Responsible Conduct of Research

As the social impact of biomedical research steadily increases, it is more important than ever to ensure that research trainees are educated in the importance of a strong ethical compass in the conduct of research. The Department of Dermatology began formal instruction in the responsible conduct of research in 1994. Our plan for instruction includes that organized by the University of Michigan as a whole and that organized and conducted within the Department.

University Program - Since 1995, the Office of the Vice President for Research has inaugurated an annual university-wide Research Responsibility Curriculum, covering six topics involving responsibility in the conduct and administration of research. The program consists of a cycle of six topics, all of which the trainee must attend at least once during his or her training period. Presentations are announced by email, and trainees are requested to sign an attendance sheet at the meeting. From this sheet, attendance records are transmitted back to each department.

Each of the 6 topics includes a lecture and discussion period. This format presents the basic elements of the topic, and further independent exploration of these issues by faculty and trainees is encouraged. The course introduces "best practices" and rigorous ethical analysis of research issues which pertain to all disciplines. The titles of each of the 6 sessions are as follows: 1) Introduction to Responsibility in Research; 2) Responsible Authorship, Mentoring, and Collaboration; 3) Responsible Data Management Practices; 4) Professional Conduct and Misconduct; 5) Conflict of Interest; 6) Protections for Human and Animal Subjects of Research.

Departmental Program - Within the Department of Dermatology, training in the responsible conduct of research is addressed in two main ways. Both have been very well received by our trainees.

1. The primary preceptors address issues pertinent to responsible conduct of research in the context of their direct interactions with their trainees, and in the context of weekly or biweekly lab meetings. Issues which arise frequently are: appropriate recording of data; informed consent; dealing with "outliers"; dealing with lost specimens; how to approach data generated from tissue which might have had certain samples mixed up. In this way, fellows know that the training director is aware and cares about responsible conduct of research. The expectation is that all postdoctoral fellows address their daily research problems in a similar and responsible fashion. This provides a practical forum in which the actual daily practice of responsible research conduct is taught.
   
   
2. Each month a department-wide research conference is held for 1 1/2 hours with all faculty, residents and postdoctoral fellows invited. Attendance is excellent-generally at least 75% of the research trainees. In the last quarter of 1994 we began a series on responsible conduct of research that occupies the first 30 minutes of the conference. The curriculum for this presentation is contained in a book entitled "Teaching the Responsible Conduct of Research Through a Case Study Approach: A Handbook for Instructors", published by the American Association of Medical Colleges. One case is discussed per week. Before each monthly departmental research conference these cases are distributed to all faculty and postdoctoral fellows. All conference attendees take a turn as facilitator for the case discussion over the course of a year, whether postdoctoral fellow or faculty. At the conference the facilitator reads the case and the assembled postdoctoral fellows discuss each case, after which time the faculty add their perspective to what has been said.