DFPM research faculty and staff attended regional and national research conferences during the fall semester. Attendees shared their findings, and continued to build the reputation of the department within the national and international research community.
In late September, Danielle Plank, Anne Randall, and Maude Romney attended a regional conference hosted by the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) in Anchorage, Alaska. NCURA provides research administrators the opportunity to network with other research colleagues and stay up-to-date with the constantly changing nature of managing research grants and projects.
In Anchorage, Plank, Randall, and Romney joined research administrators and staff from across the region to network and learn about resources that enhance the effectiveness of research operations.
Grants and Contracts Manager Danielle Plank attended a panel about Certified Research Administrators (CRA) Study Groups and formed a CRA study group with other attendees from universities in Utah. “The study group helps expand our network and gives us new perspectives on solving problems,” said Plank.
The conference was also a time for sharing innovations happening at DFPM with others. During a panel about synergy between research administration and research development, Plank expressed her admiration for the effective functioning of DFPM. “Our department is unique because research administration and research development work together well. We’re able to present collaborative ideas to our counterparts and celebrate the success of our initiatives,” said Plank.
NCURA was not the only conference attended by DFPM researchers in fall 2023.
In early November, 12 members of DFPM research staff, Family Medicine faculty, and trainees attended the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) conference. Family Medicine researchers gathered in San Francisco, California to present cutting-edge research projects and initiatives from clinics and institutions worldwide.
DFPM participants made a sizeable contribution to NAPCRG, sharing a total of 16 presentations with more than 20 authors, including posters, oral sessions, and workshops, that ranged across diverse disciplines important to family medicine.
Department contributions began even before the conference. José Rodríguez, MD and Melanie Steiner, PhD participated in the National Family Medicine Research Summit where 160 Family Medicine physicians and researchers collaborated to create a strategic research plan to revolutionize the field.
The benefits of NAPCRG extend beyond the high visibility it gives to the excellent employees and the research work of the department. Those attending the conference learned about innovations being practiced across the world, with the potential benefit for enhancing the research taking place here in Utah.
Research Manager Eliza Taylor particularly appreciated the opportunity to network with counterparts and gain insights into their research and methodologies. “After returning from the conference I felt a sense of invigoration and I’m inspired to try new things to uphold the mission of research at DFPM,” says Taylor.
Conferences like NCRUA and NAPCRG are an important part of the department’s mission and development. DFPM’s participation in conferences keeps our faculty and staff up to date with the latest developments in research and medicine, and strengthens the department’s mission to expand the possibilities of health.
Have you presented or attended a conference recently? The department would like to highlight the work being done by DFPM researchers. Let us know!