How to develop a vision for your research

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,860 Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast, where academic clinicians learn the skills 2 00:00:05,860 --> 00:00:11,260 to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor. 3 00:00:11,260 --> 00:00:17,340 As clinicians, we spend a decade or more as trainees learning to take care of patients. 4 00:00:17,340 --> 00:00:22,380 When we finally start our careers, we want to build research programs, but then we find 5 00:00:22,380 --> 00:00:27,780 that our years of clinical training did not adequately prepare us to lead our research 6 00:00:27,780 --> 00:00:29,180 program. 7 00:00:29,180 --> 00:00:35,480 Through no fault of our own, we struggle to find mentors, and when we can't, we quit. 8 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:40,580 However, clinicians hold the keys to the greatest research breakthroughs. 9 00:00:40,580 --> 00:00:46,200 For this reason, the Clinician Researcher podcast exists to give academic clinicians 10 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,800 the tools to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor. 11 00:00:51,800 --> 00:01:01,100 Now introducing your host, Toyosi Onwuemene. 12 00:01:01,100 --> 00:01:03,100 Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast. 13 00:01:03,100 --> 00:01:08,020 I'm your host, Toyosi Onwuemene, and it is an absolute pleasure to be talking with you 14 00:01:08,020 --> 00:01:09,020 today. 15 00:01:09,020 --> 00:01:13,020 Thank you so much for being here, for listening, because every day you listen is a day that 16 00:01:13,020 --> 00:01:20,400 I can continue to share about ideas and insights about expanding your scholarship as you grow 17 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,700 as a clinician researcher. 18 00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:30,780 Today I'm talking about vision and the importance of vision, of sharing the vision for your 19 00:01:30,780 --> 00:01:32,460 research program. 20 00:01:32,460 --> 00:01:38,140 You know, when I started in research, I had no idea what my vision was. 21 00:01:38,140 --> 00:01:41,380 I just knew I wanted to do research, and I was like, just give me any project you're 22 00:01:41,380 --> 00:01:42,780 doing, any project, I don't care. 23 00:01:42,780 --> 00:01:46,060 I mean, okay, maybe I'm not being exactly fair to myself. 24 00:01:46,060 --> 00:01:50,460 I had a sense of what I wanted to do, but there seemed to be many roadblocks to doing 25 00:01:50,460 --> 00:01:51,460 it. 26 00:01:51,460 --> 00:01:53,660 And so I was just like, you know what, it's not even really about the project. 27 00:01:53,660 --> 00:01:57,060 It's just I want the research experience, just give me whatever you got, right? 28 00:01:57,060 --> 00:02:00,540 And so I'm going around from person to person saying, give me whatever you got, give me 29 00:02:00,540 --> 00:02:02,040 whatever you got. 30 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:07,180 And what I end up with is a hodgepodge of activities and a hodgepodge of research projects 31 00:02:07,180 --> 00:02:08,420 to work on. 32 00:02:08,420 --> 00:02:10,380 Some succeed, some don't succeed. 33 00:02:10,380 --> 00:02:12,420 Some I hate, some I can tolerate. 34 00:02:12,420 --> 00:02:15,340 Some I really like, very few I really like. 35 00:02:15,340 --> 00:02:20,540 And most of the ones I really like are the ones to which I can put a personal flair when 36 00:02:20,540 --> 00:02:24,780 there's a personal touch to it or there's a specific patient population that's near 37 00:02:24,780 --> 00:02:26,540 and dear to me. 38 00:02:26,540 --> 00:02:31,380 But over time, I was able to start to think about what do I really like of all of these 39 00:02:31,380 --> 00:02:32,380 projects? 40 00:02:32,380 --> 00:02:33,380 Which ones do I really like? 41 00:02:33,380 --> 00:02:37,500 And to start to give more energy to some of the projects I like and to let go of some 42 00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:39,500 of the projects I don't like. 43 00:02:39,500 --> 00:02:45,180 So over time, you know, even when you start with a hodgepodge of projects, you begin to 44 00:02:45,180 --> 00:02:50,620 recognize more what resonates with you, what gives you joy, what makes you happy to do. 45 00:02:50,620 --> 00:02:53,860 You can really start to curate around that. 46 00:02:53,860 --> 00:02:57,820 But if you are not like me and you had it all together from the very beginning, perhaps 47 00:02:57,820 --> 00:03:01,860 you already knew from the very beginning that, hey, this is the population I'm addressing, 48 00:03:01,860 --> 00:03:06,500 patients with sickle cell who are in their 80s or, you know, who are older. 