Back at the conference center, we had a boxed lunch with round table discussions about applying for grants, work–life balance, and collaborations. The afternoon’s activities consisted of talks related to research opportunities and sources of funding for young researchers, including tips about securing federal and state grants. The dynamic Peter Merkel, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, presented some sage advice on how to achieve success with your grant application.
The next speaker, Bevra Hahn, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the division of rheumatology at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, was very inspirational. Her talk was warm, relevant, and focused on time management while facing career choices. She recommended that we never should feel guilty about the choices we make, since we do not have time for guilt. While discussing the career and lifestyle issues of working women, Dr. Hahn referenced the recent biographical publication of Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg. While it is difficult for me to relate to the likes of Sandberg, I understand that she has faced, on perhaps a different scale, many of the same issues dealt with by me and other working women, and I certainly was impressed with the wisdom of Dr. Hahn.
The final presentation, by Louis Bridges, MD, professor of medicine and director of the division of clinical immunology and rheumatology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, was unforgettable. He recalled his beginnings as a research-oriented fellow. Even though the clinical part of the program was short one fellow, the supervisor made efforts to preserve the time necessary for Dr. Bridges to continue his research. As the current chair of his division, Dr. Bridges assured us that most medical supervisors want their staff to be happy and successful, because satisfied employees work hard and generate income.
Overall, I found this meeting a very noteworthy and fulfilling endeavor. Though I left without a prize for my poster, I honestly feel that everybody who attended this workshop was rewarded. I was fortunate to get to meet many of our leaders who author the texts we read and lead the studies that help unravel the puzzles in rheumatology.
Dr. Gilek-Seibert, MD, is a rheumatology fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
