BROOKINGS – “The Research Scientist and Practicing Health Professional: Can the Twain be One?”

That is the question a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine faculty member will answer in a virtual address at the 30th annual Keo Glidden Smith fall convocation for the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions at South Dakota State University Thursday.

Sujatha Kannan is the Richard J. Traystman Endowed Chair for Anesthesiology Research, vice chair of research in anesthesiology and critical care medicine, and professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine and pediatrics at the renowned Baltimore school.

Kannan said the greatest challenge with trying to be both a research scientist and a practicing health professional is “sometimes it can feel like you are working two full-time jobs, especially when you first start. It almost feels like you have to change your hardware completely when you switch from one role to another and it can be an effort to do that.

“However, over time you get more comfortable in your role. You get more proficient at switching and look forward to the excitement in both roles. You can never get bored.” 

She added, “The greatest reward is that your research will always directly benefit patients since that is what will drive your research. Your patient population will provide you the motivation for your research and your clinical practice will get better because you develop the ability to think outside the box.”

Typically, the convocation is a gathering of 300 students in the first three years of pharmacy school and faculty members with the public also invited. The public may listen to this year’s talk at 3:30 p.m. by clicking to the following link: https://sdstate.zoom.us/j/96309727284?pwd=ZFdEek9zeXIrSHVVTzRwNitxanRWUT09

Kannan also will address graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty members Friday with the talk “Dendrimer Nanotherapies for Brain Injury.” at 3 p.m. through Zoom “https://sdstate.zoom.us/j/99245988579?pwd=UjNEWEE2LzQ5TWhPeUxqQU9xQ2J6Zz09 "

The convocation is organized by the college’s Research and Scholarly Activity Committee and the Rho Chi student honor society.

For more information, contact Xiangming Guan, the associate dean for research, at 605-688-5314 or Xiangming.Guan@sdstate.edu.