Research During Internal Medicine Residency
Loyola Medicine's Internal Medicine Department is committed to supporting a robust research experience during your residency training. Our program supports resident research through opportunities for dedicated research time, mentorship, funding, a resident research day and meaningful educational experiences.
Resident Research
Our residents engage in meaningful and robust research experiences with mentors across a wide range of specialties. To facilitate pairing of residents with mentors, we have a group of faculty from each division who serve as liaisons for residents, helping guide residents to appropriate mentors.
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- General Medicine
- Hematology
- Infectious Disease
- Medical Education
- Nephrology
- Oncology
- Pulmonology
- Quality Improvement
- Rheumatology
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Our campus houses researchers within the Basic Sciences and Public Health Division in the Center for Translational Research and Education (CTRE) building, providing our residents with easy access to Basic Science and Public Health faculty for collaboration and mentorship.
Explore the links below to see some of the projects our residents have been involved in!
LUMC Clinical Research Department
What is the Research Elective?
The research elective provides protected time for residents to participate in research. Residents apply for the research scholar and research associate programs in the spring time with a proposed research project. Applications are reviewed by the research review committee and time is awarded based on merit of the application.
Research scholars are awarded up to six weeks of research time per senior year of residency. Research associates are awarded up to three weeks of research time per senior year of residency. Both are required to conduct regular meetings with their mentors and the research chief resident, as well as present their research at the resident research and quality improvement day. Scholars are also required to submit their work to a national or international conference.
Statistical Support
Residents have access to free biostatistical support from the clinical research office (CRO).
Conference Support
Residents may apply for up to $500 of reimbursements per PGY year to support costs of publications and conference attendance.
Core Research Curriculum
Academic Research Curriculum (ARC)
Overview
In the first year of Internal Medicine residency, foundational training in biostatistics and research methodology is provided through a series of lectures delivered mainly by faculty from the School of Public Health. These sessions are facilitated by faculty from the Department of Internal Medicine to ensure engagement and comprehension.
In the second and third years, residents actively participate in a Journal Club, where selected articles with strong clinical relevance are reviewed. This allows residents to apply biostatistical concepts in real-world clinical contexts, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical application. The focus is on developing the ability to critically appraise literature and to incorporate evidence-based medicine into clinical decision-making.
Curricular Content
The core curriculum includes 8 essential topics that are introduced and built upon throughout the program:
- The Art of Writing Case Reports
- Study Design and Hierarchy of Scientific Evidence
- Introduction to Biostatistics
- Bivariate Analyses
- Measures of Association
- Evaluating Screening Tests
- Overview of Regression Methods
- Final Review
Future Curriculum Enhancements
Additional topics are under consideration for future integration based on resident feedback, evolving clinical needs, and advancements in medical education.
Resident Research and Quality Improvement Day
Dr. Arti Rupani Garg Resident Research and Quality Improvement (RRQI) Day
The Dr. Arti Rupani Garg RRQI Day is the annual Internal Medicine Residency celebration of all resident driven scholarly activity. RRQI Day was renamed in memory of Dr. Arti Rupani Garg in 2011. She was a graduate of the program in 2011, and a physician of impeccable character and charm with a love for teaching and passion for research.
RRQI Day is celebrated in two ways: an abstract competition and a poster competition. The winners of the abstract competition celebrate their research accomplishments with a grand-rounds style presentation on RRQI Day presenting their research. The poster competition includes faculty from each specialty division listing to poster presentations and reviewing the content displayed.
Each year it is truly amazing to see the amount of high quality research and QI projects that our residents participate in and share with the Department of Medicine on RRQI Day.
Below you will find a description of winners from year's past as well as brochures and posters that were presented on RRQI Day. We look forward to your amazing submissions!
2026 RRQI Day Winners
Poster Competition Winners
Quality Improvement
- QI Project Winner – Nick Demetriou, IM PGY-1
Improving Cardiovascular Risk Assessment for Patients with CLL and Other B Cell Lymphomas Initiating BTK Inhibitors at Loyola University Medical Center
PI: Dr. Kirk Cahill
- QI Patient Safety Conference Winner – Danny Burris, IM PGY-2
Improving Documentation and Fidelity of Advance Directives in ICU patients at Hines VA
Mentors: Dr. Brett Slajus and Dr. Meghan O’Halloran
Research
- 1st place – Sam Lubor, MP PGY-3
Assessing Graduating SSOM Student Comfort Level with Cross-Cover Through a Novel Simulation
PI: Dr. Margaret Tsien
- 2nd place – Neel Gadhoke, IM PGY-2
Genome-wide association study of pulmonary embolism in a diverse cohort from the All of Us Research Program
PI: Dr. Amir Darki
- 3rd place – Maryam Sabir, IM PGY-2
South Asian Perspectives on Cardiovascular Health: Dialogues on Illness and Lifestyle (DIL)
PI: Dr. Sandeep Mehta
Abstract Competition Winner
Quality Improvement
- Quality Improvement Winner Kirsten McAuliff, IM PGY-3
Improving Goals of Care Conversations and Life-Sustaining Treatment Note Completion with High-Risk Patients in VA Outpatient Resident Clinics
PI: Dr. Seema Limaye
Research Winners
- 1st Place: Puja Brahmbhatt, IM PGY-3
A Comparative Analysis of Ultrasound Assessment of IVC, Hepatic, and Portal Veins vs RHC in Central Venous and Pulmonary Hemodynamics
PI: Dr. Rishi Mehta
- 2nd Place: Simran Koura, IM PGY-3
Thrombo-inflammatory Markers as Predictors of Right Ventricular Dysfunction and Hospital Length of Stay in Acute Pulmonary Embolism
PI: Dr. Amir Darki
- 3rd Place: Dinkar Ahuja, IM PGY-3
Yield of Inpatient Colonoscopy in the Presentation of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding
PI: Dr. Dejan Micic
- 4th Place: Myoung Hyun Choi, MP PGY-4
Effects of Reperfusion Therapy and Malignancy on All-Cause Mortality in Obese and Non-Obese Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism
PI: Dr. Amir Darki
