Fostering Research Collaborations as an Early Career Clinical Laboratory Director

Trainees—whether graduate students, medical students, residents, or fellows—are often afforded the luxury of working under mentors with established connections and well-developed research pipelines. When transitioning from trainee to independent practitioner, many laboratorians are eager to continue pursuing research, but quickly discover they lack the local resources and/or bandwidth. In these situations, collaborating with others may be beneficial or necessary for the success of a research project. However, it can be challenging to know exactly where to start. Here, we share some suggestions for establishing successful research collaborations based on our first few years of experience as early-career laboratory directors.

FINDING YOUR INNER CONFIDENCE

The obvious first step to developing a collaboration is communication with potential collaborators. However, overcoming self-doubt (i.e., imposter syndrome) may be the first hurdle for many, as this phenomenon is common among MDs and PhDs (1). While resources to overcome imposter syndrome are currently limited, exploration and critical evaluation of one’s self-depreciation habits may be a good place to start (2). We have found discussion with peers to be helpful. This strategy has been shown to be effective in building confidence in one’s professional preparation and abilities (3).

CONNECTING WITH COLLABORATORS

Once you are ready to look for collaborators, the question becomes “how?” In our opinion, face-to-face communication at conferences is one of the most effective methods, particularly when you are presenting topics you are passionate about. Also, do not overlook the importance of connecting with your colleagues through extracurricular activities. Many meeting organizers recognize the importance of developing networks and thus incorporate social activities as part of the conference program, for example, running/walking events or trips to local landmarks. Do not restrict yourself to these “official” activities, however. We have built some of our strongest relationships by attending “unofficial” group dinners, hikes, and even scuba diving adventures. Indeed, connecting at a more personal level has helped break down barriers (self-imposed or otherwise) to initiating conversations about clinical practice and research. So, consider participating in social gatherings after the conference day concludes—it could turn into your next collaboration.

You can also reach out to professionals in the field who have similar interests or approach vendors to let them know of your interest in partnering on research projects. Even if your proposal is declined, they may be able to connect you with other potential collaborators or might remember you when future opportunities arise. Conversely, the more active you are, the more likely colleagues and vendors are to reach out to you. Being active on professional society forums and message boards and publishing scientific or periodical articles can help broadcast your interests/expertise. For us, less formal platforms such as Slack and WhatsApp groups have also been highly effective in initiating collaborations. Put simply, the more one gets involved and forms connections, the more opportunities arise.

STRATEGIES FOR A PRODUCTIVE COLLABORATION

Once a collaboration is initiated, it is important to plan carefully to ensure the project’s successful completion (4). First, make sure you and your partners are equally interested and invested in the project. If the project goals are not aligned, it could prevent the project from progressing or even cause conflict (5).

Additionally, make sure you are realistic about the required time commitment. New directors are eager to prove themselves; they tend to say “yes” to every opportunity. This common pitfall is not sustainable as one can easily become overextended. Following through on commitments in a timely manner can help one build a reputation as someone who is easy to work with and may lead to additional opportunities in the future. Despite the best intentions, the occasional delay will occur. Collaborators tend to be more understanding of delays and unexpected challenges if communicated upfront. Likewise, offer patience to your collaborators if they face delays. To keep a project on track, assigning clear action items with due dates helps to remove ambiguity and makes expectations clear for everyone involved. We have found that scheduling a standing meeting for updates is a very effective strategy for maintaining accountability and is easier to schedule vs trying to fit ad hoc meetings into already full calendars.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Early career laboratorians have many responsibilities to juggle; bandwidth for research is oftentimes limited as many tasks are being learned on the job. Incorporating collaborations into this heavy workload can be challenging and require patience and persistence. Missteps will inevitably be made. However, if you take the time to build personal confidence, focus on developing long-term professional relationships, and efficiently manage research projects, you can set yourself up for successful and rewarding collaborations.

Author Contributions:The corresponding author takes full responsibility that all authors on this publication have met the following required criteria of eligibility for authorship: (a) significant contributions to the conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; (b) drafting or revising the article for intellectual content; (c) final approval of the published article; and (d) agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the article thus ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the article are appropriately investigated and resolved. Nobody who qualifies for authorship has been omitted from the list.

Authors’ Disclosures or Potential Conflicts of Interest:Upon manuscript submission, all authors completed the author disclosure form.

Research Funding: None declared.

Disclosures: C.D. Koch has received payment or honoraria for Clinical Laboratory News, ADLM; and support for attending meetings and/or travel from ADLM and Mass Spectrometry & Advances in the Clinical Lab (MSACL).

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