Clinical Scholars Program | Weill Cornell Medicine Psychiatry

What is the Clinical Scholars Program?

The mission of the Program is to promote scholarship activities and advance the clinical scholars’ academic careers.

To pursue its mission the Program promotes the scholars:

Academic identity
Scholarship skills
Academic community
Career development

Scholars Career Paths

Clinician scholars are well-trained clinicians who have good knowledge of the classic literature, follow the current literature closely, and think of creative solutions to clinical problems in areas not covered by research. They can synthesize complex information into a coherent system so that clinicians and investigators in other fields can access them. Clinical scholars are astute observers of clinical events and often can develop testable clinical hypotheses. Products of clinician scholars include reviews and meta-analyses on safe and reliable knowledge, “How to treat” papers, editorials, and position paper on novel hypotheses.

Scholar Educators are well trained clinicians aware of clinical advances and of literature on literature on medical education and training. Products of scholar educators include presentations and publications on training methods and on novel training structures.

Clinical Investigators: Faculty with clinical training, a clear research focus, training in research methods (e.g. experimental design, systematic assessment, data management, biostatistics, scientific writing) and specialized techniques (e.g. neuroimaging, electrophysiology, natural language processing, etc.). their products include data-based presentations and publications on mechanisms and treatments of mental disorders.

Mentors

Each scholar is expected to identify a mentor. The organizers of the Clinical Scholars Program are available to help scholars connect with mentors.
Mentors are selected among faculty based on their experience as well as on their commitment and expertise in mentoring junior faculty. Mentors offer direction on career focus, help with academic projects, provide input on the timing and focus of presentations, publications, and grant applications, and help with referrals for further research or scholarship training. Mentors also help connect mentees to potential collaborators and leaders in the field.

The Clinical Scholars Program Mentors

George Alexopoulos, M.D.
Evelyn Attia, M.D.
Elizabeth Auchincloss, M.D.
Jimmy Avari, M.D.
Jonathan Avery, M.D.
John Barnhill, M.D.
Benjamin Brody, M.D.
Anna Dickerman, M.D.
Helen Ding, M.D.
Marc Dubin, M.D., Ph.D.
Susan Evans, Ph.D.
Faith Gunning, Ph.D.
Robert Hirschfeld, M.D.
Dora Kanellopoulos, Ph.D.
Dimitris Kiosses, Ph.D.
James Kocsis, M.D.
Francis Lee, M.D., Ph.D.
Justin Mohatt, M.D.
Katharine Phillips, M.D.
Mark Russ, M.D.
Jo Anne Sirey, Ph.D.
Lisa Sombrotto, M.D.
Robert Young, M.D.
Jianping Zhang, Ph.D.

Clinical Scholars Program Structures

Annual Kickoff

This once yearly, thus full day event takes place on a Sunday in February. Leaders of the Program as well as mentors and clinical scholars present on progress, updates and accomplishments and set goals for the year to come.

Writing Seminar

Monthly: First Tuesday of the Month 3-4 pm

Writing seminars are an opportunity for scholars to elicit peer and mentor feedback in the development of scholarly projects and manuscripts. Scholars are expected to attend all writing seminars, to make at least two presentations per year, and to serve as reviewers of other scholars’ presentations. Topics of discussion typically include:

Journal selection (who do you want to see your work?)
Input on methods
Strategy on focus and presentation of results
Logical sequence of arguments
Help with resources (e.g. statistics consult)
New collaborations
Ideas for future publications in continuity with the scholar’s career plan

Career Development Seminar

Monthly Meeting: third Thursday of the Month 1-2pm

Scholars is encouraged to attend all meetings. This is an opportunity to:

Take stock of where you are
Place your work in the context of your overall career plan
Obtain group mentorship including input by peers and senior faculty

Statistical/Research Design Support

The Clinical Scholars Program provides statistical support for scholars who are interested in advancing projects.