Continuing research after training: perspectives from the IUGA fellows session 2021

Excerpt

Urogynecology has undergone an explosion in scientific inquiry over the past 3 decades [1, 2]. The requirement for 12 months of research in a 36-month fellowship program in the United States (US) and for a published thesis at many other training institutions around the world have supported these efforts. While research activity at training sites has increased, the transition from fellowship to clinical practice can be jarring for those wishing to incorporate research as part of their career after graduation. Of the 248 fellows who graduated between 2011 and 2020 in the US, 66% currently hold no academic or faculty appointment while 30% hold junior faculty positions [3]. Fulfilling research potential is challenging for urogynecologists who enter non-academic roles without access to research funding or protected time. With this in mind, the Fellows, Trainees and Early Career Professionals Committee of the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) put together a panel at the fellows’ session held during the 2021 IUGA annual meeting to discuss resources needed for continued research after training. …