Expert Strategies for Achieving Success in Medical Research in Otolaryngology

Dr. Carlson begins the episode by describing how one can approach scholarly activity so that research is genuinely an enjoyable pursuit. Dr. Carlson emphasizes organization throughout all stages, from idea generation to project management. The work of a diverse team – in terms of individual background, skills, and seniority – helps guide good ideas to publication. With this setup, research mirrors medicine’s chain of command: residents mentor medical students on a day-to-day basis, and principal investigators are able to manage on a high level. Both surgeons agree that the skills of statisticians and institutional research coordinators are indispensable for ensuring data quality and working with the IRB, respectively.

Next, Drs. Kutz and Carlson dive deeper into the research process. Dr. Carlson starts projects by diving into PubMed and identifying how his project can address yet-unanswered questions. Drs. Carlson and Kutz discuss resources they employ to insure data and manuscript integrity. Regardless of the manuscript’s topic, clarity of style and good grammar are non-negotiable. From the perspective of a researcher and reviewer, Dr. Carlson finds that sloppy writing leads one to question whether data analysis is similarly disorganized.

Then, Dr. Carlson explains how his research group manages to publish, on average, one manuscript a week. He attributes this productivity to organization, clear expectations for all involved, and genuine enthusiasm for investigation all contribute to this impressive statistic. Dr. Kutz comments that output is better when trainees are encouraged, rather than mandated, to take on research projects. Finally, Drs. Kutz and Carlson discuss how artificial intelligence and open-access journals could alter the research landscape in the near future. As a parting thought, Dr. Carlson encourages listeners to build a good team and be generous with mentees.