Number Of Physician-scientists Research Articles

A Fully Online Research Practicum Curriculum for Undergraduate Medical Students: A Protocol Paper.

Research is a critically important skill for medical trainees that helps physicians to advance the state of science and provide optimal healthcare to patients. The number of physician-scientists is decreasing. Competing priorities, limited research faculty, shrinking research budgets, and meeting accreditation standards limit the amount of time and effort needed to train undergraduate medical students sufficiently for them to engage in independent research activities. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of a fully online research practicum as part of the medical school curriculum. A fully online research curriculum for preclinical medical students was developed and implemented by the researchers as a mandatory component of student training. This curriculum addressedresearch education challenges in medical schools with limited resources and/or for situations for which face-to-face research may be impractical or expensive. Students were also encouraged to practice criticalthinking andcriticalappraisal of the evidence. Student-initiated research projects were conducted in teams and completed with support from faculty research mentors and librarians.During the first two cycles, 86 student team projects were completed. During the third cycle, 45 team projects were conducted. Two complete cycles of a two-semester research practicum were completed. The majority of these studies were presented at regional, national, and international conferences, published as posters, and/or published as articles in peer-reviewed journals. Faculty mentor publications also increased as a result of engagement in the practicum. The results of this research practicum provide evidence of the usefulness of a hands-on tailored research program delivered online for increasing research literacy, promoting interest among medical students in research, and motivation for future engagement in research as verified by student project outcomes during and beyond the practicum experience. The practicum can be used for individual students or as a team-based approach. A research practicum such as this also has the potential to improve the prospects of a successful application for post-graduate training, grants, and high-impact publications.

Training and Retaining Physician‒Scientists in Dermatology: China

Physician‒scientists play a crucial role in the development and advancement of medical science. The number of physician‒scientists has been decreasing in recent years, and this phenomenon is also very prominent in the field of dermatology. In China, on the one hand, the quality and quantity of dermatological science research are rapidly increasing. On the other hand, there are many problems and challenges in physician‒scientist training that hinder young students from choosing to enter an MD‒PhD path over an MD-only path. Continuous efforts should be made to attract medical students to the dermatology specialty, to guide and spur their interests in scientific research, and to provide them with excellent research conditions and environment.

Predictors of research self efficacy in first-year osteopathic medical students

BackgroundThere has been a decline in the number of physician-scientists which has promoted interest in developing research initiatives for students in medical school. While it is unclear what might promote student success in research endeavors, it has been postulated that research self-efficacy (RSE) may be contribute to student engagement in research. It is thus important to consider what factors contribute to student engagement in research in the early years of medical training. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to assess first-year osteopathic medical students’ (OMS) attitudes towards research and identify factors contributing to RSE. MethodsData were collected from 357 first-year OMS via an online questionnaire on attitudes of and opinions towards research. Multiple regression modeling was used to determine if certain attitudinal factors would be associated with RSE. Hypothesis testing was conducted using Pearson correlation coefficients (r) and multiple regression analysis. ResultsRegression modeling successfully explained 33% of the variance in predicting RSE: F(4,350) = 44.475, p < 0.001 with an R2 of 0.337 (adj. R2 = 0.329). Greater security in understanding research, greater belief in ability to conduct research, feeling research was important in their future career, and wanting more research education and opportunities while in medical school contributed to greater RSE. ConclusionsEvidence-based medicine and the importance of research continue to influence osteopathic education and medical practice. Cultivating RSE should be a goal for medical educators as they design curricular initiatives to facilitate critical thinking and improve chances to apply research skills in residency and beyond.

An Evaluation of the SCORE Program: A Novel Research and Mentoring Program for Medical Students in Obstetrics/Gynecology and Otolaryngology.

