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| | | | As we transition into the summer months, we are excited to bring you a host of updates and opportunities in this May edition of the APSA Newsletter. The American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) remains steadfast in its mission to be a voice for physician-scientist trainees at all levels. Our commitment is to support you in achieving your educational and professional goals in an environment that is free from harassment or discrimination based on gender, orientation, race, ethnicity, or religion.
In this edition, we are thrilled to announce our new leadership team for the 2024-2025 term, share upcoming events and research involvement opportunities, highlight the outstanding work of our members, and provide valuable resources to aid in your career development.
We appreciate your continued engagement and readership, and we encourage you to reach out to us with any questions at pr@physicianscientists.org. Sincerely, The American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) | | | | |
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| | | | 2024-2025 Executive Council We're thrilled to introduce and congratulate the members of the 2024-2025 APSA Executive Council! These outstanding individuals have demonstrated exceptional dedication and leadership within our community. They bring a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives that will undoubtedly drive our organization forward. Join us in welcoming and celebrating their commitment to advancing the physician-scientist profession.
Want to help us shape the future of physician-scientists? Join our national team! | | | | |
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| | | | Physician Scientist Diversity Summit: June 27 - 28, 2024 We are delighted to remind you about the upcoming APSA 2024 Diversity Summit, supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, which will take place from June 27 to June 28, 2024, in Raleigh, North Carolina. This summit brings together 80 partners and participants dedicated to addressing barriers in physician-scientist careers and promoting diversity within the field. Our major goal is to use Human-Centered Design Thinking Sessions to develop a strategic plan for enhancing diversity among physician-scientists.
Our faculty speaker will be Dr. Jose Enrique Cavazos. Our trainee speakers will be Dr. Briana (Bri) Christophers, Mytien Nguyen, and Sahra Gabure. For more information, please visit APSA Diversity Summit website. Please note that registration is currently closed. We appreciate the avid interest in this program. 39th MD-PhD National Student Conference: July 12 - July 14, 2024 Save the date for the 39th Annual MD-PhD National Student Conference, held at the picturesque Breckenridge Mountain Resort from July 12th to 14th, 2024. This unique gathering unites MSTP students, alumni, and faculty from across the country to explore the intersections of research and medicine, focusing on diverse careers, healthcare policy, and scientific breakthroughs. The conference features prestigious keynote speakers, student oral and poster sessions, a diverse career panel, and breakout sessions on topics of interest to MD/DO-PhD students. Keynote speakers include Dr. Francis S. Collins, an NIH Distinguished Investigator; Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell, the 17th NCI director; Dr. Insoo Hyun, a prominent bioethicist; and Dr. Jim DiCarlo, a distinguished professor of neuroscience at MIT and Director of MIT Quest for Intelligence. This event provides a wonderful opportunity to meet colleagues and mentors, learn about the vast opportunities available to MD/DO-PhDs, and discuss exciting scientific advancements. For more information, please visit the conference website. Save the Date for the AAP/ASCI/APSA 2025 Joint Meeting! Save the date! The AAP/ASCI/APSA 2025 Joint Meeting will be held from April 25-27 at the Swissotel in Chicago, IL. This annual gathering, featuring the Association of American Physicians, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the American Physician Scientists Association, showcases high-level discoveries from distinguished researchers. It provides an inspiring environment for collaboration and collegiality among physician-scientists and those on the pathway to becoming physician-scientists. For information about the previous Joint Meeting, please visit the Joint Meeting website! | | | | |
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| | | | Call for Participation in Grant Writing Survey Calling all current and former MD/DO-PhD trainees: We want to hear about your perspectives and experiences with grant writing for an important research study. Whether you have submitted a grant or not, your insights are invaluable. The results of this study will help APSA improve equitable accessibility and resources for all trainees, ensuring that everyone has the support they need in their grant writing journey. Your participation will contribute to shaping the future of grant writing training and support within our community. Complete the survey here: https://redcap.link/0zurckyc Survey on Career Trajectories of Early-Career Physician-Scientists The American Junior Investigator Association (AJIA), in conjunction with the American Physician Scientists Association (APSA), is conducting a survey to assess how recent research track trainees are faring and what drives their decisions in choosing faculty positions. This survey is intended for late-stage PSTP/research track residency/fellowship trainees/graduates of MD/PhD and DO/PhD programs and those who have graduated from PSTPs/research track residencies/fellowships within the past 10 years in the United States. Through the survey, we seek to characterize how early-career physician-scientists have fared, important factors in choosing a career, and any challenges/problems they are facing in their transition to a full-time position post-training. The results of the survey will be used to advocate for changes to policies/institutional structures that will help retain and advance a diverse academic medical faculty. Any significant results will potentially be published in a peer-reviewed journal. This survey is completely anonymous and voluntary. No personally identifying information will be linked to survey responses. There is no harm or risk associated with taking the survey. To protect the survey taker, the account in which responses are stored is password-protected and can only be accessed by the researchers.
