Supportive Oncology Writing Core​

The department contains brilliant clinicians, researchers, and innovators. In recent years, the department’s academic output has increased substantially, with more grants submitted and awarded, and manuscripts published in the scientific and lay press. We know that everyone needs to write to advance their careers, regardless of their division, profession, or job description. However, we have repeatedly heard that many feel they lack the skills and support to do so. 

 

To respond to this need departmental leadership launched the Supportive Oncology Writing Core. Under the leadership of Dr. Ricky Leiter, this program seeks to advance SO’s academic mission by providing structured writing support in both individual and group settings. Open to all SO faculty, staff, and trainees, the SO Writing Core provides members of the department with foundational academic writing skills and personalized coaching. Program details are at the bottom of this email.

 

Through this program we seek to leverage SO’s writing expertise, intellectual creativity, and tradition of educational innovation to provide members of the department with focused mentorship and exceptional instruction with the goal of improving their productivity and increasing their confidence in their writing.

 

Writing Groups
The Writing Group program represents one tangible way to support you. Each group contains 4-5 members from across Supportive Oncology. In these groups we hope you’ll find peer support and accountability partners, and develop momentum in your work, be it in research, QI, education, or the medical humanities. 

 

People work differently and need different kinds of support. Therefore, groups use 3 different models:

1. Accountability partners – you meet to review previous goals, discuss challenges and success, and set new goals for the coming month

2. Peer feedback – you spend time reviewing and providing feedback on each other’s work

3. Time to write – you meet to set aside time to write, either in person, or on zoom, then briefly set goals to carry the writing momentum forward

 

Ideally groups would meet monthly, but we know coordinating schedules for 4-5 busy department members will be challenging. We hope groups can meet 6 times each academic year.