Abstract
Political bodies and professional societies acknowledge that translational research benefits from researchers trained in both, clinical medicine and basic science. Yet, few physicians undergoing clinical training in cardiology seek this dual career (Milewicz et al. J Clin Invest 125:3742–3747, 2015). The reasons are likely manifold, but with cardiology having become increasingly interventional and facing economic pressure, how much attention, credit, and encouragement is given to physicians interested in basic cardiovascular science? Having studied and worked in hospitals and laboratories, in both Germany and the USA, we aim to compare in this article how basic science education is currently integrated into cardiology training at German and US university hospitals, from medical school to more advanced career stages. By doing so, we hope to provide some outside perspectives to young physicians and decision makers alike, that may inspire changes to curricula in the respective countries and around the world.
Highlights
During undergraduate studies and the first years of medical school, future physicians are first exposed to basic life sciences in theory with limited practice
MD/PhD programs to train future physician–scientists have been established at over 90 universities [4]. These programs take an additional 3–4 years compared to a regular MD program, but stipends are often offered. This is an important distinction from the German medical education system, where generally no student fees apply, and student loans and financial burden are less of a concern
Clinical training in internal medicine and cardiology at German university hospitals encompasses a common trunk of 3 years of practice in general internal medicine and 3 years in cardiology to qualify for board certification
Summary
During undergraduate studies and the first years of medical school, future physicians are first exposed to basic life sciences in theory with limited practice. In the US, the first opportunity for students to engage in basic science often presents itself during undergraduate studies or after graduation from college At this point, it is not difficult to get accepted at a basic research lab to participate in working on a project, and no extensive prior knowledge is required. 6% of medical students have enrolled in MD/PhD programs in recent years, but 83% of those chose academic careers as compared to 16% of other medical school graduates. They were 3–4 times more successful in receiving NIH grants [5, 6]
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