Supporting the Research Pipeline: The First Year of the AAHPM Serious Illness Research Consultancy Center

Key Message: In 2024, AAHPM launched the Serious Illness Consultancy Center (SIRCC), matching early career investigators with experienced serious illness researchers for focused consultations. During the first-year pilot, participants reported high levels of satisfaction and affirmed that the SIRCC addressed an unmet need for expanding the pipeline of palliative care researchers.

Abstract:

Background: A major barrier to high quality palliative care research is the limited palliative care research workforce, a problem exacerbated by scarce research mentorship.1,2 This gap particularly impedes career development for non-physician team members.3 Recognizing the need for palliative care specific research mentorship, the AAHPM Research Committee designed and launched the Serious Illness Research Consultancy Center (SIRCC) as a pilot program in March 2024.

Approach: Sponsored by AAHPM, the SIRCC matches early career investigators (“consultees;” researchers from any discipline in a training program or faculty at the Instructor or Assistant Professor level) with volunteer research consultants (mid-career or senior researchers with a track record of funding and publications) for one-hour consultations on research methods or grant writing. This presentation will describe the process of developing and implementing the SIRCC and present first year outcomes. In the first year, 54 consultees (including physicians, nurses, and social workers) requested consults and were matched with 45 expert consultants (including physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, psychologists and PhD researchers). At least 25 of 45 expert consultants completed consultations. Forty-five participants (19 consultants and 26 consultees) completed post-consultation evaluations. Consultants spent an average of 1-2 hours preparing outside of the session. Nearly all participants agreed or strongly agreed (89% of consultants, 96% of consultees) that engagement in the SIRCC was a good use of their time. Most consultees (85%) strongly agreed that the consultant provided helpful guidance and 100% endorsed that the SIRCC addressed an unmet need in the serious illness research community.

Implications: The AAHPM SIRCC program provides a new pathway for provision of palliative care research guidance for early career investigators and addresses a particular unmet need for aspiring non-physician researchers. Session participants will gain familiarity with this opportunity to enhance their career development or share with trainees.

References: 1. Chen EK, Riffin C, Reid MC, et al. Why is High-Quality Research on Palliative Care So Hard To Do? Barriers to Improved Research from a Survey of Palliative Care Researchers. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 2014;17(7):782-787. doi:10.1089/jpm.2013.0589
2. Kross EK, Rosenberg AR, Engelberg RA, Curtis JR. Postdoctoral Research Training in Palliative Care: Lessons Learned From a T32 Program. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 2020;59(3):750-760.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2019.11.013
3. Atayee RS, Edmonds KP, Kestenbaum A, et al. Barriers to Research in Palliative Care: A National Survey of Nonphysician Interprofessional Team Members. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 2025;28(6):792-798. doi:10.1089/jpm.2024.0333