There has been a steady decrease in the number of physician-scientists and a lack of diversity and inclusion of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in medicine. To assess the research productivity, interest, and experience of medical students, including URMs, and resident and faculty mentors of the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center's 8-week, intensive, mentored Summer Clinical Otolaryngology and Obstetrics/Gynecology Research (SCORE) Program for second-year medical students. A database of SCORE Program research projects was generated from 2016, when the program was launched, through 2018. SCORE Program students and faculty completed a brief, mixed-methods, anonymous exit survey that captured respondents' experiences, perceived program strengths, and opportunities for improvement. The number of peer-reviewed manuscripts produced were counted. A total of 16 SCORE Program students (50% female and 38% URMs) between 2016 and 2018 and 8 residents and 8 faculty members in 2018 completed a brief, mixed-methods, anonymous exit survey that captured respondents' experiences, perceived program strengths, and opportunities for improvement. The medical students coauthored 12 published peer-reviewed articles, 25 abstracts or national posters, and 1 opinion editorial. According to the program's annual exit survey, 87% of students reported an increased interest in pursuing research, 93% had an increased interest in their respective specialties, and 93% believed they had positive mentorship experiences. Similarly, faculty and residents enjoyed mentoring students, thought that students positively contributed to their projects, and would support the SCORE Program in the future. Structured research and mentoring experiences, such as the SCORE Program, may encourage students, including URMs, to pursue research throughout their careers in addition to adding research to their curriculum vitae to strengthen their residency applications.

Role of Physician-Scientists in the Control of Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Physician-scientists played many important roles in controlling human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV). They worked in academia, government, and industry, and their research was critical in the following areas: discovering the first active drugs; identifying the virologic, immunologic, and clinical perimeters of efficacy; and conceiving of and executing the subsequent clinical trials that led to the multiple drug regimens that we now have to treat the infection and its complications in all the populations now involved. It is now true that over half of the infected people in the world are under treatment. Because the overall number of physician-scientists is decreasing, we must consider the possibility that our ability to deal with future challenges to human health issues such as HIV may be compromised.

A Strategic Plan for Increasing Scholarly Activity Among Medical Students, Residents, and Faculty.

Scholarly activity among students, residents, and faculty provides the foundation for medical education. However, a decline in the number of physician-scientists has been acknowledged during the past few decades. As a result, institutions have attempted to increase research activity among students and residents through a variety of means. This study describes a replicative model for medical institutions to increase their research enterprises among medical students, residents, and faculty. Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (DMU-CPMS) developed a Strategic Research Plan (SRP) to increase scholarly activity in the college. The SRP outlined an innovative model to increase research activity, including creating a Director of Research position, modifying the existing curriculum toward an evidence-based focus, increasing extracurricular research opportunities, and fostering collaborative research efforts among students, residents, and faculty. After SRP implementation, an increase in scholarly activity was observed. In the 6 years before implementing the SRP, DMU-CPMS published 11 manuscripts. In the 6 years after initiating the SRP, manuscript publications increased to 50. During this same period, podium presentations at scientific meetings increased from 6 to 40, and students listed as lead author increased from 0 to 16. The SRP provides a replicative model for medical institutions seeking to increase their research enterprises through collaboration among students, residents, and faculty. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a research plan aimed at increasing scholarly activity among a comprehensive scope of individuals in medical education.

Clinical Research Recession: Training Needs Perception Among Medical Students.

Clinical research is an integrated part of medical education. There is a noticeable decrease in the number of physician-scientists in developing countries, which is reflected by a decrease in research output and publications from these countries. We conducted a survey aiming to identify the gaps in clinical research training from the perspective of medical students. The results can be used to customize future clinical research trainings. The survey tool was divided into six modules which represent the cornerstones of clinical research based on similar surveys done for the same purpose. For each module, questions covered the perceived knowledge of its aspects and how much relevant the responder thought it was to clinical research. Five hundred one candidates have filled the survey. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) had the highest knowledge score of 2.20/4, while "clinical trials execution" knowledge got the lowest score of 1.64/4. Responders perceived EBM as the most relevant aspect of clinical research (3.39/4), while research ethics received the lowest score 3.18/4. "Clinical trials execution" had the largest gap of a difference calculated as 1.60, while EBM had the lowest gap of 1.20. More attention must be paid to clinical research training for medical students in developing countries. These trainings have to be customized to focus on clinical trial execution, research methodology, and biostatistics. In parallel, awareness campaigns targeted toward the medical community emphasizing the importance of the ethics as an aspect of clinical research should be established.

