinai Central, and Infoed. http://icahn.mssm.edu/research/pphs/researcher.

For more help:

Tip: Add the appropriate coordinator(s) to all IRBs you submit so that they can view & help.

• Interventional radiology (IR) research coordinator: Aaron Greenberg

  • Available on site at West to hep with research related questions/projects (office: 4b-08 - "interventional fellows")

  • He can be contacted by cell pretty much any time or M-F 8:30-4:30 at 212-636-8705.  Or email him at  aaron.greenberg@mountsinai.org. 

• Diagnostic radiology (DR) research coordinator: Ilda Bander

  • Located at main Mount Sinai Hospital.

  • Email is best: Ilda.Bander@mountsinai.org or call M-F 9am-5pm at: 212-241-9369

Final Step:

Present your abstract at a conference or submit for a manuscript!

Abstracts / Posters / Electronic Exhibits / Oral Presentations

• Please review any abstract with your co-authors and faculty mentor(s) prior to submitting to a meeting. 
  Tip: It may be a smart idea to review Amion in advance, to make sure you have coverage to attend.
  Consider consulting Chiefs super early (yes, even up to 1 year in advance, when they are making the schedule) - so they are aware and can help arrange things early.

  • If your abstract is accepted:

    • Please notify all co-authors and Dr. Kamath so that we can update our residency website 

    • Refer to: "Wellness & Policies" for getting excused time off to attend the conference

    • Refer to: Educational Travel & Funds for details about $$ funding opportunities.

• For templates, please see the Mount Sinai brand center: https://www.mountsinaibrandcenter.org/asset/list?category=10&type=2

  • One tip for electronic exhibits, use a dark background with white letters. When you have images, the dark background helps the viewer see the images better.

  • To print a physical poster: https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/portal/resources/digital-media-center 

• FYI/extra tips: 

  • Which meeting should I submit to?  Think of a few factors:

    • A meeting's prestige (e.g. RSNA) mirrors journal impact factor, as noted below under "Manuscript" section.

    • Your preferred specialty to network with potential fellowship colleagues, or future job(s)

    • A preferred city, to have fun and potentially explore workplace(s)

  • Can I submit the same abstract to multiple conferences?

    • Answer: It is OK to submit these to multiple meetings, e.g. ASNR and RSNA. For all the work you put in, you might as well submit to more than one meeting.
      Please note that you will be sponsored to go to the first meeting, not any subsequent meetings to re-present the same data, but this does not apply to new/different projects. It is not uncommon to see a designated poster person from one institution putting up or taking down all posters from that institution.
      Usually in the submission process, you are asked if this poster has been presented anywhere else. Just check yes and hope for the best.

Manuscript

• Ideally a poster/presentation should be converted into a publication. If you present at a meeting, the journal of the society sponsoring the meeting typically claims"right of first refusal" for your manuscript. e.g. if you present at ASNR, you should submit to AJNR. If AJNR rejects your manuscript, you are free to submit it to another journal. (For AUR/Academic Radiology, this policy seems only to apply to those that receive the "Ethics and Professionalism Grant".)

• For those considering academic careers, please note that original research publications are key. 
  Publication in a journal with a high Impact factor is more valuable for promotion.

• The impact factors below are in some cases self reported by the journal in question!

Journal Org/Society Impact Factor

Radiology RSNA 6.339

AJNR ASNR 3.67

AJR ARRS 2.897

Radiographics RSNA 2.791

Neuroradiology 2.7

Academic Radiology AUR 1.914

J Dig Imaging 1.1

Reference: Writing It Up: A Step-by-Step Guide to Publication for Beginning Investigators. Mark A. Kliewer

• Medical illustrator: Jill Gregory: http://www.jillkgregory.com/. Associated w/ Mount Sinai as of 2018 

Research deadlines

This is only a small selection of the top Radiology conferences to keep in mind...They're similar year-to-year, so keep an eye out!