Career Consultation
Would you like to discuss non-academic career paths with an SMDM member who works in or has transitioned into a non-academic career? Are you seeking feedback on a grant or manuscript from an expert in the field? Are you looking for an expert consultant on a grant proposal? Would you like guidance on negotiating through the tenure or promotion process from someone outside of your institution? Do you have other career questions?
SMDM offers members the opportunity for career consultation throughout the year. Members seeking advice and members interested in serving as mentors are invited to sign up for this career consultation service. Requests for consultation will be made on an as-needed basis, and signing up does not commit you to performing any of these tasks if you are unavailable at the time the request is made.
Please submit your requests for career consultation, or your willingness to provide consultation: please contact Mary Politi, Networking Committee Chair, in SMDM Connect. If you are requesting consultation, please indicate the career advice you are seeking. If you are signing up provide consultation, please indicate your area of expertise.
Featured Resources
Career and Professional Development Sessions from the 42nd Annual Meeting
Career Development Panel: Publishing Your Research
Publishing is a key component of research; however, it can be challenging for early career and established researchers alike. This interactive panel brought together three unique perspectives to discuss how trainees and mentors can best navigate this process. The format included brief presentations from the panelists followed by an open question-and-answer period.
Insider Tips for Working with the NIH and PCORI
Drs. Karen Lee and Joanna Siegel discussed the process of obtaining funding from NIH and PCORI. They each presented some tips on working with their institutions and participated in a live Q&A. Karen Lee is the program director for NICHD's Behavioral Pediatrics and Health Promotion Program in the extramural research portfolio. Joanna Siegel is Director of Dissemination and Implementation at PCORI.
Brown Bag with Experts: Building Relationships with Policy Makers
Drs. Zerzan-Thul and Kim shared their experiences as policy makers and how to align research with policy goals. Dr. Zerzan-Thul is the Chief Medical Officer for the Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) and Dr. Kim is the Dean for Academic Affairs and K.T. Li Professor of Health Economics in Harvards TH Chan School of Public Health.
Career Development Sessions from Past Meetings
SMDM Career Development Committee Public Speaking Workshop
This workshop brings together three of SMDM’s best presenters to share their tips and tricks on how to deliver clear, compelling, and effective presentations. This session is targeted to all SMDM attendees, from trainees to those in mid-career or higher, and will include brief presentations and an open discussion period. This session occured durign the 41st Annual Meeting held in Portalnd, Oregon.
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SMDM members contribute critically to health policy research in the areas of evidence-based medicine, cost effective health care, patient decision making and public health. SMDM helps you to be more than just a face in the crowd. The connections you make through SMDM can help you build a network of long-term contacts to help you throughout your career.
Member Stories

Negin Hajizadeh, MD, MPH
I have been coming to SMDM for the past 11 years and return every year because it’s the only society where research is presented, and training is provided on methods of informing medical decision making across the spectrum.
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MDM offers rigorous and systematic approaches to decision making that are designed to improve the health and clinical care of individuals and to assist with health policy development.