Academic Project

All residents are required by the ACGME to complete an “Academic Project” prior to graduating. Failure to do so will result in NONGRADUATION from the program, which could delay your moving to the next stage (job, fellowship, etc.).

Expectations

• Each resident must have his or her own project (unless two residents can demonstrate that they both contributed equally to an academic project).
• The resident must be able to converse as a consultant on the topic selected as the academic project.
• An adequate number of original references should be cited (10 or more).
• All projects must designate a faculty mentor.
  • For residents who have transferred in, the faculty mentor may be either one at the prior institution or here at MGH.
• The academic project needs to be emailed to the program director or assistant program director.
• The academic project needs to be completed by the middle of the CA3 Year. Any CA2 who has not yet identified an academic project must contact the Program Director or Assistant Program Director immediately.

Examples of acceptable academic projects* include:

• Grand Rounds presentations primarily by the resident, to our Department or other Departments
• Significant contributions to textbook or handbook chapters (e.g., MGH Handbook on Critical Care, Pain or Anesthesia)
• Submitted to peer-reviewed journals (e.g., case reports, review papers, original investigation)
• Presentations of clinical, basic or other research work at meetings. The work must be reformatted as a Word document
• Creation of a new simulation scenario
• Case conference presentations IF the presentation was created and delivered entirely by the resident.
• Portfolio of presentations presented as part of an overseas teaching project

*Because there are a number of new and creative ways to carry out academic work, residents are encouraged to speak with the program director regarding the suitability of any given project.

Last updated January 2017 DSK