The 2019 program is starting earlier this year in hopes to have
more projects presented at the 17th Annual Neurocritical Care
Society Meeting in 2019 in Vancouver. The call for applications
went out late October and the deadline to apply was Dec.
12, 2018. Matches will be made in early January with project
proposals due in February.
Besides creating a formal Mentorship Program through NCS, the
Trainee Committee has tried to foster mentorship through other
means. At the 16th Annual NCS Meeting, the Trainee Committee
organized a Mentorship Mingle, which is a “speed dating” event
between senior neurointensivists and junior attendings, residents or
fellows. The event was well attended, with over 30 neurointenisivists
volunteering their time to speak to around 40 participants. The goal
of the event is to spark mentorship relationships and encourage
future communication between participants.
The first few years of a person’s career can set the trajectory
for their entire career. Many trainees are in institutes that do
not have dedicated neuro-intensive care units or have unique
career trajectories, left without accessible guidance from senior
healthcare providers within the neurocritical care field. The Trainee
Committee created the mentorship program acknowledging the
increasing need within the society and maximizing the benefits of
being part of a supportive community. Using these connections to
improve individual professional growth with the ultimate goal of
advancing neurocritical care. The rewards for mentors, mentees as
well as the organization as a whole are clear.
Table 1: 2018 Mentorship Program Projects
Development of a neurocritical care fellowship training core
curriculum
A unit based EVD guideline
Development of an abstract and poster presentation of a quality
improvement
Article on antiplatelet therapy for prevention of endovascular
stent occlusion
Developing a neurology protection for PGY1 pharmacy practice
residents
A case write-up
Research project on education to neuro ICU nurses regarding
management of status epilepticus
Research project on endovascular treatment for patients with
acute stroke with ESRD and HD
Research project on non-invasive cerebral oximetry for detection
of LVO
Article on approaches to end of life decision making in Neuro
ICUS
Proposal for research fellowship conducting a systematic review
and meta-analysis for DCI in SAH
Grant proposal
A systematic review and meta-analysis
Study of cerebral edema in acute liver failure and acute on
chronic liver failure
Table 2: Topics of the Mentorship Program
Discussion of career paths; How you got to where you are now
Finances: salary negotiations, grant funding, student loan
repayment
Work-life balance
CV and resume review
Interview advice
Fellowship guidance
5, 10, 20 year plans; goal development
Difficult conversations
Ethics
Global outreach
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