49 00:03:06,500 --> 00:03:08,620 I'm going to focus on this group of patients. 50 00:03:08,620 --> 00:03:09,820 And that's great. 51 00:03:09,820 --> 00:03:16,900 You already have a very well articulated research focus that you can cast a vision upon. 52 00:03:16,900 --> 00:03:20,140 And so that's what I'm here to talk about, is to talk about the vision for your research 53 00:03:20,140 --> 00:03:21,140 program. 54 00:03:21,140 --> 00:03:25,780 If you do not yet have a vision, I hope that by the end of this podcast episode, you will 55 00:03:25,780 --> 00:03:30,860 have the opportunity to cast and create a vision for your program. 56 00:03:30,860 --> 00:03:34,620 And do you want to share that we are taking new clients in our coaching programs, especially 57 00:03:34,620 --> 00:03:35,980 our group coaching programs. 58 00:03:35,980 --> 00:03:38,340 We meet on Mondays at 6 p.m. 59 00:03:38,340 --> 00:03:40,820 We actually are open to fellows as well. 60 00:03:40,820 --> 00:03:46,860 So if you or someone else you know is looking to have a research coach or a coach who can 61 00:03:46,860 --> 00:03:51,460 really help them move forward as they build their research program, please reach out to 62 00:03:51,460 --> 00:03:52,460 me. 63 00:03:52,460 --> 00:03:56,500 You can find more information on our website, clinicianresearcherpodcast.com, also on our 64 00:03:56,500 --> 00:03:58,380 coaching website, coagcoach.com. 65 00:03:58,380 --> 00:03:59,380 All right. 66 00:03:59,380 --> 00:04:02,460 I'll leave that information in the show notes for you. 67 00:04:02,460 --> 00:04:07,060 But now let's talk about creating a vision or crafting a vision for your research project. 68 00:04:07,060 --> 00:04:08,980 I mean, for your research program. 69 00:04:08,980 --> 00:04:09,980 All right. 70 00:04:09,980 --> 00:04:15,980 So the first thing, the first thing is that you do want to have a vision. 71 00:04:15,980 --> 00:04:18,260 And sometimes it's hard. 72 00:04:18,260 --> 00:04:22,540 It's hard because there's so many people telling you what you should do, what's fundable, what's 73 00:04:22,540 --> 00:04:26,700 not fundable, what makes sense, what doesn't make sense, what they think is ridiculous 74 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:28,620 and what's not ridiculous. 75 00:04:28,620 --> 00:04:33,060 And sometimes you lose yourself in trying to please people like, oh, I can't please 76 00:04:33,060 --> 00:04:37,020 this mentor, but then this mentor is saying something different from that other mentor 77 00:04:37,020 --> 00:04:38,460 and you're stuck. 78 00:04:38,460 --> 00:04:42,780 You're feeling stuck and you just want to do what they tell you because you know you're 79 00:04:42,780 --> 00:04:45,580 going to succeed if you just do what they tell you. 80 00:04:45,580 --> 00:04:48,860 Nevermind you don't want to do any of those things. 81 00:04:48,860 --> 00:04:55,820 And so that's so important in really thinking about, hey, hey, hey, hey, what is it you 82 00:04:55,820 --> 00:04:56,820 want to do? 83 00:04:56,820 --> 00:05:00,260 And I have to tell you for clinicians, it's really hard. 84 00:05:00,260 --> 00:05:04,900 It's really hard because much of our training is to seek external validation for our forward 85 00:05:04,900 --> 00:05:12,460 motion and it's so much easier to be successful with that when you are in residency or when 86 00:05:12,460 --> 00:05:15,940 you're in fellowship because you know what? 87 00:05:15,940 --> 00:05:20,400 Your win that's graduating this program is our win. 88 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:24,740 And so there's alignment between what you want and what the external validation gives 89 00:05:24,740 --> 00:05:25,740 you. 90 00:05:25,740 --> 00:05:30,740 And so as long as you do the things that give you the external validation, you're able to 91 00:05:30,740 --> 00:05:31,740 graduate successfully. 92 00:05:31,740 --> 00:05:32,740 Good for you. 93 00:05:32,740 --> 00:05:38,220 When you become a faculty member and there are so many different voices because there's 94 00:05:38,220 --> 00:05:42,820 not just one goal, you can get some mixed messages. 