Revised: May 10, 2005

1. The Committee for Residents' Research (CRR) will be comprised of all OB/GYN faculty and will meet seven times annually. Faculty members serving as mentors for ongoing Resident research projects will be considered de facto committee members. The Resident Coordinator will serve as an ex officio member. Minutes will be circulated to committee members, other faculty, and the department chair.
   
   Projected Meeting Dates:
   
   

   April		July
   May		November
   June		December
   		February

2. In April, residents graduating in the current year (June) will be reminded by memo, that research papers (in OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY style) must be typed, figures and tables appended, approved by their faculty mentor and turned in to the Chairman's Office by a specified date in mid April. If the assistance of office staff members is required for the preparation of figures or typing of manuscripts, legible copy must be received by staff, a minimum of seven working days prior to the designated date. Fourth-year Residents will also be reminded that staff assistance in computer slide design must be solicited by them at this time. Also at this time, a timetable concerning responsibilities for completing their upcoming projects will be circulated to Second-year Residents. They will be reminded that they must submit the name of their proposed mentor and project title to the CRR and complete an online certification for Tulane researchers by May 1st. A list of potential faculty mentors (with proposed projects) will be posted and circulated among Second-year Residents. It will be made clear to Residents, however, that original ideas for projects are encouraged and individual faculty members should be approached by Residents concerning their sponsorship of such projects. No faculty member will be allowed to serve as primary mentor for more than two Residents of a single class, although collaborative assistance among faculty is encouraged. Second-year Residents will be instructed that following their selection of projects and mentors, they will be responsible for submitting (following the advice of their mentor) IRB applications to appropriate institutional boards by July 1st. The Resident Coordinator will reserve a facility and make preparations (refreshments, audio-visual equipment, etc.) in early March for presentations at the annual TOGAS meeting in late April or early June.
    
3. In May, projects proposed by Second-year Residents prior to the May 1st deadline will undergo faculty review at this meeting.
    
4. In early June, the CRR will meet to assess progress made by Second-year Residents and faculty mentors planning research in the coming year. Discussion/review of these projects should be completed at this meeting. Second-year Residents will be reminded that their IRB applications must be submitted by July 1st.
   
5. In July, the CRR will meet to insure that all of the new Third-year Residents have been paired with faculty mentors, that IRB applications have been filed and that proposed projects are underway. A memo will be sent to all Third-year Residents, informing them that they will make a 5 minute oral presentation at OB/GYN Grand Rounds in September to introduce their project, outline early progress and solicit assistance and suggestions from faculty and peers necessary for the success of their research.
   
6. In November, the CRR will meet to assess Residents' progress on proposed projects. A memo will be sent to all Fourth-year Residents reminding them that they must submit a written progress report (approved by their faculty mentor) to the CRR via the Resident Coordinator by December 1 st . This report must contain information concerning: data collected to date, feasibility of project completion and a plan for the remaining time to be spent on the project. A memo will be sent to all Fourth-year Residents, informing them that they will make a five minute oral presentation at OB/GYN Grand Rounds in early February to report on progress with their research project, anticipated results and outlook for successful completion. Fourth-year Residents will also be reminded that they will submit written Introductions (literature review with bibliography) and Materials & Methods for their project, to their faculty mentors at that time, the receipt of which will be required for continuation of their project.
   
7. In December, the CRR will meet to review Fourth-year Residents' progress reports and make recommendations (if needed) to Residents and mentors.
   
8. In February, the CRR will meet to review Residents' progress. Memos will be sent to Fourth-year Residents, reminding them of the mid April deadline for manuscripts. A copy of these guidelines and a memo to Second-year Residents, reminding them of their May 1st deadline for declaring projects/mentors, will also be sent. Ideas for potential Resident projects will be solicited, by memo, from OB/GYN faculty and distributed to First- and Second-year Residents. They will also be informed that they must successfully complete the learning session for investigators (with examination) on the TUHSC Committee on Use of Human Subjects website.