Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

How to Apply

Launched in 2016, the ACLP Foundation Research Professor Program was developed in memory of Dr. Wayne Katon, Academy president 2012-13, his contribution to research, and to the mentoring of young researchers. It aims to bring leading researchers to the annual meeting and provide research mentorship to early career researchers. It is administered by the Academy’s Research & Evidence-Based Practice (REBP) Committee.

There are two complementary awards with separate application processes:

ACLP Foundation Research Professor Award
Early Career Researcher Mentee Award

The overall objectives of the awards are to promote interest in consultation-liaison psychiatry research, and to support the development of emerging talent in the field. A maximum of three mentees will be selected each year.

ACLP Foundation Research Professor Award

Dr. Huffman has published over 170 papers in peer-reviewed journals. Of note, more than 120 of these have been as either first author or senior author, speaking to substantial lead or supervisory roles on the work rather than as a more peripherally involved middle author. Nineteen of these papers have been cited more than 100 times per Google Scholar, and he has an H-index on that site of 41. He has published in high impact journals that include the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (impact factor 18), JAMA Psychiatry, JAMA Internal Medicine, Circulation Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, and many others.

Dr. Huffman has developed and tested extensions of the collaborative care model within inpatient cardiology settings over the past 12 years through three funded RCTs, including an ongoing RCT of a blended medical-psychiatric collaborative care model; if this latter model proves effective in reducing readmissions among depressed cardiac patients, this could have a major effect on the delivery of clinical care. He has also developed and tested a positive psychology-based intervention to promote physical activity in patients with a wide range of medical conditions, with multiple initial RCTs showing substantial benefits; this too could result in a substantial change to the delivery of clinical care if next-step trials find the intervention to be effective.

Early Career Researcher Mentee Award

Candidate Criteria:

Demonstration of current research activity
Willingness and ability to effectively use research mentorship
Optional Academy membership; no geographical limitations

Expectations of awardees:

Attend the entirety of the upcoming Academy annual meeting
Actively participate in the upcoming Academy annual meeting, including research sessions
Participate in face-to-face mentoring meetings with the Research Professor

Award:

Up to four (4) hotel nights
Complimentary annual meeting registration
US $500 stipend to offset travel costs
The priceless personal time and networking connection with a leading figure of the profession

L-R: Christopher Celano, MD, FACLP; Lydia Chwastiak, MD, MPH, FACLP; Gail Ironson, MD, PhD; Michael Bushey, MD, PhD; Kathleen Sheehan, MD; and Brian Anderson, MD

RECIPIENTS of the ACLP Foundation Research Professor Program Awards

2020	Research Professor: Jeff Huffman, MD, FACLP, Associate Chief of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital Research Mentees: Applications for this award are being accepted through July 19!

2019	Research Professor: Gail Ironson, MD, Professor, University of Miami, Florida Research Mentees: Brian Anderson, MD, University of California San Francisco Michael Bushey, MD, PhD, University of Indiana Kathleen Sheehan, MD, University Health Network – Toronto Western Hospital

2018	Research Professor: Mary Whooley, MD, FACP, FAHA, FACC, Professor, University of California, San Francisco Research Mentees: Amit Chopra, MD, FAPA, Allegheny General Hospital Christopher Celano, MD, FACLP, Massachusetts General Hospital Elena Ivanova, PhD, University of British Columbia

2017	Research Professor: Lydia Chwastiak, MD, MPH, FACLP, Assistant Professor, University of Washington Research Mentees: Kelly Edwards Irwin, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center Eliza Park, MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Stephanie Smith, MD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

2016	Research Professor: Kurt Kroenke, MD, Professor of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine Research Mentees: Joseph Cerimele, MD, University of Washington School of Medicine Hsiang Huang, MD, Cambridge Health Alliance Mark Oldham, MD, Yale School of Medicine

HOW TO APPLY for the ACLP Foundation Research Professor Program

Research Professor:
Nominations are submitted online using the Research Professor Nomination form by April 30. The professor is selected by both the Foundation of the ACLP and the Academy’s Research Subcommittee. The professor is funded by the Foundation.

Research Mentees:
Nominations are submitted online using the Research Mentees Nomination form by July 19.

The application includes space for a statement, of no more than 750 words, of your current area of research interest. Detail how you think you would benefit from the year-long mentoring relationship and why this mentor would be a good match for you and your work/career.

Applications will be assessed by the Academy’s Research Subcommittee in collaboration with the mentor. Selected candidates will be notified by August 31.