95 00:05:42,820 --> 00:05:46,620 And so if you're someone who depends on external validation, and to be honest, if you're a 96 00:05:46,620 --> 00:05:51,260 clinician who's gone through any training program, it's been your experience, it's really 97 00:05:51,260 --> 00:05:52,260 hard. 98 00:05:52,260 --> 00:05:54,680 It's really hard to sit and figure out, well, what do I want to do? 99 00:05:54,680 --> 00:06:00,220 Not what everybody's advising that I do, not what the mentor says is absolutely critical 100 00:06:00,220 --> 00:06:02,660 for me to do, but what do I want to do? 101 00:06:02,660 --> 00:06:08,340 Because it may be an absolutely Nobel Prize worthy project, but it's not what you want 102 00:06:08,340 --> 00:06:09,340 to do. 103 00:06:09,340 --> 00:06:14,620 And so you don't want to end up on the podium receiving the Nobel Prize and thinking, why 104 00:06:14,620 --> 00:06:15,620 am I here? 105 00:06:15,620 --> 00:06:17,820 I hate this work. 106 00:06:17,820 --> 00:06:21,940 And just to tell you that most people don't win prizes for work they hate, just so you 107 00:06:21,940 --> 00:06:22,940 know. 108 00:06:22,940 --> 00:06:26,460 Even if it's Nobel Prize worthy work, you hate your work, you're probably not going 109 00:06:26,460 --> 00:06:27,460 to get the Nobel Prize. 110 00:06:27,460 --> 00:06:31,620 Anyway, but just saying that what you love matters because you put in a different kind 111 00:06:31,620 --> 00:06:33,700 of passion, a different kind of energy. 112 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:35,060 It doesn't even feel like working. 113 00:06:35,060 --> 00:06:36,720 You enjoy it so much. 114 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:41,540 And so yes, the first thing you do need to do is have the vision, but not somebody else's 115 00:06:41,540 --> 00:06:42,540 vision. 116 00:06:42,540 --> 00:06:47,060 And this is so critical and why I encourage clinicians, scientists to work with coaches 117 00:06:47,060 --> 00:06:51,780 so that you can clarify your own vision, remove all the baggage of the vision that's other 118 00:06:51,780 --> 00:06:59,460 people's visions and create yours because your vision is the most, most beautiful. 119 00:06:59,460 --> 00:07:01,700 It is the most beautiful vision. 120 00:07:01,700 --> 00:07:04,980 In fact, I'm going to ask you right now with me to close your eyes. 121 00:07:04,980 --> 00:07:09,420 Okay, if you're driving, do not close your eyes, but for everybody else, if you're sitting 122 00:07:09,420 --> 00:07:13,900 and you have a moment, and if you don't have a moment right now, do this later, but close 123 00:07:13,900 --> 00:07:22,940 your eyes and imagine the research you've done or any scholarly work you've done over 124 00:07:22,940 --> 00:07:26,160 the last few years of your career. 125 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:31,300 Think about the ones that gave you pleasure when you wrote the manuscript. 126 00:07:31,300 --> 00:07:37,880 Think about the ones that made you feel extra happy when you presented the abstract. 127 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:42,060 You presented a lot, but this was one that made you feel extra accomplished. 128 00:07:42,060 --> 00:07:45,500 You really felt like good work was done. 129 00:07:45,500 --> 00:07:47,500 Okay. 130 00:07:47,500 --> 00:07:50,940 Now you may have several, just choose one. 131 00:07:50,940 --> 00:07:52,140 Okay. 132 00:07:52,140 --> 00:07:55,260 Now look to the future. 133 00:07:55,260 --> 00:07:58,940 This is a project that you've been working on now for maybe 40 years. 134 00:07:58,940 --> 00:08:00,860 You're 40 years from now. 135 00:08:00,860 --> 00:08:01,860 Look back. 136 00:08:01,860 --> 00:08:02,860 Wow. 137 00:08:02,860 --> 00:08:05,180 Look at all the impact you've made. 138 00:08:05,180 --> 00:08:07,320 What does it look like? 139 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:08,660 What lives are transformed? 140 00:08:08,660 --> 00:08:10,380 What lives are changed? 141 00:08:10,380 --> 00:08:12,940 What are they saying about you in the news? 142 00:08:12,940 --> 00:08:15,580 What awards are you getting for this work? 143 00:08:15,580 --> 00:08:16,580 Imagine it. 144 00:08:16,580 --> 00:08:19,780 There are going to be thoughts that will come to your mind that are not related. 145 00:08:19,780 --> 00:08:20,780 Just let them go. 146 00:08:20,780 --> 00:08:22,100 Now think about it. 147 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:27,100 What are all the awards, all the kudos you're getting about this program of study that you 148 00:08:27,100 --> 00:08:29,900 love, love, love so much? 149 00:08:29,900 --> 00:08:34,740 What are the transformations that are happening in the lives of patients as a result of your 150 00:08:34,740 --> 00:08:37,580 work? 151 00:08:37,580 --> 00:08:42,820 What is the satisfaction you have from seeing mentees in your program? 