Stimulating the Formation of the Physician-Scientist; Scientific Exposure during the Medical Course in Brazil

Despite major advances in medical research, there is a decline in the number of physician-scientists. It is necessary to stimulate the involvement of MDs in the scientific endeavor. Brazil has a national program which stimulates the participation of undergraduate students, including medical students, in research projects as a regular academic activity. Herewith we analyze the introductory scientific program and the involvement of MDs in research in Brazil. The program to promote early scientific exposure during the undergraduate or medical course has the objective of recognizing students with aptitude for scientific research. Brazilian research groups in the area of medicine show a continuous increase, and the health sciences represent a sizable part of graduate students who receive scientific initiation fellowships. An important part of students who participated in introductory scientific programs continued in scientific activities in graduate programs. This finding supports the importance of basic scientific research in stimulating students to follow a scientific career.

Regenerating physician-scientists

nature medicine volume 16 | number 5 | may 2010 511 The academic niche for physician-scientists has been degenerating for over three decades. In 1979, the director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), James Wyngaarden, initially highlighted an alarming drop-off in the number of physician-scientists and their success rates in NIH funding. Since then, the combined burdens of an increasingly stringent overall NIH budget, educational loans on young physicians (often in the six figures), the procedure-driven nature of modern clinical medicine, and the financial vise of managed care and its follow-on effects on the academic environment have created an increasingly ablative force on the necessary environment to maintain a proper balance in the numbers of physician-scientists. In The Vanishing Physician-Scientist?, edited by Andrew I. Schafer, currently chairman of the Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, the fate of the physician-scientist is revisited from multiple angles: renewal versus extinction, the evolution of diverse lineages (MD-PhD, late bloomers with MD degrees alone, PhDs in clinical departments), implications for biotechnology and drug discovery, gender imbalance, pipeline versus attrition effects, role models, financial and modern lifestyle concerns and the fragile microenvironmental niche of academic medicine in general. The result is a fascinating must-read for those of us with a deep interest in the subject that goes beyond conjecture and anecdotal personal experience to recent academic survey data, population analyses, current NIH funding trends, outcome analyses of MD-PhD trainees and, most importantly, onward toward a series of cogent, specific and implementable suggestions for regeneration. As the last page is turned, a more sanguine view of the problem emerges, along with a few surprises. The book is comprised of 15 chapters written by over twenty leading physician-scientists who offer a number of penetrating insights into the crux of the problem of regenerating a new cadre of leaders in academic medicine. For example, as noted in the book by Tim Ley, a former president of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the demographics of physician-scientists have been relatively stable since 1990. The bulk of these researchers hold an MD degree alone, and their success rates for NIH funding are similar to others with PhD or MD-PhD joint degrees. Regenerating physician-scientists

The Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program

Physician scientists are seen as important in healthcare research. However, the number of physician scientists and their success in obtaining National Institutes of Health funding have been declining for many years. The shortage of physician scientists in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is particularly severe and can be attributed to many of the same factors that affect physician scientists in general, as well as to the lack of well-developed models for research training. In 1995, the Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program was funded by a K12 grant from the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, as one strategy for increasing the number of research-productive physiatrists. The Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program's structure was revised in 2001 to improve the level of preparation of incoming trainees and to provide a stronger central mentorship support network. We describe the original and revised structure of the Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program and review subjective and objective data on the productivity of the trainees who have completed the program. These data suggest that Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program trainees are, in general, successful in obtaining and maintaining academic faculty positions and that the productivity of the cohort trained after the revision, in particular, shows impressive growth after about 3 yrs of training.

