Notes from Neil

This week, we launch a call for applications for the MedStar Health Research and MedStar Health Teaching Scholars programs.

The MedStar Health Teaching Scholars Program and the MedStar Health Research Scholars Program are entering their 13th and 8th year, respectively.  These programs provide multi-faceted educational support and mentorship to our clinical faculty as they develop their academic and research career pathways. Many of our alumni have successfully demonstrated their accomplishments through publications, national presentations, grant funding and more.  All of their scholarly activities are highly influential on their professional well-being while also bringing well-deserved recognition to them individually, to MedStar Health, and to their home departments and institution/hospital.  It is literally an investment in Advancing Health, and to our future as an Academic Health System.

While we recognize the value of these programs, we also know the challenges of finding dedicated scholarly time in an environment often focused on clinical productivity. We are therefore very excited to share with you that anyone who is selected to be part of the next class will have 20% of the scholars’ salaries supported to ensure they have the dedicated time to focus on their research/academic endeavors.

Your commitment and support for our current and incoming cohort will be much appreciated as we work through this major transition. The next cohort of scholars will begin in January 2022.  Of note, for this transitional year, scholars enrolled in either program will need to commit for approximately 2.4 years (as opposed to the 2.0 years) as we make schedule adjustments and use the extra time to ensure success and sustainability.  

Applications for this new cohort are due October 29, 2021.  

 

 

 

 

MedStar Health Teaching Scholars

The SCIMS program is the largest network of designated research centers devoted to Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in the world. This network creates opportunities for collaboration between SCI clinicians and researchers from across the U.S. The system of rehabilitation care developed through this program encompasses a continuum of services that include emergency medical services, acute care services, acute medical rehabilitation services, and post-acute services.

Dr. Groah says, "I am SUPER EXCITED about the projects that we are now funded to conduct in this SCI Model System. I feel very strongly that we have the potential to really move the needle for people with spinal cord injury with this work."

Thank you to everyone involved and keep up the good work!

MedStar Research AIDE (anti-racism, inclusion, diversity, equity) is continuing their recurring "Series on Research and Health Equity" events for associates to attend. As everyone returns from their summer vacations, AIDE is excited to announce their event schedule for September and October 2021 with more to come!

September 14 - 12pm EST
MedStar National Rehabilitation Network Equitable Practice Interest Committee (EPIC) Community Conversations on Microaggressions
Speakers: Dr. Mandy Rounds, Harsh Thakkar and Dr. Victor James
Register Here.

October 11 - 1pm EST/10am PST
Celebrate Indigenous People's Day 
Speakers: Cynthia West, Celina Garza and the Indigenous Arizona Field Research Team

October 26 - 12pm EST
Honoring Henrietta Lacks
Speakers: Mary Anne Hinkson and Petros Okubagzi

Stay tuned for calendar invitations! We hope you can join us!

If you have any research topics or studies you want to learn more about, please email MHRI-Diversity@medstar.net.

If you wish to share any feedback, want to get involved, or have suggestions or questions, please email MHRI-Diversity@medstar.net. or visit MedStar Research AIDE on StarPort 

Below is my monthly message for the September 2021 edition of the MHRI newsletter, Focus. You can view Focus online at MedStarResearch.org/FOCUS.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Happy Labor Day everyone!

At this time of year, we are usually returning to work after a holiday weekend, welcoming each other back from summer vacation and sharing hallway stories about the kids going back to school.

However, this year we find ourselves still in a constant state of flux with more uncertainty.  It is unsettling. Masked or unmasked?  Who is vaccinated and who is not?  Boosters soon or not? What about the unvaccinated kids?  Delta, Lambda, [fill in the next variant].  Oh, and if the pandemic was not enough, there is extreme weather with tornadoes, floods, and fires.  How can we cope with the anxiety and stress that this uncertainty gives us?

As a scientist that recognizes the importance of emotions and heart, I like to break things down to better understand them before drawing conclusions about ‘treatment’. Anxiety starts to build up as we try to anticipate what lies ahead.  We do this by plugging in all we think we know about today’s reality. But the truth is we don’t have ‘all the data’ since the situation continues to evolve.  This immerses us into a state of greater ambiguity which only further elevates anxiety.

The good news is we are learning to build new muscles of resilience and flexibility.  That includes becoming more comfortable with being uncomfortable.  It also comes with recognizing what we have the ability to change and accept what we cannot control.  I like the adage that a good sailor never knows which way the wind will blow but can always get to their destination. However, as the summer ends and we are well into the second half of 2021, it feels like this ‘storm’ is not ending and the world’s relentless changes and ambiguity are testing our endurance and agility to change. MedStar Health recognizes the impact of this and strongly encourages the use of the support services that are available with this link.   Remember we are all in this together.

Ambigility is a new [made-up] word that is circulating to describe the skills we need to get through these times of relentless change. It combines the words ambiguity with the need for greater agility.  “Ambi” derives from Latin, meaning both. Ambiguity means things could move in both (or many different) directions. Ambivalence means we feel equally strong with both solutions.  Just like the batter who can hit from both sides of the plate, we all should become ambidextrous - where strength meets flexibility. Ambigility is the superpower to pull together this concept of 1) pivoting with agility and strength, 2) recognizing what we can’t control and 3) focusing on using our experience and knowledge to make things work despite the changes.

With gratitude,

Neil