152 00:08:42,820 --> 00:08:44,700 Can you see it? 153 00:08:44,700 --> 00:08:49,380 Can you see it? 154 00:08:49,380 --> 00:08:57,580 I want you to take time to do this often, to really think about the future of your work. 155 00:08:57,580 --> 00:09:01,700 Sometimes when you're just doing something on a day-to-day basis, you forget the bigger 156 00:09:01,700 --> 00:09:02,700 significance. 157 00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:04,940 You forget how important it really is. 158 00:09:04,940 --> 00:09:10,140 But I do want to invite you to take time periodically to think about what your work is going to 159 00:09:10,140 --> 00:09:13,820 do, whose lives will be transformed. 160 00:09:13,820 --> 00:09:17,380 You want to think about it periodically. 161 00:09:17,380 --> 00:09:23,460 Maybe set a time to do it routinely, set a time to do it on a scheduled basis so that 162 00:09:23,460 --> 00:09:30,500 you're able to remember what vision you want, what you want to create in your program, because 163 00:09:30,500 --> 00:09:36,220 it allows you to continue to head for the North Star, to continue to head for the direction 164 00:09:36,220 --> 00:09:41,600 you set for yourself, the destination you set for yourself, the destination that brings 165 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:48,900 you joy, that makes you feel happy, the destination that brings transformation to the lives of 166 00:09:48,900 --> 00:09:53,140 people who connect with your work one way or the other. 167 00:09:53,140 --> 00:09:56,580 So in order to build vision, you start with what you want, what you want to bring, the 168 00:09:56,580 --> 00:09:58,980 impact you really want to bring. 169 00:09:58,980 --> 00:10:01,140 That's where you start. 170 00:10:01,140 --> 00:10:05,540 And number two, the next step is to create a presentation. 171 00:10:05,540 --> 00:10:10,920 Yes, yes, I'm talking about a PowerPoint or Prezi, whatever presentation you want to do. 172 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,320 Create a presentation to share it with somebody. 173 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,500 Now for me, I just recently did that with my research group. 174 00:10:17,500 --> 00:10:19,700 I said, it's 2024. 175 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:21,740 What is our research direction for the year? 176 00:10:21,740 --> 00:10:23,900 What is the overarching vision? 177 00:10:23,900 --> 00:10:25,020 Where are we going? 178 00:10:25,020 --> 00:10:27,100 What's going to be the end of this program? 179 00:10:27,100 --> 00:10:33,020 And I put together a PowerPoint presentation, not because I don't know where I want to go, 180 00:10:33,020 --> 00:10:37,300 not because I haven't written down for myself or articulated it for myself, but in the very 181 00:10:37,300 --> 00:10:42,600 process of having to explain it to somebody else, you're really solidifying the vision 182 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:44,020 for yourself. 183 00:10:44,020 --> 00:10:48,860 And also, as someone who's leading a research program, and if you are doing research by 184 00:10:48,860 --> 00:10:53,380 yourself, I need to let you know that your research program needs other people in it. 185 00:10:53,380 --> 00:10:55,240 So go out and recruit people. 186 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:58,660 And maybe you start with a med student who's really motivated, or maybe you start with 187 00:10:58,660 --> 00:11:02,020 a resident who really, really wants a publication. 188 00:11:02,020 --> 00:11:03,420 It doesn't matter. 189 00:11:03,420 --> 00:11:05,860 Don't be a lone researcher. 190 00:11:05,860 --> 00:11:06,860 Find a team. 191 00:11:06,860 --> 00:11:11,140 And if you only have two people in your team, you and the other person, yes, still create 192 00:11:11,140 --> 00:11:15,820 this PowerPoint presentation for them so that you can share with them your vision. 193 00:11:15,820 --> 00:11:19,060 The reason it's important is because you're not going to be the one to carry out this 194 00:11:19,060 --> 00:11:20,060 vision. 195 00:11:20,060 --> 00:11:21,060 You have it. 196 00:11:21,060 --> 00:11:22,060 It's so strong. 197 00:11:22,060 --> 00:11:25,080 It's kind of like getting married, for those of you who have the experience. 198 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:26,980 You can plan your wedding. 