Basic science research in urology training

The role of basic science exposure during urology training is a timely topic that is relevant to urologic health and to the training of new physician scientists. Today, researchers are needed for the advancement of this specialty, and involvement in basic research will foster understanding of basic scientific concepts and the development of critical thinking skills, which will, in turn, improve clinical performance. If research education is not included in urology training, future urologists may not be as likely to contribute to scientific discoveries.Currently, only a minority of urologists in training are currently exposed to significant research experience. In addition, the number of physician-scientists in urology has been decreasing over the last two decades, as fewer physicians are willing to undertake a career in academics and perform basic research. However, to ensure that the field of urology is driving forward and bringing novel techniques to patients, it is clear that more research-trained urologists are needed. In this article we will analyse the current status of basic research in urology training and discuss the importance of and obstacles to successful addition of research into the medical training curricula. Further, we will highlight different opportunities for trainees to obtain significant research exposure in urology.

The Physician-Scientist Career Pipeline in 2005

Physician-scientists play a unique and critical role in medical research. Nonetheless, a number of trends followed during the 1980s and 1990s revealed that this career pathway was in serious jeopardy. Physician-scientists were declining in number and were getting older. A variety of factors were thought to contribute to this problem, including increasing indebtedness of medical school graduates caused by rapidly rising medical school tuition costs. To evaluate the impact of recently initiated programs from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and several not-for-profit institutions designed to revitalize the physician-scientist career pipeline. We assessed recent trends in the physician-scientist career pipeline using data obtained from the NIH, the American Medical Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and other sources. Total numbers of physicians performing research, grant application numbers and success rates for MDs, MD-PhDs, and PhDs at various stages in their careers, interest in research among medical students, medical school tuitions and postgraduate salaries, numbers and composition of applicants for NIH loan repayment programs, and gender distribution of young physician-scientists. The number of physician-scientists in the United States has been in a steady state for the past decade, but funded physician-scientists are significantly older than they were 2 decades ago. However, the study of early career markers over the past 7 to 10 years has demonstrated increasing interest in research careers by medical students, steady growth of the MD-PhD pool, and a new burst of activity in the "late bloomer" pool of MDs (individuals who choose research careers in medical school or in residency training), fueled by loan repayment programs that were created by the NIH in 2002. Several recent trends for more established physician-scientists have also suggested improvement. Although it is too early to assess the impact of these indicators on the long-term career pathway, the recent growth in activity in the physician-scientist career pipeline is an encouraging development. Continued funding of these new programs, coupled with sustained support for physician-scientists committed to the pathway, will be required to maintain these positive trends.

Impact of Medical Student Research in the Development of Physician-Scientists

Context A decline in the number of physician-scientists has been identified in the United States for at least two decades. Although many mechanisms have been proposed to reverse this trend, most of these have concentrated on MD/PhD programs, research in subspecialty fellowships, and other approaches later in physician training. Few have emphasized early medical student research experiences as a contributing solution. Objective To determine the effect of a medical student research experience on career choices and attitudes about biomedical research. Design, Setting, and Participants We jointly report 25 years of experience with National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored Medical Student Research Fellowship programs (MSRFs) at two colleges of medicine, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Vanderbilt University. In both programs, students work during the summer of their first or second year of medical school on a research project that is mentored by an established scientist and participate in a structured program (lectures, visiting professor). Main Outcome Measures We gathered data using pre- and postresearch fellowship questionnaires to assess (a) quality of research experiences; (b) tabulation of productivity, that is, presentations, abstracts, publications, and awards; (c) long-term tracking of former program participants; (d) comparison of residency placements by medical student researchers; and (e) comments from former program participants on the effects of their students’ research experiences on career choices. Results During this time, approximately 1,000 medical students participated in the two programs. Follow-up data (for short-term evaluations, 96–132 respondents with a response rate &gt; 82%; for long-term evaluations, 88–118 respondents with a response rate &gt; 29–33%) strongly suggest (a) interest in an academic career increased, (b) one-third to half of former student respondents considered themselves to be in academic medicine, (c) the vast majority of students conducted additional research after their medical student research experience, and (d) a large number of students were currently doing research or had published or presented their work at scientific meetings. Conclusions Over two decades of experience with NIH-sponsored medical student research programs at two medical schools strongly support the ability of these programs to interest medical students in research and academic careers. MSRFs should be included in strategies to reverse the decline in the number of physician-scientists.

