AOSW Connections
Editorial Team
Editor-in-Chief
Amy Colver, MSSA, MA, LISW
AOSW Communications Director
Jeanice Hansen, LCSW, OSW-C
Managing Editor
Patricia Sullivan
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Research Report: Post-Conference Research Institute
In May, immediately following its Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida, AOSW held its first “Post-Conference Research Institute.” The goal was to bridge the gap between research and practice, and bring together researchers and practitioners interested in research to discuss research needs, ideas and projects.
The idea for a post-conference institute devoted to research arose after the 2015 AOSW Annual Conference, where researchers expressed a desire for a stronger research agenda at AOSW. They saw the need for a venue where oncology social work (OSW) doctoral students and researchers would be able to meet with others with similar interests, attend workshops to advance their skills, receive mentoring, present results, discuss research problems and challenges, and interact in ways that are so critical to creative scientific thought. At the same time, more and more OSW practitioners were becoming interested in research activities, spurred in part by the highly successful APAQCC project. See “A Project to Assure Quality Cancer Care” by Keith Arbenowske.
With the support of the AOSW Board of Directors, two long-time supporters of AOSW, Medivation and Genentech, agreed to provide funding for the Institute. Genentech also provided funds to develop and disseminate a white paper on the Post-Conference Research Institute. Nearly 60 people attended the Institute, including doctoral students and mentors from the American Cancer Society doctoral program in oncology social work, a program that supports PhD students in oncology social work. Some attendees were OSW practitioners with little or no prior research experience, some were just starting their careers and others were top researchers in the field.
The Research Institute began immediately after the AOSW Annual Conference ended, with a reception and a Bingo game designed to quickly connect participants to others with similar research interests. The first session followed and highlighted many exciting developments in OSW research, including:
- A plan to develop a practice-based research network,
- Updates on international OSW research in Canada and Romania, and
- An introduction to Elizabeth Hoffler, MSW, ACSW (Director, Policy & Engagement, The GW Cancer Institute), who was recently awarded an AOSW grant to study the educational needs of AOSW members working with gay and bisexual men and transgender women with prostate cancer.
Tired but excited, we then wandered down Tampa’s Riverwalk to enjoy new and old connections over Cuban drinks, food and music.
The highlight of the Institute came the next morning with a Keynote Address by Dr. Irwin Epstein, "Notes from the Data-Mines: Research, Practice and Life Lessons Learned From Personal Encounters With Cancer.” Dr. Epstein (Professor Emeritus, Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, City University of New York) was ably introduced by our own Carolyn Messner following a “welcome” by AOSW President Alison Sachs. In his talk, Dr. Epstein explained the concept of “clinical data mining”—a term he uses to emphasize how practitioners can answer important research questions using information that is already available to them. This includes existing medical records, social work notes, patient diaries/memoirs and data collected for other purposes such as distress screening. Epstein stated, “By systematically ‘mining’ their own available data, social work practitioners can significantly contribute to a truly collaborative EIP (evidence-informed practice) knowledge-building for themselves, their organizations and the field.”* Epstein also shared some of his own life experiences with cancer, and lessons learned.
The session ended with comments on the Keynote Address by Dr. Sarah Gehlart (E. Desmond Lee Professor of Racial and Ethnic Diversity at the Brown School and the Department of Surgery of the School of Medicine, Washington University), who advocated for practice-based research networks in social work, and Susan Scarvalone (LCSW-C, Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore), who provided a practitioner’s perspective on combining research with practice in oncology social work.
The Post-Conference Research Institute continued with an important panel, chaired by Brad Zebrack (Professor, University of Michigan School of Social Work), on “Finding Funding for Oncology Social Work Research.” Panelists included AOSW leaders and expert fund-raisers Krista Nelson (Program Manager for Quality & Research of Cancer Support Services, Providence Cancer Center, Portland, Oregon), Tara Shapmire (University of Louisville), Ginger Krawies (American Cancer Society) and Victoria Kennedy (Cancer Support Community).
At the lunch hour, participants talked about a variety of research topics, methods and interests, such as:
- Identifying practice-based research opportunities in your practice
- Qualitative research
- Practice-based research networks/academic-practice partnerships
- Careers in oncology social work research
- Prostate cancer in GBT populations
- Distress screening research in an international context
- Oncology social work research with minority communities
- Intervention research in oncology social work
- Survivorship research
The Institute ended with a presentation by Dr. Karen Kayser (Professor and LaRocca Chair of Oncology Social Work, University of Louisville, and Editor, Journal of Psychosocial Oncology) on “Publishing Oncology Social Work Research—New Directions at the Journal of Psychosocial Oncology.”
In the last minutes, participants paused to reflect on their experience at this first ever Post-Conference Research Institute. Participants described the experience as “encouraging,” “exciting” and “hopeful.” Others experienced a sense of community as practitioners and researchers recognized their mutual needs and goals. Everyone left exhausted, exhilarated and wanting more! Hopefully, this type of practice-research exchange will continue as a central part of AOSW.
Please contact me if you would like copies of Dr. Epstein’s slides. Also, keep an eye out for the white paper on the conference, which will be made available to members on the AOSW website in September.