The benefits of research focus

100:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,860Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast, where academic clinicians learn the skills200:00:05,860 --> 00:00:11,260to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor.300:00:11,260 --> 00:00:17,340As clinicians, we spend a decade or more as trainees learning to take care of patients.400:00:17,340 --> 00:00:22,380When we finally start our careers, we want to build research programs, but then we find500:00:22,380 --> 00:00:27,780that our years of clinical training did not adequately prepare us to lead our research600:00:27,780 --> 00:00:29,200program.700:00:29,200 --> 00:00:35,480Through no fault of our own, we struggle to find mentors, and when we can't, we quit.800:00:35,480 --> 00:00:40,580However, clinicians hold the keys to the greatest research breakthroughs.900:00:40,580 --> 00:00:46,200For this reason, the Clinician Researcher podcast exists to give academic clinicians1000:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,800the tools to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor.1100:00:51,800 --> 00:01:01,040Now introducing your host, Toyosi Onwuemene.1200:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,080Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast.1300:01:03,080 --> 00:01:07,680I'm your host, Toyosi Onwuemene, and it's a pleasure to be talking with you today.1400:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,400Thank you so much for tuning in and listening.1500:01:10,400 --> 00:01:16,480Today we're talking about the benefits of research focus, and the reason I want to talk1600:01:16,480 --> 00:01:22,440to you about this today is because the last couple of weeks, I've been in what I call1700:01:22,440 --> 00:01:23,440a grant writing vortex.1800:01:23,440 --> 00:01:28,240You know when you have a number of grant submissions and you're doing back-to-back submissions?1900:01:28,240 --> 00:01:33,600I imagine you've either been there or have witnessed someone who's done that, and I will2000:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,400tell you that it really does feel like a vortex.2100:01:36,400 --> 00:01:41,600I probably have upward of 200 emails that I still need to go back and process, but one2200:01:41,600 --> 00:01:47,200of the things that was so helpful in the place of writing these three grants is that even2300:01:47,200 --> 00:01:52,040though it really did take a lot to pull these grants together, one thing that was helpful2400:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,080was that the grants were all along the same theme, and so I wasn't submitting the same2500:01:56,080 --> 00:01:57,740grant over and over again.2600:01:57,740 --> 00:02:02,120It really was a different grant each time, but it was all in the same theme, in the same2700:02:02,120 --> 00:02:07,960disease space, in the same area of disease focus, and so I'm interested in thrombotic2800:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,800thermocytopenic perfora and bringing patients to early diagnosis.2900:02:11,800 --> 00:02:19,880I'm a health services researcher, and I was able to kind of with the same patient population3000:02:19,880 --> 00:02:24,960and with the same focus write three separate grants, and it was cool to be able to do that,3100:02:24,960 --> 00:02:32,760and I recognized in doing that the advantage of research focus.3200:02:32,760 --> 00:02:38,240I don't know about you, but a lot of times kind of over the course of my evolution, still3300:02:38,240 --> 00:02:43,440evolving as a clinician scientist, mentors would say, you've got to choose one thing3400:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,720and focus like a laser, and you know how hard it is to focus?3500:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,360I'm an internist, right?3600:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,480I as an internal medicine physician, I love so many things.3700:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,040I didn't subspecialized right away.3800:02:55,040 --> 00:03:00,040I didn't subspecialize right away because I love internal medicine, and many of us are3900:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,360interested in many things, and it's like how can we do just one?4000:03:04,360 --> 00:03:10,600And so the whole recommendation to focus is hard, but I understood its benefits with these4100:03:10,600 --> 00:03:15,040last three submissions, and I just want to share with you why you should also consider4200:03:15,040 --> 00:03:19,280choosing only one area of focus in your research program.4300:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,600Okay, so I have five reasons.4400:03:22,600 --> 00:03:28,800The very first one I want to share is the depth of expertise that you can have.4500:03:28,800 --> 00:03:35,000The more you specialize, the deeper you go, the more you know, the more you become the4600:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,120expert in this one space.4700:03:39,120 --> 00:03:47,720And it is so helpful because it means you're not always having to go looking for new information.4800:03:47,720 --> 00:03:52,620Every time you have to create a new grant or create a new presentation in an area that's4900:03:52,620 --> 00:03:57,640outside of your focus, it takes a long time to do