199 00:11:26,980 --> 00:11:29,060 And wow, you really planned a great wedding. 200 00:11:29,060 --> 00:11:33,320 And then you're going to hand it over to somebody else on the day of because you can't both 201 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:35,660 be planning the wedding while you're in it. 202 00:11:35,660 --> 00:11:39,820 Oh gosh, that's so frustrating. 203 00:11:39,820 --> 00:11:44,980 And so what you really do is before you get to the wedding day, you share your vision 204 00:11:44,980 --> 00:11:49,380 with whoever your planner is so that they can execute your vision while you're on the 205 00:11:49,380 --> 00:11:51,380 dance floor dancing. 206 00:11:51,380 --> 00:11:53,660 That's the same way with your research program. 207 00:11:53,660 --> 00:11:58,220 As much as your vision is great and beautiful, it is not up to you to move it forward. 208 00:11:58,220 --> 00:12:02,100 You can be surrounded by people who are going to move it forward for you. 209 00:12:02,100 --> 00:12:05,820 And in order for them to move it forward in the way you want, you got to cast the vision 210 00:12:05,820 --> 00:12:07,540 so that they can catch it. 211 00:12:07,540 --> 00:12:08,920 You know, it's kind of like fishing. 212 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,340 You cast the bait into the water and then the fish bite and then they decide to either 213 00:12:13,340 --> 00:12:15,100 come with your hook or not. 214 00:12:15,100 --> 00:12:16,820 It's kind of the same thing. 215 00:12:16,820 --> 00:12:19,460 So I want to invite you to create a presentation for them. 216 00:12:19,460 --> 00:12:21,020 But it's not really for them. 217 00:12:21,020 --> 00:12:24,160 It's for you. 218 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:29,140 Because in the process of creating this presentation, in the process of articulating the vision, 219 00:12:29,140 --> 00:12:32,740 what you're doing is making it very clear to yourself where you're going. 220 00:12:32,740 --> 00:12:35,280 You're making it very clear to yourself what you're doing. 221 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:36,460 And that is so powerful. 222 00:12:36,460 --> 00:12:38,300 It's so, so amazing. 223 00:12:38,300 --> 00:12:41,660 So create the presentation and then give the presentation. 224 00:12:41,660 --> 00:12:43,820 Because I have to tell you, I did this recently. 225 00:12:43,820 --> 00:12:47,100 When I gave the presentation, I inspired myself. 226 00:12:47,100 --> 00:12:50,460 You know, you put slides together and you're like, oh, my goodness, I'm putting slides 227 00:12:50,460 --> 00:12:52,860 together and it's almost time. 228 00:12:52,860 --> 00:12:54,660 Don't spend too, too much time on this. 229 00:12:54,660 --> 00:12:58,740 It doesn't have to be a perfect presentation, but definitely give it. 230 00:12:58,740 --> 00:13:01,860 What you'll find is not just a science presentation. 231 00:13:01,860 --> 00:13:02,860 It's you. 232 00:13:02,860 --> 00:13:03,860 It's what you want to do. 233 00:13:03,860 --> 00:13:04,860 It's what you want to see accomplished. 234 00:13:04,860 --> 00:13:07,620 It's where you're going in the future. 235 00:13:07,620 --> 00:13:11,340 You're going to give the presentation and you're going to inspire yourself. 236 00:13:11,340 --> 00:13:15,200 And at the end of it, you're going to say, wow, this is great work. 237 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:20,140 And it's so important to be able to do that amidst so many rejections that keep coming 238 00:13:20,140 --> 00:13:25,100 out the woodworks from manuscripts you've submitted or from funding applications you've 239 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:26,100 submitted. 240 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:31,500 But to remind yourself of why you're doing this work, it gives you energy to get up and 241 00:13:31,500 --> 00:13:32,500 go again. 242 00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:33,500 It gives you energy. 243 00:13:33,500 --> 00:13:37,580 It allows you to remember why and it helps you move forward. 244 00:13:37,580 --> 00:13:38,580 It gets you through. 245 00:13:38,580 --> 00:13:44,380 So you want to create the presentation and then you want to give the presentation. 