Division of Surgical Research
Research in the Department of Surgery
Elizabeth J. Kovacs, Ph.D.
Vice-Chair for Research
The Department of Surgery maintains an active research
program directed at clinical problems in surgery and
trauma. Both residents and medical students have the
opportunity to be involved in research, and opportunities
in both basic laboratory research and clinical research
are available.
Clinical Research
All residents are encouraged to take advantage of
opportunities to participate in the clinical research
endeavors of the department.
These include clinical drug trials, prospective evaluation
of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities as well as
outcome, epidemiologic and health services research
projects.
Basic Laboratory Research for Residents
Elective research time is designed to provide residents
with an intensive research experience. Training of
residents in basic laboratory research is available
through our
National Institutes of Health (NIH) supported training
program. In our training
program, research fellows work under the direct guidance
of a departmental faculty mentor. The research experience
is routinely offered between the second and third
post-graduate years. Depending upon the goals of the
individual, laboratory research rotations may be one or
two years in length. The two-year rotation, available
through the support of the NIH, prepares the resident to
develop as an independent clinician-scientist. This period
of intensive research exposure allows residents to gain an
understanding of the basic tenets of scientific research,
including hypothesis testing, experimental design, data
analysis, and interpretation of results.
Residents in
research training
are involved in projects that are translational, and their
research focuses on problems related to the clinical
practice of surgery.
A diverse group of departmental investigators are
available to serve as mentors for residents who choose to
undertake in laboratory research training. The
research
intensive faculty
in our department include individuals with M.D. or D.D.S.
degrees, scientists who hold a Ph.D. in a biomedical
discipline, and, uniquely, those having additional graduate degrees
in business and public health. Many of the faculty are
nationally and internationally known scholars. The high
quality of faculty research endeavors has been recognized
in the form of extramural research grants. In 2003,
departmental investigators received over two million
dollars in extramural grant funding for their research
programs.
The departmental biomedical laboratories are housed in
two locations. Investigators who focus on problems related
to trauma and injury are located within the
Burn and
Shock Trauma Institute at Loyola University
Medical Center. Investigators with interests in vascular
surgery occupy newly renovated facilities at the adjacent
Edward Hines Jr. Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital.
Research facilities in both locations are
state-of-the-art, allowing investigators to address their
research problems with sophisticated technology.
Research for Medical Students
Medical students are invited and welcome to participate
in the research activities of the department. A formalized
program for participation in clinical research is
available through the Surgical
Honors Society .
Electives in Surgical Research
are also available.
Medical students from both the Stritch School of Medicine
and other medical schools who are interested in basic
laboratory research opportunities should contact
Dr.
Elizabeth J. Kovacs
the Vice Chair for Research
for the Department.
Questions?
Inquiries about our research programs and training
activities are welcome, and can be directed to:
Dr. Elizabeth J. Kovacs
Vice Chair for Research
Department of Surgery
Loyola University Medical Center
2160 S. First Avenue
Maywood, IL 60153
708-327-2477
email: ekovacs@lumc.edu
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