Outlook | Newsletter of the Society of Behavioral Medicine

Update on Education, Career Development, and Training Activities at SBM

Nicole Zarrett, PhD, ETCD Council Chair

The Education, Training and Career Development (ETCD) Council has been active on a number of fronts to meet the professional development needs of SBM members at all stages of their careers. Below are some details regarding the programs offered to SBM members throughout the year, and a preview of sessions planned for the 2014 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia!

SBM offers a year-round, web-based Consultation Program that is designed to facilitate the exchange of information and resources between SBM members. Prospective consultees can identify expert consultants on the website and contact them with specific questions pertaining to scientific topic areas as well as career development issues. Currently, consultants are available from the Spirituality and Health Special Interest Group (SIG), Physical Activity SIG, Cancer SIG, Integrated Primary Care SIG, Obesity & Eating Disorders SIG, and Child & Family Health SIG, and from the ETCD Council for Clinical Career Development Issues.

Resources will expand as we accrue mentor volunteers spanning even more areas of expertise. Whether you are a postdoc looking for advice on negotiating your first job, or a full professor delving into a new area of research, your fellow SBM members may be able to provide the knowledge and guidance you need. To access the consultants' contact information, log into the Members Only section of the website and click on the link to the Consultation Program, https://www.sbm.org/membership/members/consultation.

Programs Planned for 2014 Annual Meeting: Every year, the ETCD Council organizes Expert Consultations, and this year we will be offering these sessions again during the midday. These are great opportunities for trainees and junior members of SBM to network with senior members in an informal setting. Also offered on an annual basis is the Graduate Research Panel, a forum in which faculty with experience in mentoring students in research activities, theses, and dissertations provide advice and answer questions on a variety of topics.

The Poster Mentoring program will be offered during the 2014 meeting, and will once again offer the chance for SBM Student/Trainee members to interact on a one-to-one basis with an SBM Senior member for supportive conversations and guidance. Selected participants (random drawing for all current student/trainee members who opted to be considered) are paired with a senior member who will attend your poster presentation and talk with you. It is our hope that an engaging conversation will encourage discussion around research topics, presentation tips, career tracks and goals, or anything else that may come up. SBM strives to engender a unique culture of gracious and personal, one-on-one communication in the interest of member development which offers the chance to meet someone new, and speak with them face-to-face about your goals and questions at this year's meeting.

For 2014, we are planning programs focused on traditional and alternative funding opportunities, teaching behavioral medicine, career development, Federal and military career opportunities, and an engaging workshop on creating an effective elevator speech. By collaborating with SIGs and identifying new areas of need, the council's members hope that these new initiatives, coupled with longstanding ones, will offer you multiple chances to increase your professional network, and identify your place in the future of behavioral medicine.

Finally, I would like to welcome our newest Council members, Margaret Clayton, PhD, APRN, and Amy Huebschmann, MD!


Fall 2013	Return to Outlook Main page »
Update on Education, Career Development, and Training Activities at SBM Nicole Zarrett, PhD, ETCD Council Chair The Education, Training and Career Development (ETCD) Council has been active on a number of fronts to meet the professional development needs of SBM members at all stages of their careers. Below are some details regarding the programs offered to SBM members throughout the year, and a preview of sessions planned for the 2014 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia! SBM offers a year-round, web-based Consultation Program that is designed to facilitate the exchange of information and resources between SBM members. Prospective consultees can identify expert consultants on the website and contact them with specific questions pertaining to scientific topic areas as well as career development issues. Currently, consultants are available from the Spirituality and Health Special Interest Group (SIG), Physical Activity SIG, Cancer SIG, Integrated Primary Care SIG, Obesity & Eating Disorders SIG, and Child & Family Health SIG, and from the ETCD Council for Clinical Career Development Issues. Resources will expand as we accrue mentor volunteers spanning even more areas of expertise. Whether you are a postdoc looking for advice on negotiating your first job, or a full professor delving into a new area of research, your fellow SBM members may be able to provide the knowledge and guidance you need. To access the consultants' contact information, log into the Members Only section of the website and click on the link to the Consultation Program, https://www.sbm.org/membership/members/consultation. Programs Planned for 2014 Annual Meeting: Every year, the ETCD Council organizes Expert Consultations, and this year we will be offering these sessions again during the midday. These are great opportunities for trainees and junior members of SBM to network with senior members in an informal setting. Also offered on an annual basis is the Graduate Research Panel, a forum in which faculty with experience in mentoring students in research activities, theses, and dissertations provide advice and answer questions on a variety of topics. The Poster Mentoring program will be offered during the 2014 meeting, and will once again offer the chance for SBM Student/Trainee members to interact on a one-to-one basis with an SBM Senior member for supportive conversations and guidance. Selected participants (random drawing for all current student/trainee members who opted to be considered) are paired with a senior member who will attend your poster presentation and talk with you. It is our hope that an engaging conversation will encourage discussion around research topics, presentation tips, career tracks and goals, or anything else that may come up. SBM strives to engender a unique culture of gracious and personal, one-on-one communication in the interest of member development which offers the chance to meet someone new, and speak with them face-to-face about your goals and questions at this year's meeting. For 2014, we are planning programs focused on traditional and alternative funding opportunities, teaching behavioral medicine, career development, Federal and military career opportunities, and an engaging workshop on creating an effective elevator speech. By collaborating with SIGs and identifying new areas of need, the council's members hope that these new initiatives, coupled with longstanding ones, will offer you multiple chances to increase your professional network, and identify your place in the future of behavioral medicine. Finally, I would like to welcome our newest Council members, Margaret Clayton, PhD, APRN, and Amy Huebschmann, MD!