246 00:13:44,380 --> 00:13:49,400 You want to make sure that you enjoy giving the presentation because the vision that you 247 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:53,580 share with others will also inspire you. 248 00:13:53,580 --> 00:14:00,100 And the other thing you do, number four, is to lay out the publication and the funding 249 00:14:00,100 --> 00:14:01,100 plan. 250 00:14:01,100 --> 00:14:02,100 Yes. 251 00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:03,100 So here's your vision. 252 00:14:03,100 --> 00:14:04,780 Here's where you want to go. 253 00:14:04,780 --> 00:14:10,140 And let's focus now on the year 2024, on the couple of months ahead. 254 00:14:10,140 --> 00:14:13,420 What do we want to see published in this area? 255 00:14:13,420 --> 00:14:18,060 Now, you may not yet have done any of the work that allows you to say, oh, yeah, the 256 00:14:18,060 --> 00:14:19,060 results are in. 257 00:14:19,060 --> 00:14:20,060 It'll be published next week. 258 00:14:20,060 --> 00:14:21,060 You may not have done it. 259 00:14:21,060 --> 00:14:25,580 Just say, what needs to be published in this area in which I've chosen? 260 00:14:25,580 --> 00:14:26,740 What is still outstanding? 261 00:14:26,740 --> 00:14:28,180 What do we still not know? 262 00:14:28,180 --> 00:14:29,960 And lay it out. 263 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:34,580 What can we contribute as a research group over the next six months, over the next 12 264 00:14:34,580 --> 00:14:35,580 months? 265 00:14:35,580 --> 00:14:36,820 Lay it out for yourself. 266 00:14:36,820 --> 00:14:39,380 And then don't just lay out your publication plan. 267 00:14:39,380 --> 00:14:42,420 Lay out your funding plan as well. 268 00:14:42,420 --> 00:14:48,340 Now sometimes if you're like me, you just wait till someone sends a funding opportunity 269 00:14:48,340 --> 00:14:49,340 your way. 270 00:14:49,340 --> 00:14:51,220 Oh my gosh, that looks like a great idea. 271 00:14:51,220 --> 00:14:52,220 I'll apply for it. 272 00:14:52,220 --> 00:14:53,460 Oops, the deadline is six weeks from now. 273 00:14:53,460 --> 00:14:54,460 Better go strong. 274 00:14:54,460 --> 00:14:55,460 Don't do that. 275 00:14:55,460 --> 00:15:03,660 Start at the very beginning of the year and say, what are potential funders for our programs? 276 00:15:03,660 --> 00:15:08,780 And by laying out your vision, it gives you more clarity about who is more aligned with 277 00:15:08,780 --> 00:15:09,780 your vision. 278 00:15:09,780 --> 00:15:13,740 Because I have to tell you, one of the things you'll find out is that the people who you 279 00:15:13,740 --> 00:15:16,660 hope would be aligned cannot always align. 280 00:15:16,660 --> 00:15:20,940 But clarifying the vision allows you to find people who also have the same vision. 281 00:15:20,940 --> 00:15:27,020 And for many of us clinician researchers, it's foundations, it's groups, it's societies 282 00:15:27,020 --> 00:15:30,580 that start out funding your work and it's okay. 283 00:15:30,580 --> 00:15:35,620 Sometimes in academia, we like to talk about the hierarchy of funding and it's like all 284 00:15:35,620 --> 00:15:36,620 things. 285 00:15:36,620 --> 00:15:42,220 If it brings in more money, it feels like it's bigger or it's more prominent on the 286 00:15:42,220 --> 00:15:43,500 hierarchy. 287 00:15:43,500 --> 00:15:46,380 But for you, your goal is not hierarchy. 288 00:15:46,380 --> 00:15:48,740 Don't get carried away by hierarchy. 289 00:15:48,740 --> 00:15:52,460 You want to make sure that your program is funded. 290 00:15:52,460 --> 00:15:58,100 And if there is a hierarchical funder who somehow does not align with your project, 291 00:15:58,100 --> 00:15:59,980 find the person who does. 292 00:15:59,980 --> 00:16:01,260 Find the person who does. 293 00:16:01,260 --> 00:16:06,740 So part of laying out your plan for submissions for the year is to say, who are the people 294 00:16:06,740 --> 00:16:07,740 who are aligned? 295 00:16:07,740 --> 00:16:09,940 And when are their major deadlines coming out? 296 00:16:09,940 --> 00:16:11,660 And then you're going to map it out. 297 00:16:11,660 --> 00:16:16,380 You're going to give yourself time between one grant and the next grant and the next 298 00:16:16,380 --> 00:16:17,380 grant. 