Research Experience

Our mission is to train and prepare leaders in academic medicine: whether it be careers in research, medical education, quality improvement, advocacy and service, or healthcare administration, Northwestern graduates will cultivate the skills needed to excel in their chosen field. We offer a robust environment for residents to be successful with research skills and scholarship opportunities.

Research Time

We provide the opportunity for residents to take 2 months in their PGY2 for research electives. PGY3s may request an additional research block. In addition, a significant portion of PGY2 and PGY3 are elective blocks that allow residents additional time.

Mentorship and Project Opportunities

Residents get career planning advice, including identifying research mentors, starting in the winter of their intern year through 1:1 meetings with their assigned faculty advisor and the program director. Additional resources include advising through our Near Peer program, chief residents and sub-specialty interest groups. Our sub-specialty interest groups typically host 2 panels per year and offer key faculty contacts.

Projects are widely available and are frequently advertised in our weekly newsletter ‘The Week Ahead’.

Data and Funding Support

We have been able to promote scholarship through a Conference Travel Fund that provides up to $1500 to residents who have had a first author abstract accepted at a regional or national conference. This has promoted scholarly writing and helped residents participate in national subspecialty societies.

Funding support for data analysis is available to all residents through a GME-sponsored fund that allows access to our Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), an extensive research database that encompasses all clinical and education data throughout Northwestern Medicine and its affiliates.

Annual Research Day

Our residency alumni Landsberg Society hosts an annual resident research day with all residents who had research elective time. The half-day event is meant to celebrate residents work but also gives residents a chance to develop skills in poster preparation and presenting. Mentors, faculty and peers attend and we have some fun with food and prizes.

Resident Scholarship

Proof of our success is in research productivity. See our research log highlighting peer-reviewed publications.