Neurology Research Education and Mentorship Program

Columbia University Health Sciences, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY Physician-scientists are crucial for translating advances in basic neuroscience into clinical care improvements, yet they face mounting challenges in mastering both clinical medicine and research at the growing complexity. A major hurdle is the dearth of dedicated time and mentorship for academic research, which has been addressed by the NIH's UE5 Residency Research Mentorship Program to facilitate aspiring physician- scientists conducting mentored research during residency and fellowship to pursue K awards. Columbia University's Department of Neurology has administered this program since 2010, involving Neurosurgery and Neuropathology departments. Initially, the program boasted a 75% conversion rate to K award, but by the second cycle, it showed declines. To counteract this decline, three improvement strategies were implemented: standardized candidate selection, improved training on experimental design training, and sharpening the skills of grant writing. Promisingly, the last cycle shows progress, with most recipients securing foundation grants and K applications underway. However, challenges persist, such as insufficient internal funding, leadership training deficits, insufficient participant diversity, and limited neurosurgery participation. We thus propose to address these issues in this renewal, and our solutions include creating protocols, enhancing leadership training, diversifying participation, and improving collaborations with neurosurgery. These initiatives aim to foster an optimal environment for young physician-scientists to develop a research career.