299 00:16:17,380 --> 00:16:20,860 You're not going to try to do it all at once and you're going to decide, okay, I'm going 300 00:16:20,860 --> 00:16:23,540 to apply to this funder and they seem to emphasize X. 301 00:16:23,540 --> 00:16:26,780 Why don't I emphasize this piece of my project for them? 302 00:16:26,780 --> 00:16:30,780 And then for that funder, I'm going to lay out, I'm going to submit to this funder, they 303 00:16:30,780 --> 00:16:32,260 seem to emphasize this. 304 00:16:32,260 --> 00:16:33,980 I'm going to emphasize this for them. 305 00:16:33,980 --> 00:16:38,900 And so what you're doing is you're building one big grant, an overarching grant that has 306 00:16:38,900 --> 00:16:41,060 several components to it. 307 00:16:41,060 --> 00:16:46,140 You're going to allow this one grant to pay itself or to pay for itself over and over 308 00:16:46,140 --> 00:16:50,140 again, not because you're submitting the same grant to the same program or the same grant 309 00:16:50,140 --> 00:16:54,100 and you're just recycling it and sending it elsewhere, but because you're taking one big 310 00:16:54,100 --> 00:16:58,860 grant and you're shaping it a little bit and it's different enough to go somewhere and 311 00:16:58,860 --> 00:16:59,980 then shaping it a little bit more. 312 00:16:59,980 --> 00:17:01,300 It's different enough to go somewhere else. 313 00:17:01,300 --> 00:17:04,620 So that when you're funded, you want to be optimistic here. 314 00:17:04,620 --> 00:17:05,820 You send out good work. 315 00:17:05,820 --> 00:17:08,660 Ultimately, eventually, you're going to get funded. 316 00:17:08,660 --> 00:17:11,460 You don't want to have to say, oh, well, I turned down this money because it was the 317 00:17:11,460 --> 00:17:13,260 exact same grant. 318 00:17:13,260 --> 00:17:14,780 And that's a strategy that people do. 319 00:17:14,780 --> 00:17:17,580 And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the strategy of submitting the same grant 320 00:17:17,580 --> 00:17:19,580 to different organizations. 321 00:17:19,580 --> 00:17:24,780 It's probably the most efficient way, but also think about how do you take one grant, 322 00:17:24,780 --> 00:17:30,100 reshape it significantly, change the aims, keep the background the same and allow that 323 00:17:30,100 --> 00:17:32,460 grant to move forward in support of you. 324 00:17:32,460 --> 00:17:36,820 So anyway, lay out the funding plan so that you're not surprised, you're not trying to 325 00:17:36,820 --> 00:17:41,580 scramble and lay out the publication plan as well so that you can get your team going 326 00:17:41,580 --> 00:17:45,940 and understanding what you want to produce at the end of this year. 327 00:17:45,940 --> 00:17:50,420 And what happens is the moment you lay it out, the moment you lay out the plan, wow, 328 00:17:50,420 --> 00:17:54,180 you start working towards it because it's so clear, so clear where you're going. 329 00:17:54,180 --> 00:17:56,340 And that clarity is really powerful. 330 00:17:56,340 --> 00:17:59,140 So I encourage you to gain that clarity for yourself. 331 00:17:59,140 --> 00:18:00,140 All right. 332 00:18:00,140 --> 00:18:04,540 The fifth thing I want to share is that you want to eliminate vision killers. 333 00:18:04,540 --> 00:18:07,940 You know, there are just some people and they're so awesome. 334 00:18:07,940 --> 00:18:12,420 I mean, there's so many people in academia who are so brilliant and they don't always 335 00:18:12,420 --> 00:18:17,300 know how to, you know, preserve the vision. 336 00:18:17,300 --> 00:18:21,260 And sometimes you'll share something and they'll say, that is the most ridiculous thing I've 337 00:18:21,260 --> 00:18:25,500 ever heard. 338 00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:29,300 Those people exist and some of them are your mentors and some of them you'd like very much, 339 00:18:29,300 --> 00:18:33,260 but you know, the moment you present this, they're going to shoot it down. 340 00:18:33,260 --> 00:18:39,220 So what you want to do, what you want to do is you want to minimize vision killers. 341 00:18:39,220 --> 00:18:40,220 How do you minimize them? 342 00:18:40,220 --> 00:18:43,940 Well, it doesn't mean you don't present to them, but it means you're selective in your 343 00:18:43,940 --> 00:18:44,940 presentation. 344 00:18:44,940 --> 00:18:45,940 You're selective. 345 00:18:45,940 --> 00:18:47,940 You're not giving them the whole big picture. 346 00:18:47,940 --> 00:18:50,220 They don't need the whole big picture. 347 00:18:50,220 --> 00:18:54,860 You can just say, hey, here's a list of publications I have planned for this year. 348 00:18:54,860 --> 00:18:55,860 Here are the list of grants. 349 00:18:55,860 --> 00:18:58,060 And you can just lay it out. 350 00:18:58,060 --> 00:19:00,820 This is not the passion, the vision that you have before you. 351 00:19:00,820 --> 00:19:03,420 It's just, hey, this is what I'm going to do. 352 00:19:03,420 --> 00:19:05,660 And that usually satisfies them. 353 00:19:05,660 --> 00:19:09,660 But whatever you have to do, you're someone who's very creative. 