Field Research Advisory Committee (FRAC)

• Overview
• Proposed FRAC
• FRAC Regions
• VACO Staff

>>View: Dr. Perlin's 5/27/04 memo to the ACOS (161 KB, PDF)

Overview

In January 2004, the Office of Research and Development (ORD) convened a meeting of Associate Chiefs of Staff for Research and Development (ACOS/R&D;) and research center directors in Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting was to engage in a meaningful dialogue with field research leaders regarding the direction and philosophy of the VA research meeting.

As part of this meeting, Dr. Perlin, Acting Under Secretary for Health and Acting Chief Research and Development Officer (CRADO) held a town hall meeting. Following opening remarks, he afforded the opportunity for questions from meeting participants. One ACOS/R&D; asked Dr. Perlin how the field might have a meaningful role in strategic planning for the VA research program. The ACOS/R&Ds; have extensive institutional memory regarding the program and would like to engage in meaningful discussion with central office staff about the direction the program will go in, now and in the future.

Dr. Perlin responded that he welcomes meaningful input and contact from the field, and challenged the group to think about a process to facilitate meaningful discussion. During discussion groups on the second day of the meeting, a group consisting of approximately half the meeting participants was formed to respond to this challenge.

This discussion group focused on the method of facilitating ongoing communication and proposed the formation of a Field Research Advisory Committee (FRAC) to serve as a channel for ongoing communication between the field and VACO staff.

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The proposed FRAC would:

• Consist of the following VACO staff:
  CRADO; Deputy CRADO; and Directors of the four research services (Biomedical Laboratory R&D; Service (BLR&D;), Rehabilitation R&D; Service (RR&D;), Health Services R&D; Service (HSR&D;), and Clinical Science R&D; Service (CSR&D;).
• Consist of the following field research staff:
  Five ACOS/R&D; - one from each of the five geographic regions recognized by the Office of Research Oversight (ORO), to be elected by their peers; and
  The following additional field representatives, also to be elected by their peers within the subset they would represent:
  One director of a Rehabilitation R&D; Center of Excellence; One director of a Health Services R&D; Center of Excellence; One study chairman from among all studies funded by the Cooperative Studies Program (CSP); and One non-clinician Ph.D. scientist from among all Research Career Scientists and Senior Research Career Scientists.
  
• Be elected for 3-year terms, with one-third of the field membership to rotate off annually.
• Meet on a quarterly basis, with minutes published for distribution to the field.

The group further proposed that the FRAC be charged with promoting communication and providing input on issues that impact research, and participating in current operations and strategic planning.

In order to facilitate better communication among ACOS/R&D;, a quarterly conference call should be held prior to each quarterly meeting in order to vet issues. The five ACOS/R&D; representatives to the committee would be responsible for establishing and maintaining communication networks within their respective regions.

This proposal was suggested as an initial first step in establishing the communication process discussed with Dr. Perlin.

The proposal was subsequently approved by Dr. Perlin on February 9, 2004, and announced on the monthly ORD Field Conference Call. Election of field representatives (17 KB, Excel) was conducted in April-May, and the first meeting of the FRAC is planned for July in Washington, DC.

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FRAC Regions

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VACO Staff

Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, MSHA, FACP
Acting Chief Research and Development Officer (CRADO)
jonathan.perlin@hq.med.va.gov

Mindy L. Aisen, MD
Deputy CRADO
mindy.aisen@hq.med.va.gov

Timothy J. O'Leary, MD, PhD
Director
Biomedical Laboratory R&D; Service (BLR&D;)
timothy.oleary@hq.med.va.gov

Brian G. Schuster, MD, FACP
Director
Clinical Science R&D; Service (CSR&D;)
brian.schuster@hq.med.va.gov

John Demakis, MD
Director
Health Services R&D; Service (HSR&D;)
john.demakis@hq.med.va.gov

Robert Ruff, MD
Acting Director
Rehabilitation R&D; Service (RR&D;)
robert.ruff@hq.med.va.gov

Office of Research and Development
Phone: 202-254-0183
Fax: 202-254-0460

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