National Research Service Award-Medical Scientist

Washington University, Saint Louis MO

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Washington University in St. Louis has had a funded Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) for more than fifty years that has evolved into a national source of highly successful physician-scientists. Herein they present a new application to continue this evolution to train the next generation of physician-scientists by providing in-depth pre-doctoral training integrating clinical medicine and biomedical research for individuals desiring careers as physician-scientists. MD-PhD students are selected from a strong pool of applicants and comprise an ever-increasingly diverse student body. Medical training is provided by the School of Medicine and research training is primarily carried out in the interdisciplinary graduate programs of the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, or in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Together, these graduate programs encompass a wide breadth of biomedical research. The basic components of the training program are: 1) pre-clinical medical school curriculum with a “MSTP Thread” that explores the scientific evidence for topics covered in the pre-clinical curriculum, including discussion of primary basic and clinical research papers; 2) PhD coursework in a biomedically relevant basic science discipline; 3) training in laboratory safety, responsible conduct of research, and rigor and reproducibility in research; 4) three or more years of original research, overseen by the training faculty and thesis advisory committees, leading to completion of a PhD thesis; 5) clinical training; and 6) a wealth of academic and social programs designed to enhance physician-scientist development and identity, and train students to think critically, and speak and write effectively. Individual students are extensively monitored, mentored, and guided. Policies are in place to ensure training faculty are providing appropriate mentorship. The MD and PhD degrees are awarded jointly upon successful completion which now averages 8.28 years, a period shortened by integrating both medical and graduate curricula which are continually evaluated and modified to enhance student success. The majority of our graduates join the faculty of the nation’s medical schools while others will contribute to the nation’s biomedical research enterprise in government laboratories, and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Regardless of their career path, their MSTP training will allow them to bridge the gap between the basic laboratory and the clinic. The success of this program is the product of strong institutional and NIH support that has allowed us to develop a supportive and effective training environment for physician-scientists.