Research Training Program for Pediatric Subspecialty Fellows

University Of Pittsburgh At Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

This proposal requests continued support for the Research Training Program for Pediatric Subspecialty Fellows at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP). The major goal of the Research Training Program is to identify, mentor, and foster the careers of future leaders in pediatric research who are dedicated to improving child health through discovery. The program offers an intensive research experience for pediatric fellows committed to training in either laboratory-based or patient- oriented research relevant to child health. The training experience is designed to prepare fellows for careers as independent, NIH-funded pediatric physician-scientists in the field of their choice. The Research Training Program facilitates the training of fellows in subspecialties within the Department of Pediatrics that do not have specialty-dedicated T32 grants (e.g., Adolescent Medicine, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Genetics, Health Informatics, Hematology and Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Nephrology, Neurology, Newborn Medicine, and Rheumatology) as well as those in subspecialties that have such programs (e.g., General Academic Pediatrics and Pulmonology) but are more limited in scope. Thus, the program maximizes extramural support by targeting the most talented fellows in our large department and matching them with outstanding mentors in a variety of disciplines. The mentoring faculty includes 36 outstanding basic, translational, and clinical investigators who have distinguished records of research accomplishments and mentoring. The emphasis of the mentoring experience is on the fundamentals of scientific inquiry combined with the highest standards of excellence for rigor and integrity. Each fellow is expected to conduct an innovative research project with the research team of one of the faculty mentors, leading to publications and applications for individual career development awards. The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has a large and diverse pediatric research program and is housed on the CHP campus along with the 300,000-square-foot CHP Rangos Research Center. We have appointed 31 fellows to the Research Training Program at the University of Pittsburgh since its establishment in 2013; 26 will have completed training by June 2024, and five remain in training. The outcomes of the Research Training Program are encouraging for a program in existence for only ten years. Of the 26 program graduates, 81% are or will be employed in academic positions (two associate professors, 18 assistant professors, and one instructor). These graduates are supported by NIH awards, industry funding, and foundation grants, and several are applying for additional NIH awards. These outcomes provide confidence that the Research Training Program selects talented trainees, provides a superb team of mentors, and offers an intellectually stimulating environment that inspires fellows in pediatric subspecialties and provides them with the experience and training to become leaders in child health research.