My Experience with the NATF Traveling Fellowship Program

Ousama Dabbagh, MD, FCCP

Venous thromboembolism is a devastating disease, which although very common, is often missed.  Until the NATF was founded by Drs. Arthur Sasahara, Samuel Goldhaber, Jawed Fareed, and John Fanikos, RPh, MBA, there had been no specific medical society which studied thrombosis as the forefront of its mission.

I had heard about the NATF in the summer of 2007.  At that time, this non-profit organization offered its first traveling fellowships for physicians interested in pursuing careers in thrombosis.  The fellowship’s primary goal is to help identify and encourage healthcare professionals who wish to pursue a career in thrombosis.  NATF facilitates networking with leaders in the field and its core mission is to enhance thrombosis research, education, prevention, policy, and advocacy.

Without hesitation, I decided to apply for this fellowship.  Due to my busy clinical schedule, it is only possible to apply for such a fellowship if it can offer me some scheduling flexibility.  I still remember vividly how thrilled I was when I read the response from Dr. Arthur Sasahara that my application had been accepted.  Since then, I have attended several NATF activities.

In September 2007, I went to the Global Summit, which was actually the inaugural meeting of the NATF.  This conference was an inclusive global review of what is taking place in the field of thrombosis, with many world leaders in various aspects of thrombosis attending.  I had the great opportunity of sitting closely with renowned experts in the field who represented the five major areas of NATF focus, including translational research, clinical research, prevention, public policy, and patient advocacy.  These discussions were very productive and thought provoking, but more importantly --- provided viable solutions to real problems.

After the meeting and the official announcement of my fellowship, I was offered the chance to visit any research laboratory in North America.  I chose to work with my hero, Dr. Samuel Goldhaber, who leads the VTE Research Group in Boston, MA.

In March 2008, I traveled to Boston to participate in a two-week fellowship program.  I attended the proactive thrombosis prevention workshop sponsored by the NATF and the Harvard Medical School.  This was an intense, comprehensive review course of the most recent work being done regarding thrombosis-associated diseases.  Once again, I was given the opportunity to interact with world leaders.  In the evening, all of the workshop attendees and speakers were invited to a dinner, which gave me an opportunity to socialize and further network with these leading experts.

As part of my traveling fellowship, I spent the rest of that two-week period at the Venous Thromboembolism Research Group at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA, where I worked side by side with Sam Goldhaber, and met with his fellows conducting several research projects.  I also visited the anticoagulation clinic and witnessed firsthand how this very busy service runs efficiently in a high-quality environment.

Among the fine physicians in Dr. Goldhaber’s group, I found skilled mentors who indicated they are interested in developing my career in thrombosis.

Dr. Arthur Sasahara was very generous in sharing both his wisdom and his time.  Dr Sam Goldhaber provided constructive feedback and showed real interest in my career development.  John Fanikos made my stay quite enjoyable with his wonderful, positive attitude, not to mention the entertainment schedule that he had devised.  During my time in Boston, I also attended numerous conferences, my favorite of which was a presentation by Sam Goldhaber about anticoagulation bridging.

Although those 2 weeks went by too quickly, I made the most of every minute of my stay.  In that short time, I was able to forge enduring relationships with members of the NATF and the BWH anticoagulation group.  I also gained the necessary knowledge and experience to suggest improvements for the anticoagulation clinics at my own institution.

I will be forever grateful that I made the decision to join the NATF and was awarded its Traveling Fellowship.  I expect that my relationships with the NATF members and those in its affiliate organizations will grow and prosper in the coming years.  The world has an immediate and urgent need for leaders in the field of thrombosis to take on the major task of improving prevention and therapeutic practices.

But… none of this can work can be accomplished alone. The NATF has given us the opportunity to collaborate on translational research, prevention, and patient advocacy.  Together, we can accept this challenging task.

One unique feature of the NATF that sets it apart from other such societies is the patient aspect. They actually have a place for their patients who are invited to attend all of the regular meetings in order to make their voices heard.  Seeing those patients and hearing their life stories touched everyone’s heart.  It gave me a whole new perspective --- that we should never work in silence --- and that a real change must take place by putting our heads together.  This is the message that NATF resonates loudly!
On my last day of the NATF fellowship, I was very sad. Suffice it to say, that it was difficult leaving these new colleagues and mentors.

However, I plan to maintain my relationships with members of the NATF by attending sponsored meetings and working closely with its founders and others to increase awareness of this silent killer –venous thromboembolism.  I realize that NATF also is expanding its focus to include coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. 

