The AM RI aims to assist in developing and supporting Clinician Investigators (CI) and Clinician Scientists (CS) in the Academic Clinical Programs (ACP). Prof John Rush tells us more about this newly established institute.

How many Clinician Scientists are we aiming to have?
The target is for the SingHealth-Duke- NUS partnership to have 80 Clinician Scientists by year 2015.

How does the AM RI work?
RI provides an “Academic Home” that enables the development of translational, clinical or health services research careers of students, residents, fellows and faculty (including clinicians, scientists, and quantitative experts).

We work with the ACP Vice-chairs of Research to identify budding research talent and invite them to join as Khoo Scholars, which means their department head has allocated at least 30% of their time to research.

A Khoo Scholar is assigned a mentor team that includes at least a clinical expert from the department/ACP, and a quantitative expert.

These Scholars present their research ideas at Protocol or Idea Development Seminars to their mentor teams where constructive critiques are provided to eventually create a competitive research proposal. If required, the AM RI will provide a Pilot Award to obtain pilot data which may be needed to strengthen the proposal for an externally funded competitive grant application. Medical writing assistance is provided for these proposals if needed.

AM RI provides Scientific Support both during the development of a research proposal and during the post-award execution phase of an aproved project. The post- award guidance will be provided by creating a network of experienced Senior Clinical Research Staff who mentor less experienced ones on the critical elements in project execution.

How do other SingHealth departments play their parts?
We work closely with SingHealth departments on many aspects: The joint Office of Academic Medicine to develop career paths for clinician scientists, the SingHealth Office of Research on highlighting research achievements and providing grant pre-review or re-review of failed grants.

The Institutional and ACP Directors of Research help identify, nurture and support budding and established clinician scientists and to develop mentors, with Heads of the Residency Training Programmes providing educational tools and mentoring opportunities via the Khoo Scholars Programme for research development of CS track residents.

We also collaborate with Allied Health in developing AHPs who conduct research. With the SingHealth Research Strategy Group we develop a strategic plan on developing CSs and collaborations, and with the Research Council we collaborate on operationalising these plans.

How can I be a part of AM RI?
If you are at the KKH campus, please contact Ms Christine Khanashat (christine.khanashat@duke-nus.edu.sg).

If you are a SingHealth clinician who is new to research and would like to join the Khoo Scholars programme, please contact Ms Josephine Quek (jo.quek@duke-nus.edu.sg).

For other queries on our activities or our programmes, please contact Ms Megan Pooh (megan.pooh@duke-nus.edu.sg). We expect the AM RI to be fully operational by early 2013.

Look out for more updates on AM RI - SGH Campus.

ACADEMIC MEDICINE UPDATE

Top Academic Leaders Shape Our AM Efforts The Inaugural Academic Medicine Advisory Council (AMAC) meeting took place from 3-4 April 2012. The four members of the Advisory Council brought their wealth of experience in Academic Medical Centres to provide advice and guidance on our Academic Medicine efforts with recommendations for us to focus on:

• Research of real impact in terms of significance and reach
• Sustainable excellence in education of medical students and residents
• Retention of the best talent through a culture of inventiveness, creativity and scholarship that improves medical practice.

THE SINGHEALTH AND DUKE-NUS JOINT BOARD RETREAT
This year’s SingHealth and Duke-NUS Joint Board Retreat on 25 May 2012 centred on the theme of “Academic Medicine: Making it a reality”. The retreat further strengthened the partnership between SingHealth and Duke-NUS in our journey in Academic Medicine. Over 100 Board members, senior leaders and key drivers of education and research from both organisations attended the Retreat. The discussion was along 3 themes:

Research – Aligning with National Level Strategies
• Achieving Clinician Scientists target by 2015
• Strengthening collaborations between Duke-NUS and SingHealth, and external parties

Education – Partnership for Better Education Programming
• Clarity of roles in relation to Education Council (EC) and Education Institute (EI)
• Team-based approach in management of patients
• Increasing capacity of Residency to meet national needs
• Development of new programmes leading to development of a Biomedical Campus

Academic Medicine – Strategic Financing
• Fundraising for Academic Medicine to be a shared responsibility of SingHealth and Duke-NUS

Extracted from Tomorrow's Medicine (Issue 03-2012), a SingHealth Publication