Important advances in neuroscience and clinical psychiatry have been achieved in recent years, but there are significant gaps in knowledge and much that we don’t understand about the brain and behavior. Further advances depend on cultivating and supporting a new generation of dedicated basic science and clinical investigators. While there is a compelling need to attract, recruit, and encourage talented individuals to pursue scholarly interests, competing life and career demands often prove daunting.
The 2018 Promising Scholars Award Program, jointly sponsored by Neurocrine Biosciences and the Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome Information Service (NMSIS), provides a unique opportunity for early career psychiatrists to gain experience in scholarly activities and research. Residents, students, and fellows are invited to submit a manuscript on the topic, “Tardive Dyskinesia,” for first- and second-place awards in the amounts of $2,500 and $1,500, respectively. Two winners will be selected to receive the awards, which will be presented at the Institute for Psychiatric Services: The Mental Health Services Conference, to be held in October in Chicago.
The theme of the competition this year concerning tardive dyskinesia is timely and consistent with the mission of NMSIS to promote knowledge on neurologic side effects of antipsychotic drugs. Tardive dyskinesia can have a negative impact on the social, psychological, and physical well-being of patients; it remains a legacy of past treatment with antipsychotics; it is an increasing concern among an ever widening population of patients receiving even newer antipsychotics; and there are now two Food and Drug Administration–approved treatments for the disorder. Early career psychiatrists may have had limited instruction on tardive dyskinesia, which has not received prominent attention in curricular programs in recent years. Thus, in addition to supporting scholarly work and research experience, the 2018 Promising Scholars Award Program aims to promote knowledge and skills in managing patients with tardive dyskinesia.
Specific learning objectives are:
In the past, this program was very popular and gained national recognition among psychiatric trainees. Numerous submitted papers were accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals after the competition was completed.
Instructions for manuscript preparation are:
To participate, papers and curriculum vitae of the first author must be submitted by July 1, 2018, to Dianne Daugherty by email at dianne@mhaus.org . Winners will be announced by Aug. 10, 2018. For additional information, write to dianne@mhaus.org or visit www.mhaus.org/nmsis/about-us/what-is-nmsis .
Dr. Caroff, professor of psychiatry, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center and at the University of Pennsylvania, both in Philadelphia, is director of the NMSIS. He served as consultant to Neurocrine Biosciences and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and receives research grant funding from Neurocrine Biosciences.