that because you have to go read the5000:03:57,640 --> 00:04:02,680literature and then you have to see, well, what's new and what is the gap.5100:04:02,680 --> 00:04:08,240The more you work in one area, the more you understand the area, the more you understand5200:04:08,240 --> 00:04:17,240the nuances, the more you understand the gaps that need to be filled, and it just becomes5300:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,880easier to grow your expertise in this space.5400:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,200And so it's one of those things where the more you put in effort, the more grants you5500:04:25,200 --> 00:04:32,080write out of this research focus, the more papers you write out of this research focus,5600:04:32,080 --> 00:04:38,160the more presentations come out of this research focus, the more understanding you have about5700:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,280this one subject matter.5800:04:41,280 --> 00:04:46,160And for this reason, whenever somebody has a question in this one area, you're the go-to5900:04:46,160 --> 00:04:51,080person because, hey, it's pretty much all that you do.6000:04:51,080 --> 00:04:58,000And so there's value to having that deep level of expertise in one subject.6100:04:58,000 --> 00:05:03,680And yes, you may feel like, oh, but that's so boring, but every area is so deep.6200:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,540It's like you skin the surface or you go really deep.6300:05:07,540 --> 00:05:14,680It really gives you permission and opportunity to go deep into one area, and there's so much6400:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,640opportunity in that.6500:05:16,640 --> 00:05:22,960And so if you are someone who's thinking about why focus in one research field, one benefit6600:05:22,960 --> 00:05:28,980is the depth of expertise that you develop, which makes it easier to continue to produce6700:05:28,980 --> 00:05:33,080things along the area of your research expertise.6800:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,000So that's another thing.6900:05:35,000 --> 00:05:42,400The second thing I would say is that it helps you to have very clear goals, clarity, such7000:05:42,400 --> 00:05:43,400clarity.7100:05:43,400 --> 00:05:50,760And clarity is important if you're ever going to propose some work.7200:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,480You're going to write a grant proposal.7300:05:52,480 --> 00:05:56,840If you are so clear on what you're doing and where you're going, it's easier to make it7400:05:56,840 --> 00:06:00,280obvious to the person who's reading your grant that you are clear.7500:06:00,280 --> 00:06:03,160They can see where you're going because you can see where you're going.7600:06:03,160 --> 00:06:04,680If you're fuzzy, they're fuzzy.7700:06:04,680 --> 00:06:09,200And the reason they're fuzzy is because, well, if you're fuzzy, then you can't present a7800:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,560clear picture of where you're going.7900:06:11,560 --> 00:06:16,480And so the ability to focus in one area allows you to think about that area over and over8000:06:16,480 --> 00:06:22,140and over again until you get to a point of clarity of how you want to contribute, how8100:06:22,140 --> 00:06:26,160you want to take the gaps and fill them, and what it leads you to.8200:06:26,160 --> 00:06:27,160What's the next step?8300:06:27,160 --> 00:06:28,240And what's the next step?8400:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,280What's the next step after that?8500:06:30,280 --> 00:06:36,400And it allows you to set priorities, to plan the studies that you're going to do or the8600:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,600experiments, and it allows you to measure progress really well.8700:06:39,600 --> 00:06:44,160You're just very clear because it's like this is the one area of focus.8800:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,640Okay, there might be different things within this area of focus, but there's only one direction8900:06:48,640 --> 00:06:50,120in which we're going.9000:06:50,120 --> 00:06:54,400There's one big outcome that we're trying to get to, and it just allows you to have9100:06:54,400 --> 00:06:55,400that clarity.9200:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,240And I have to tell you that clarity is a gift in life.9300:06:58,240 --> 00:07:03,360For you to have clarity on where you're going is so powerful because when you know where9400:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,580you're going, then you can set the direction.9500:07:05,580 --> 00:07:06,920It's like a GPS.9600:07:06,920 --> 00:07:13,100You put in the address of where you're going, and yeah, you could take maybe three ways9700:07:13,100 --> 00:07:15,920to get there, but there are only three ways to get there.9800:07:15,920 --> 00:07:17,920There's not three million ways to get there.9900:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,440Now three million ways, super confusing.10000:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,320Three or four, you can do that.10100:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,400And so it just helps you have clarity.10200:07:24,400 --> 00:07:30,000The moment you have a focus, you know exactly where you're going, it really gives you clarity.10300:07:30,000 --> 00:07:34,680And when you have clarity, you can share your clarity with others, and they're able to see10400:07:34,680 --> 00:07:39,800where you're going and hopefully fund your grant.10500:07:39,800 --> 00:07:43,240The third reason is the ability to have impact.10600:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,880It is the ability to have impact.10700:07:45,880 --> 00:07:53,480So if you publish one paper in one area, it's one paper and it's valuable, you know, and10800:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,900thank you very much for your contribution.10900:07:55,900 --> 00:08:01,540The more you publish in that space, the more you have impact because you are creating the11000:08:01,540 --> 00:08:04,260body of literature that defines that space.11100:08:04,260 --> 00:08:08,080And so that allows you to really, really have impact.11200:08:08,080 --> 00:08:15,080That allows you to really move your work forward in a way that gives you increased stability,11300:08:15,080 --> 00:08:21,260that allows you to build collaborations, and allows you to disseminate and apply your findings.11400:08:21,260 --> 00:08:28,220So the more you are focused in one area, the more, you know, a couple of the experiments11500:08:28,220 --> 00:08:32,080or a couple of your studies really move the field forward, as opposed to just kind of11600:08:32,080 --> 00:08:39,800like a one-time study that you do, which can still be important and significant, but it's11700:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,440nowhere near the same as doing multiple studies in one area.11800:08:43,440 --> 00:08:47,920It really allows your findings to go so much further.11900:08:47,920 --> 00:08:53,120And so the power of focus in your research program allows you to have increased impact12000:08:53,120 --> 00:08:56,400in just one space where it's measurable.12100:08:56,400 --> 00:09:00,200People can say, wow, this is what you've done because you've done multiple things in this12200:09:00,200 --> 00:09:01,760one area.12300:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,600So the benefit of focus is the fact that it gives you increased impact.12400:09:06,600 --> 00:09:07,600Okay.12500:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,520Another thing is it allows you to be efficient.12600:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,780Hmm, I love this one, efficiency.12700:09:13,780 --> 00:09:18,360So one thing that you want to do, and I hope you're able to do, is align your clinical12800:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,700work with your clinical research focus or with your research focus.12900:09:22,700 --> 00:09:26,520And it's so helpful because when you see patients, you're thinking about your research.13000:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,940When you're doing your research, you're thinking about your patients, and they build on top13100:09:29,940 --> 00:09:31,040of each other.13200:09:31,040 --> 00:09:36,000It means every clinical experience you have in this space benefits your research, and13300:09:36,000 --> 00:09:41,680it means every research activity you do benefits your clinical work.13400:09:41,680 --> 00:09:44,020And so they build on top of each other.13500:09:44,020 --> 00:09:50,080It allows your effort to go further because you're not divided between different spaces.13600:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,860And so it helps you be super efficient.13700:09:53,860 --> 00:09:59,040You can build on your prior work, and over time, you're accumulating knowledge and data13800:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,000that's always relevant, that's always helpful.13900:10:02,000 --> 00:10:07,880And even when your progress seems tiny, even when it seems incremental, over time, it's14000:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,200like a snowball.14100:10:10,200 --> 00:10:15,800It has just very, very, very small growth, and then it expands, and it really, really14200:10:15,800 --> 00:10:16,800compounds.14300:10:16,800 --> 00:10:18,560It's like compound interest.14400:10:18,560 --> 00:10:23,640And so the fact that you're able to focus in one space and move one foot forward in14500:10:23,640 --> 00:10:30,000front of the other allows you to really become efficient, and it allows you to compound the14600:10:30,000 --> 00:10:31,680effects of your knowledge.14700:10:31,680 --> 00:10:35,600So it really helps you become efficient.14800:10:35,600 --> 00:10:37,080And that's even...14900:10:37,080 --> 00:10:38,600Actually, that's my next one.15000:10:38,600 --> 00:10:39,600Sorry.15100:10:39,600 --> 00:10:40,960I was jumping ahead of myself there.15200:10:40,960 --> 00:10:45,360Number five is that it makes grant proposals easier to write.15300:10:45,360 --> 00:10:46,360Okay.15400:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,000So why is it easier to write?15500:10:48,000 --> 00:10:55,840Well, if I'm writing about TTP, and then I go to write the next grant, a lot of the stuff15600:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,240is still relevant.15700:10:57,240 --> 00:11:01,200And so, yes, it may not be the exact same significance and innovation, but there's a15800:11:01,200 --> 00:11:02,200lot of overlap.15900:11:02,200 --> 00:11:07,840And a lot of the foundational information I need to write one grant in TTP is