University of Mississippi Emergency Medicine Physician Receives Grant Funds for COVID-19 Research
National Foundation of Emergency Medicine Scholar, Elizabeth Clair, DO, received a grant to identify the prevalence of mental health concerns among emergency medicine physicians during COVID-19.
TUCSON, Ariz. — To encourage COVID-19 related research, the National Foundation of Emergency Medicine (NFEM) has awarded emergency medicine research across the country. Elizabeth Clair, DO, an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Mississippi, received a $10,000 grant from the foundation to study Emergency Medicine (EM) physician’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study will measure the prevalence of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and burnout among EM physicians in various regions of the United States. Dr. Clair will also examine the extent to which EM physicians are feeling more engaged at work (e.g., energized, excited) as a result of COVID-19. A secondary aim of the study is to identify both individual (e.g., demographic, coping strategies) and organizational (e.g., practice setting, personal protective equipment, and testing availability, communication from leadership) risk and protective factors related to psychological distress among EM physicians during COVID-19.
“As frontline providers during COVID-19, EM physicians are facing many challenges placing them at risk for developing psychological distress,” says Dr. Clair. “They are treating an unfamiliar virus that has no known cure or well-established treatment. There is legitimate fear around contracting the virus, atop limited supply of personal protective equipment.”
Dr. Clair’s project is significant because it is an initial step toward identifying the current mental health needs of frontline health care providers. This study will inform and support the development of individual and organizational level interventions designed to promote EM physician wellbeing during COVID-19 and future healthcare crises.
About the NFEM Scholar/Mentor Program
Dr. Clair is part of NFEM’s Scholar/Mentor Program. The Scholar/Mentor Program is a 2-year program that matches junior faculty members in an academic track in Emergency Medicine with mentors at their institution. This program provides an opportunity for scholars from 10 partner institutions to work on translational medicine research and foster professional development. Dr. Clair is one of nine scholar-mentor pairs who will receive funding for their COVID-19 related research projects. Dr. Clair is mentored by Dr. Erin Dehon who is an Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Read more about other COVID-19 related research other NFEM scholars are involved in here.
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About the National Foundation of Emergency Medicine
The National Foundation of Emergency Medicine was founded in 2010 in order to encourage and support the development of career academic emergency medicine scientists. The Scholar/Mentor Program has been running for 3 years, producing three cohorts of scholars and mentors from 10 partner institutions across the United States.
NFEM Board of Directors include Michael Rolnick, MD, David Taylor, MD, Harvey Meislin, MD, David Sheehan, Esquire, and Charles Cairns, MD, who reviewed and approved the eight grant proposals by nine Foundation Scholars interested in COVID-19 related research. Karen Lutrick, PhD is the NFEM Director of Programs and Operations. Dr. Lutrick coordinated the grant application process and will provide support and guidance to the scholars as they begin their research projects.
The National Foundation of Emergency Medicine’s mission is to:
- Serve as a national platform for the improvement and expansion of research in Emergency Medicine
- Advance best practices and clinical excellence in Emergency Medicine
- Identify and support emergency medicine academic physicians to engage in and fund multi-institutional testing and research
For more information, email: info@NFOEM.com (Follow us on Twitter).