Since becoming an NATF fellow, I am now even more determined to continue my career in thrombosis and to accept the important role as an advocate for patient awareness and education.

I thank the NATF for this great experience and once in a lifetime opportunity, and I wish the best for the new fellows in the years to come.

NATF Traveling Fellowship Program

With the goal of exploring the cross-disciplinary diagnosis, treatment, education, and research related to thrombosis, the NATF Traveling Fellowship Program is an annual scientific exchange opportunity for physicians (either Junior Faculty or physicians-in-training), scientists, nurses, or pharmacists.  NATF will provide an award equivalent to $5,000 for lodging and travel for one Fellow selected to visit a North American thrombosis research and education center of his or her choice for up to 10-30 days.

The NATF Traveling Fellow will:

• Work on a joint project with hosting center
• Contribute to the development of a cross-disciplinary approach for the research, diagnosis, treatment, and education thrombosis
• View research facilities and thrombosis diagnosis, treatment, and prevention methods
• Participate in scientific symposia with members of the NATF Board and Scientific Advisory Committee
• Free participation in the 2008 North American Thrombosis Forum Thrombosis Summit (Boston, MA, September 27, 2008) attended by cross-disciplinary medical and scientific leaders
• Present learnings gained through NATF Traveling Fellowship at the Fall 2009 North American Thrombosis Forum Thrombosis Summit
• Serve as an NATF Ambassador

To learn more about the NATF Traveling Fellowship or to apply, please click here.

Benefits of the NATF Traveling Fellowship

• Foster an exchange of scientific information, stimulate research and expanded education, and develop friendships among leaders in thrombosis research, treatment, and patient education
• Serve as a bridge that may be used to forge the future of thrombosis treatment and prevention that includes a cross-disciplinary approach
• Provide a stimulus for leadership by recognizing young medical personnel or scientists with the potential for nationally lowering the rate of life-threatening thrombotic episodes through education, research, and prevention

NATF Committment to Future Leaders

The NATF Traveling Fellowship Program was conceptualized to allow scientists and health professionals (MD, DO, PhD, RN, or PharmD) the opportunity to expand their fund of knowledge, as well as build positive and enduring relationships with others concerned with thrombotic disorders. NATF recognizes the vital impact training programs have on the future of thrombosis research, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Application Requirements

• The Fellow will be selected by the NATF Advisory Committee, Chaired by Dr. Arthur A. Sasahara, MD, Professor of Medicine, Emeritus, Harvard Medical School, and NATF Director.
• The fellowship will be granted based on a demonstrated commitment to excellence in education, research, or clinical practice.
• 3 Letters of reference are required.
• Applicants must be practicing in North America:  Application Deadline is July 15, 2008

The North American Thrombosis Forum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on unmet needs and issues related to thrombosis and cardiovascular diseases such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, and stroke. The five areas of major focus are: 1) basic translational research, 2) clinical research, especially diagnosis and therapy, 3) prevention and education, 4) public policy, and 5) advocacy. NATF's legacy will be to improve patient care, outcomes, and public health by supporting thrombosis-related programs, such as novel research projects, innovative educational programs, public policy initiatives, regulatory issues and advocacy, and to broaden training opportunities for scientists and health professionals (physicians, nurses, pharmacists).

Our offices are located at 1620 Tremont Street, Suite 3022; Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120.  For general information, please call (617) 525-8326 or email: info@NATFonline.org.

Proactive Thrombosis Prevention Lectures: Saturday, March 1, 2008

1.	Stroke Update Farzaneh A. Sorond, MD, PhD
2.	Coronary Stent Thrombosis Frederic S. Resnic, MD, MSc
3.	Peripheral Arterial Disease Update Marie Gerhard-Herman, MD
4.	PE Diagnosis Paul D. Stein, MD
5.	Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia Education Programs Steven Baroletti, PharmD, MBA
6.	Generic vs. Brand Name Drugs Jawed Fareed, PhD
7.	Electronic Alerts to Prevent DVT Karen Fiumara, PharmD
8.	Novel Anticoagulants John Fanikos, RPh, MBA
9.	Anticoagulation Update Samuel Z. Goldhaber, MD
10.	Patient Education and Patient Compliance Rita M. Morrison, RN, BSN and Ruth B. Morrison, RN, BSN, CVN
11.	Point-of-Care INR Testing Jack E. Ansell, MD
12.	Patient Advocacy Kelly Clark, NATF Patient Advocate

 

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