Advancing research transdisciplinarity within our discipline

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Advancing biomedical knowledge requires collaboration between basic, translational, and clinical researchers.
• The field of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) experiences limited interaction between specialists and basic/translational investigators.
• Current healthcare and funding environments further challenge cross-disciplinary collaborations in OB/GYN.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the risks and opportunities for research collaboration within the OB/GYN academic community.
• To identify strategies for overcoming research training hurdles and increasing physician-scientists in maternal-fetal medicine.
• To propose methods for fostering intellectual curiosity and research excellence across OB/GYN subspecialties.

Main Methods:

• An opinion manuscript focusing on maternal-fetal medicine as a case study.
• Discussion by a Pregnancy Task Force on research training and physician-scientist development.
• Analysis of strategies for promoting collaboration and securing resources for trainees.

Main Results:

• Limited opportunities for interaction between OB/GYN specialists and basic/translational scientists hinder progress.
• A Pregnancy Task Force identified key areas for improvement in research training and scientist development.
• Recommendations include enhancing academic meetings, training initiatives, and funding opportunities.

Conclusions:

• Addressing collaboration challenges is vital for advancing biomedical knowledge in OB/GYN.
• Fostering a culture of research excellence and providing resources can attract and retain scholars.
• The proposed strategies can be applied across all OB/GYN subspecialties to strengthen research endeavors.