by guest author
Sandra Schneider, MD, FACEP
Professor and Chair Emeritus
Department of Emergency Medicine
University of Rochester

After stepping down as Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Rochester and completing my term as President of the American College of Emergency Physicians, I found myself at a bit of a crossroads, uncertain of exactly what challenge to take on next. The perfect time for a sabbatical!

I came to the NIH to do the Clinical Sabbatical on the recommendation of a colleague. The sabbatical is a rather free form ‘course’ consisting of several modules from which I could choose as I wished. I could also choose the length of my stay. Sounded good to me. I journeyed to the NIH to spend some time gaining knowledge, reflecting, and writing.

As part of my mini sabbatical, I spent a day at the Foundation for the NIH. I had never heard of the Foundation. The description of the module was “Participants would have the chance to learn about and engage in contact with representative(s) from the Foundation for the NIH (FNIH) or other philanthropic entities to learn about the options for partnerships and collaborations to fund and support clinical research.These non-profit entities are potential partners for funding support of clinical and translational research. Understanding the differences between funding opportunities and processes from philanthropic sources compared to public (NIH and other governmental) and industry sources will be the focus of this element.”  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

To be brief, I had a fantastic day!!!! Everyone was very accommodating and helpful. I not only came away with new knowledge but also new friends. I was very impressed with the work the Foundation is doing.

I learned many things from my day at the FNIH that I will take (and already have taken) back with me. I particularly liked the way the FNIH engages their donors and targets their grants.

I also sat in on a Biomarkers Consortium staff meeting. They discussed common issues – authorship, publications, etc. that also impact my own projects back home.

The FNIH is a largely hidden gem! My day was better than I expected. Thanks to everyone who made me feel so comfortable and took time out of their day to ensure I was satisfied.