July 18, 2017
“The training sessions are an enriching experience for both faculty mentors and mentees alike,” says Dr. Karen Farris.

The University of Michigan College of Pharmacy recently hosted the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Mentored Research Investigator Training (MeRIT) and Focused Investigator Training (FIT) programs.

The FIT Program is an intensive weeklong hands-on program for pharmacist-investigators who are preparing to submit/re-submit an application for extramural funding as a principal investigator. Investigators are challenged to carefully examine research aims and explore individual professional research goals and, by the end of the program, have taken critical steps toward fine-tuning the application.

The MeRIT Program connects an accomplished ACCP-provided research mentor with a mentee and local advisor. Beginning with a weeklong immersion experience concurrent to the FIT Program, participants are mentored over 2 years through research design, data collection, results presentation, and manuscript preparation.

ACCP staff, including Sheldon Holstad and Carla Scarborough, organized the ACCP MeRIT and FIT program, in collaboration with our college’s Drs. Karen Farris and Vicki Ellingrod and Jan Williams.

“The training sessions are an enriching experience for both faculty mentors and mentees alike,” says Karen Farris, PhD, Charles R. Walgreen III Professor of Pharmacy Administration and Chair, Department of Clinical Pharmacy. “The FIT program sets up investigators for success in the current research funding environment, while the MeRIT program assists pharmacists to develop their research skills and provides on-going research support to help ensure success. We are proud to host ACCP for the second year, as one of our college’s strategic goals is leading in the preparation of the next generation of faculty.” 

Faculty mentees attending the program included: Madeline Fry, Ashley Vincent, Emily Christenberry, Diana Isaacs, Jennifer Clements, Sharmon Osae, Julie Cooper, Takova Wallace, Michelle Chu, Aimon Miranda, Winnie Stockton, Jessie Culley, Kathryn Connor, Jennie Jarrett, Mohamed Amar, Jim Rhodes, Ryan Funk, and Jordan King.

Faculty mentors attending the program were: Christina Aquilante, John Cleary, Tom Dowling, Vicki Ellingrod, Karen Farris, Stuart Haines, Sheldon Holstad, Edith Nutescu, Jo Ellen Rodgers, Alan Zillich, Jimmi Hatton-Kolpek, and Dan Aistrope.