Unlike traditional fellowships in the subspecialties, training to become a clinician-scientist doesn’t usually conform to a structured path. Although it can provide you with more flexibility, this career path does require that you chart more of the course yourself.
The Nov. 12 “YO! ARVO: Navigating a Career as A Clinician Scientist” event at AAO 2017 offered an invaluable look at this process, as well as a frank and honest discussion about the professional balance necessary for a successful research career.
The decision to start a career in research is most often made in training because of the academic setting; however, other ophthalmologists may develop an interest in clinical trials while in a private practice setting. Once you are ready to take the plunge, here are five pearls to guide you along the way:
- Be OK with failure. When you stop failing, you stop learning. “Don’t be afraid to bet on yourself,” said Davinder Grover, MD, MPH, director of clinical research at Glaucoma Associates of Texas. “You have all failed at some point but it never stopped you from doing anything.”
- Balance your time. It’s important to be flexible and creative with your time in order to reach your goals. “You really will need to prioritize things,” said Joan O’Brien, MD, chair at the University of Pennsylvania. “Support is very helpful. Delegate what is not a priority to you. Have a system so you can be efficient with your time.”
- Cultivate a strong mentorship team. Institutional support is important, and a mentor that understands your goals and your research is invaluable. But don’t expect one mentor to serve all roles. “You need a group of mentors when pursuing your research endeavors,” said Janine Clayton, MD, who directs the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research in Womens’ Health. “You will need different mentors for different things in different places.”
- Have a slow clock. Long-term gains that outweigh the short-term ones; this is critical when building a research career. “You have to slow down your clock,” said Mark Humayun, MD, PhD, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southern California. “Have patience in your work, time things properly and understand that reaching a goal may take time.”
- Don’t forget about funding. Choosing a workplace that supports your career goals is important. And so is funding. Foundation and government grants can be a key tool in becoming an independent investigator.