The IU School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is proud to offer the Clinical Research and Academic Success in Obstetrics and Gynecology course. The course will take place in Stowe, Vermont, at the Topnotch Resort, from Aug. 26–29, 2024.
Vermont was selected because it welcomes, affirms, and respects reproductive rights. We look forward to seeing you in Vermont!
Questions should be directed to the course director, Dr. Jeffery Peipert, MD, PhD, Clarence E. Ehrlich Professor and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Chair at IU School of Medicine.
Who the program is for
The course is intended for OBGYN fellows and junior faculty interested in advancing their skills in clinical and medical education research. The course is also designed to help junior faculty with their academic advancement and career progression.What learners will gain
Participants will gain knowledge and skills crucial to professional, academic and research advancement. After completing the course, learners will be able to:
- List the key attributes of an appropriate research question
- Describe the advantages and disadvantages of longitudinal cohort studies, case-control studies and randomized clinical trials
- Use the basic functions of a statistical software package
- Understand the basic principles of article publication and manuscript review processes
- Critically read research papers by understanding the main sources of bias and confounding
- List the attributes of a good mentor and the key principles of a successful mentor-mentee relationship
- Describe the process for promotion from Assistant to Full Professor and the “currency” of academic faculty for career advancement
Submit an application
To apply, please email Dr. Peipert the following:
- CV
- A brief statement (one page or less) indicating your reason for applying
- Potential clinical research interests
- A letter of commitment for funding from chair or division director.
Participants and their departments will be responsible for travel, accommodations and tuition ($4,000).
Applications are due by May 15, 2024.
Course faculty
Kavita Nanda, MD, MHS
Director of Medical Research at FHI360
Kavita Nanda, MD, MS, is an internationally recognized expert in contraception. She is the director of medical research at FHI360, where she has worked as an obstetrician gynecologist, epidemiologist and scientist for almost 25 years.
For the past 18 years, she has worked as a temporary advisor to WHO, working to update the WHO Medical Eligibility Criteria and Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use. She is also a member of the CDC guidelines development group for contraception.
Nanda received her medical degree from Albany Medical College, completed her residency at Thomas Jefferson University, and did a Women’s Health Research Fellowship and Master of Health Sciences (Clinical Research) at Duke University.
Christina M. Scifres, MD
Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Christina Scifres, MD, is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Indiana University School of Medicine. She joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty as an associate professor in 2018 and was named the maternal-fetal medicine division director in 2020.
Her clinical and research interests include gestational diabetes, ovarian cysts, and improving outcomes in pregnancies complicated by diabetes and obesity. She was a co-investigator for an NIH-funded randomized clinical trial comparing two screening strategies for gestational diabetes.
Scifres graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and completed residency and a fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine.
Jeffrey F. Peipert, MD, PhD
Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Jeffrey F. Peipert, MD, PhD, is the Clarence E. Ehrlich Professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Indiana University School of Medicine. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and has a doctorate in epidemiology.
He has conducted numerous studies including: NICHD-funded randomized trial of a computer-based intervention to encourage dual method contraceptive use to prevent unplanned pregnancy and STIs; randomized trial of therapy for pelvic inflammatory disease (PEACH Study). He was also the principal investigator of a large prospective study, the Contraceptive CHOICE Project, which recruited 9,256 women and successfully followed them for two to three years for contraceptive effectiveness, satisfaction, and continuation rates.