the same16000:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,320information I need to write the next grant, and the next grant, and the next grant after16100:11:11,320 --> 00:11:12,320that.16200:11:12,320 --> 00:11:19,320And it makes it easier to put proposals together because there's overlap in the big theme,16300:11:19,320 --> 00:11:23,240and it allows you to now focus on the nuances of how the approach might be different, how16400:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,080the aims might be different.16500:11:26,080 --> 00:11:30,360And then another thing that's a side benefit, still within the umbrella of making the grant16600:11:30,360 --> 00:11:38,320proposal writing a little bit easier, is that many times, funding agencies want to see a16700:11:38,320 --> 00:11:44,800clear focus, a clear research agenda, so that they can see where this research will go.16800:11:44,800 --> 00:11:51,080When people talk about the future directions, when you're focused in one area, one thing16900:11:51,080 --> 00:11:55,560builds on top of the other, build on top of the other, so that the path forward becomes17000:11:55,560 --> 00:12:00,680more clear than if it feels like, well, you're just taking one bite out of this puzzle.17100:12:00,680 --> 00:12:01,680Where is this going?17200:12:01,680 --> 00:12:03,620And so it definitely helps.17300:12:03,620 --> 00:12:09,000It makes it easier for you to write the proposals because you're able to take things from the17400:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,560last proposal and incorporate it into the next one, and then take things from this one,17500:12:12,560 --> 00:12:17,040incorporate it into the next one, and it really is powerful to be able to do that.17600:12:17,040 --> 00:12:22,240And so anyways, I just want to talk about these things, and so actually I'll recap.17700:12:22,240 --> 00:12:23,480So I talked about five things.17800:12:23,480 --> 00:12:27,020So number one is that it really allows you to have a depth of expertise.17900:12:27,020 --> 00:12:30,560Number two is that it helps you to set very clear research goals, and having that clarity18000:12:30,560 --> 00:12:32,760is so, so powerful.18100:12:32,760 --> 00:12:37,420Another thing it helps you do is increase your impact, and then helps you be efficient18200:12:37,420 --> 00:12:41,680in your research when you can overlap the work you're doing in your clinical work with18300:12:41,680 --> 00:12:44,040the work you're doing in your research space as well.18400:12:44,040 --> 00:12:48,480It allows you to build on your prior work, and then it makes grant proposal writing a18500:12:48,480 --> 00:12:53,920little bit easier because you are literally not creating anything new with the next grant.18600:12:53,920 --> 00:12:59,280You're creating some new things, but you're able to repurpose a lot, which makes your18700:12:59,280 --> 00:13:02,220grant writing efforts go a lot further.18800:13:02,220 --> 00:13:07,560So those are some of the reasons why it's helpful to have research focus.18900:13:07,560 --> 00:13:12,240Now again, you may be interested in many things, and it's great to be interested in many things,19000:13:12,240 --> 00:13:17,640but it's really good when you select one area and really move forward with it because you're19100:13:17,640 --> 00:13:21,640able to move forward with it so much faster, and you become known for this one thing.19200:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,800Anyway, so I encourage you to think about it, think about how you can incorporate that19300:13:25,800 --> 00:13:32,600into your grant writing and into kind of moving your research career forward.19400:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,880If that's been helpful to you, please send me a DM.19500:13:35,880 --> 00:13:37,200Let me know how it was helpful.19600:13:37,200 --> 00:13:43,720Better still, leave a voicemail on our website, ClinicianResearcherPodcast.com, and share19700:13:43,720 --> 00:13:47,440your thoughts about the benefit of having a research focus.19800:13:47,440 --> 00:13:55,720And if you are the person to leave a voicemail, we will play it on one of the next episodes19900:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,080and I'll incorporate it into a future episode.20000:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,080So I hope you'll take time to do that.20100:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,400All right, please share this podcast with someone else who needs to hear it.20200:14:04,400 --> 00:14:14,840I look forward to talking with you again the next time.20300:14:14,840 --> 00:14:20,200Thanks for listening to this episode of the Clinician Researcher Podcast, where academic20400:14:20,200 --> 00:14:25,480clinicians learn the skills to build their own research program, whether or not they20500:14:25,480 --> 00:14:27,000have a mentor.20600:14:27,000 --> 00:14:33,120If you found the information in this episode to be helpful, don't keep it all to yourself.20700:14:33,120 --> 00:14:34,880Someone else needs to hear it.20800:14:34,880 --> 00:14:38,920So take a minute right now and share it.20900:14:38,920 --> 00:14:44,380As you share this episode, you become part of our mission to help launch a new generation21000:14:44,380 --> 00:14:57,280of clinician researchers who make transformative discoveries that change the way we do healthcare.