Impact of Medical Student Research in the Development of Physician-Scientists

ContextA decline in the number of physician-scientists has been identified in the United States for at least two decades. Although many mechanisms have been proposed to reverse this trend, most...

A Gender Gap in the Next Generation of Physician-Scientists: Medical Student Interest and Participation in Research

BackgroundFor 2 decades, the number of physician-scientists has not kept pace with the overall growth of the medical research community. Concomitantly, the number of women entering medical schools has increased...

Enhancing the clinical research pipeline: training approaches for a new century.

There is growing concern that the numbers of physician-scientists being trained in U.S. academic health centers will not be sufficient to continue the rate of current progress in biomedical research. The authors believe that the needs of current trainees and junior faculty must be addressed immediately, and that programs to train the next generation of patient-oriented researchers must be established without delay. The authors describe a two-pronged approach to this looming crisis. First is a description of innovative educational programs implemented at one academic health center from the K-12 level through the medical-school curriculum. Second, programs are discussed that have been developed to facilitate the recruitment, training, and retention of physician-scientists in the early parts of their professional careers. Four models of training "translational" investigators are presented, along with case studies of how these models have been implemented in real-life productive and professionally satisfying collaborations within one academic health center. The authors conclude by stating that to be prepared for the effects of future knowledge on human disease and preventive health, academic health centers must enhance training opportunities for physician-scientists.

An association for patient-oriented research.

Physician-scientists, who study the pathogenesis of disease by using both bedside observations and modern laboratory techniques, are decreasing in number. Ideally, in any profession, some members are devoted to developing its scholarly basis; in contrast, technologists perform activities derived from the work of scientists or scholars. Therefore, the decreasing number of physician-scientists may cause medicine to become a technology rather than a profession. This atrophy in patient-oriented research is caused in part by the current state of laboratory science: Discoveries that are not generated from clinical observations often elucidate many aspects of disease. Furthermore, economic necessities have impelled research-oriented physicians to choose between delivery of health care and performance of basic laboratory science. This paper discusses the continuing need for detailed observation of human disease as a driving force in the development of biomedical science, which combines clinical and laboratory observations. To further the development of this field, the Association for Patient-Oriented Research has been founded. This association will be a new forum in which physician-scientists can present their work and encourage other physicians to join in the research endeavor.

Physician-scientists--endangered and essential.

If the country9s medical research enterprise is to make the contributions it is poised to deliver, the progressive, dangerous decline in the number of physician-scientists must be reversed. This decline--most pronounced among trainees and young investigators--has resulted from: societal pressures toward careers in primary care; economic disincentives, a shift in funding priorities; and the growth of managed care. Because physician-scientists are indispensable participants in the bi-directional flow of information from bedside to laboratory, and because no single agency can correct this problem alone, a major national effort--catalyzed by federal legislation-is recommended: to establish a climate in academia conducive to creating physician-scientists; to set up a network of clinical research units; to enlist the support of foundations, biopharmaceutical companies and managed care entities, as well as government and academia; and to set up a national database of physicians scientists.

Research opportunities for medical students

The recently documented decline in numbers of physician-scientists has broad implications not only for the quality of the clinical research which will be conducted in the next decade but also for the quality of the clinical education that future medical students will receive. The authors' recommendations about what can be accomplished at the medical school level to help reverse this decline are based upon a survey of research opportunities presently offered by schools and on an examination of research components in medical school curricula with special emphasis on the federally supported Medical Scientist Training Program. Three ways in which medical students may become involved in research are described, and each is examined for the purpose of increasing its effective utilization. A heightened understanding of the supply problem and greater interaction among deans, faculty, and students is indicated.