The survey will take approximately 5-7 minutes to complete.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/earlycareerphysci If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the following research coordinators of this study: Yale School of Medicine research coordinator of this study: Jennifer M Kwan, MD, PhD (jennifer.kwan@yale.edu); University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center research coordinator, Evan Noch, MD, PhD (evan.noch@utsouthwestern.edu), or Massachusetts General Hospital research coordinator, Dania Daye MD, PhD (deldaye@gmail.com). The Survey has been IRB-approved at Massachusetts General Hospital. | | | | |
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| | | | Call for APSA Member Research Publications We’re highlighting the research of our members! Share your recent publication with us and get featured in our upcoming newsletters and on our platforms. Submit your work to pr@physicianscientists.org. This Month's APSA Member Publication Features Farzana Ali, Stony Brook University, Renaissance School of Medicine Farzana Ali is a fifth-year MD-PhD candidate, third-year PhD candidate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University. Her dissertation project involves predicting antidepressant treatment response using machine learning techniques on neuroimaging data and actigraphy. She completed her medical degree from the University at Buffalo and holds a bachelor’s with Honors, MS, and MPH degrees from Stony Brook University. Farzana's passion for research began as an undergraduate, and she aims to bridge the gap between scientists and physicians to advance clinical research practices. In addition to her academic pursuits, she volunteers for nonprofit organizations dedicated to health equity and disability rights and enjoys playing piano and boxing in her leisure time. Her highlighted publications include: - Circadian Rhythm Biomarker from Wearable Device Data is Related to Concurrent Antidepressant Treatment Response
Summary: This study investigates circadian rhythm biomarkers in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) using wearable devices. It finds a significant association between a lower circadian quotient and improvement in depression after one week of treatment, suggesting that this biomarker may be useful for real-time monitoring of depression. - Gradient Boosting Decision-Tree-Based Algorithm With Neuroimaging for Personalized Treatment in Depression
Summary: This study uses pretreatment PET/MRS neuroimaging and machine learning to identify biomarkers predictive of remission in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. The model showed high specificity and accuracy, with the metabolism of the left hippocampus being the most predictive of remission. This approach could prevent weeks of ineffective treatment trials.
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| | | | Dr. Alexander Yang and Makayla Cox
Dr. Alex Yang, MD, PhD from Wayne State and a current PGY-2 at UAB, has been a long-time member of APSA. In 2020, while he was a busy student in his MD-PhD training, he began mentoring Makayla Cox, a junior in college at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS). Despite his demanding schedule, Dr. Yang always made time for Makayla, demonstrating his dedication to mentorship. Together, they published a case report about Makayla's own experience with a pulmonary embolism (PE) after knee surgery. You can read their publication here. Dr. Yang encouraged Makayla to join APSA, and in 2022, they attended the APSA Joint Meeting in Chicago. At the conference, Dr. Yang helped Makayla network with MD/DO-PhDs, including students from the University of Kentucky, a school that was not originally on her radar. Fast forward to today, Makayla is on her own MD-PhD journey, finishing up her M1 year at the University of Kentucky COM. This mentorship success story exemplifies the impact of APSA’s mentorship program and the dedication of its members. Makayla provided us with a quote where she reflects on her journey: "As an undergraduate, I joined the American Physician Scientists Association in 2020 and was paired with Dr. Alexander Yang through the APSA mentorship program. Despite his busy schedule, Dr. Yang always made time for me. He is incredibly kind and eager to offer mentorship to those navigating the MD-PhD route. With Alex as a mentor, I learned what to look for in an MD-PhD program. In 2022, I had the opportunity to attend the APSA Joint Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, where I presented my undergraduate research. The conference was significant in my search for the right MD-PhD program, as I met many passionate students from various programs, including those from the University of Kentucky. The welcoming nature and enthusiasm of the Kentucky students about their program convinced me to apply. I am now finishing my first year in the MD/PhD program at UKCOM. I am eternally grateful to APSA, my mentor Dr. Yang, and the University of Kentucky COM for believing in me and giving me this opportunity to advance as a future physician-scientist." We really appreciate these Mentor-Mentee success stories, so if you have one you'd like to share, let us feature it! Please reach out to pr@physicianscientists.org. | | | | |
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| | | | American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2024! Applications are now open for travel support to attend the world's premier nephrology meeting, ASN Kidney Week 2024, in San Diego, CA. This meeting provides the opportunity to connect with experts, exchange knowledge, learn about the latest scientific medical advances, and listen to provocative discussions. The ASN Kidney Students and Residents (STARS) program is designed to help trainees explore the career opportunities available in nephrology. The Kidney STARS program pairs trainees with fellow and faculty mentors who will serve as their resources during the Annual Meeting at ASN Kidney Week, from Thursday, October 24, to Saturday, October 26, 2024. Accepted Kidney STARS participants will receive:
- Travel support and complimentary registration to ASN Kidney Week 2024.
- A welcome breakfast, poster tours, a luncheon, and career guidance panels.
Eligibility requirements for this program include: - A medical student, graduate student, or resident in good standing at the time of ASN Kidney Week and enrolled in an accredited program or university.
- Interested in pursuing nephrology as a specialty, but not yet decided.
- Able to attend the entire meeting and all program events.
To learn more about eligibility and application requirements, visit the ASN website. Make sure to apply before the deadline on June 12, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Questions? Please reach out to ASN at workforce@asn-online.org. | | | | |
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| | | | Visit the APSA Career Center!
Check out our other databases for more training opportunities! | | | | |
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| | | | APSA members receive exclusive access to our Grant Writing Hub containing grant writing resources and examples of awarded F30/F31s, Interactive Session Recordings, Discounts from our partners, and more! Log in to explore all of your APSA benefits. | | | | |
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| | | | Update Your APSA Member Profile We want to know your training stage and specialty interest to help APSA better serve your needs!! Sign-in on the upper right hand corner of the page to update your member profile information on our website today! Improve the APSA Website We would love to hear your feedback on changes to our website that would improve your experience as an APSA member. Please fill out the single question survey to help us! Submit as many suggestions as you would like. Here is the link to APSA's website. | | | | |
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