354 00:19:09,660 --> 00:19:15,540 You can think about how best to manage people who may not support you when you share big 355 00:19:15,540 --> 00:19:16,540 visions with them. 356 00:19:16,540 --> 00:19:20,540 And you want to mark who they are and you want to be selective about what you share 357 00:19:20,540 --> 00:19:22,260 so that they don't bring down your vision. 358 00:19:22,260 --> 00:19:24,140 Because here's the thing about the vision. 359 00:19:24,140 --> 00:19:27,560 It's not just about articulating the goals of your research program. 360 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:33,100 It's about building the faith in you to keep going when it gets really hard. 361 00:19:33,100 --> 00:19:34,580 That's what this is about. 362 00:19:34,580 --> 00:19:38,380 It's about building the faith in your team so that even when it gets hard, they know 363 00:19:38,380 --> 00:19:40,100 exactly where they're going. 364 00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:44,060 They know where they need to be putting their efforts. 365 00:19:44,060 --> 00:19:45,980 Casting vision is about building faith. 366 00:19:45,980 --> 00:19:49,820 Faith is the only thing that gets us to where we want to go. 367 00:19:49,820 --> 00:19:54,820 Because when you believe you can't, no matter how hard it is, you make it happen. 368 00:19:54,820 --> 00:20:00,060 And when you believe you can't, no matter how easy it is, you will always find obstacles 369 00:20:00,060 --> 00:20:04,460 in your way because they're obstacles you bring with you because you don't believe it's 370 00:20:04,460 --> 00:20:05,740 possible. 371 00:20:05,740 --> 00:20:10,120 And so I want to encourage you this week, if you've never done this for your research 372 00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:15,060 program, to just set a date and say, I'm going to give a presentation on this date about 373 00:20:15,060 --> 00:20:17,660 the overarching goals of my research program. 374 00:20:17,660 --> 00:20:21,020 Don't invite anybody who is in the hierarchy. 375 00:20:21,020 --> 00:20:22,460 Don't invite a mentor. 376 00:20:22,460 --> 00:20:25,420 Don't invite senior people or even your peers. 377 00:20:25,420 --> 00:20:28,420 Or you can invite your peers if you feel safe. 378 00:20:28,420 --> 00:20:30,220 But show it to the people who are going to do the work. 379 00:20:30,220 --> 00:20:33,660 So I'm talking about the people who are going to help you move this work forward. 380 00:20:33,660 --> 00:20:36,780 And maybe it's the med student who just joined your lab last semester. 381 00:20:36,780 --> 00:20:37,780 I don't know. 382 00:20:37,780 --> 00:20:40,540 But there are people who are going to help you move this work forward. 383 00:20:40,540 --> 00:20:44,020 Those are the people to whom I want you to share your vision with this week. 384 00:20:44,020 --> 00:20:45,220 And then I want you to come tell me. 385 00:20:45,220 --> 00:20:46,900 Tell me what they say. 386 00:20:46,900 --> 00:20:47,900 Tell me about it. 387 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:48,900 All right. 388 00:20:48,900 --> 00:20:53,100 And then actually tell me how you feel, not what they say, but how you feel having done 389 00:20:53,100 --> 00:20:57,420 that and how much more clarity you have concerning your research program. 390 00:20:57,420 --> 00:20:58,420 All right. 391 00:20:58,420 --> 00:20:59,780 It's been a pleasure to talk with you. 392 00:20:59,780 --> 00:21:01,180 Thank you so much for listening. 393 00:21:01,180 --> 00:21:11,020 I look forward to talking with you again the next time. 394 00:21:11,020 --> 00:21:16,380 Thanks for listening to this episode of the Clinician Researcher Podcast, where academic 395 00:21:16,380 --> 00:21:21,780 clinicians learn the skills to build their own research program, whether or not they 396 00:21:21,780 --> 00:21:23,180 have a mentor. 397 00:21:23,180 --> 00:21:29,140 If you found the information in this episode to be helpful, don't keep it all to yourself. 398 00:21:29,140 --> 00:21:31,020 Someone else needs to hear it. 399 00:21:31,020 --> 00:21:35,080 So take a minute right now and share it. 400 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:40,540 As you share this episode, you become part of our mission to help launch a new generation 401 00:21:40,540 --> 00:21:46,300 of clinician researchers who make transformative discoveries that change the way we do healthcare. 402 00:21:46,300 --> 00:21:47,300 Thank you. 403 00:21:47,300 --> 00:22:13,080 I hope you found the武器艺术语