This a scientist development program for a clinician. The five year program is designed to develop a clinical physician candidate into a clinical research scientist. The candidate will learn by performing, under the supervision of a preceptor, the actual steps involved in a clinical research project: through all the steps from developing an hypothesis and writing a rationale to the oral presentation of research reports to informal and formal meetings of scientists. Tutorials will be given to the candidate by senior scientists in thee areas of statistics, cognitive/behavioral therapies, preclinical methods, and laboratory sleep evaluation. The long-term goals of the program are that the candidate: 1) be awarded at least one research grant (First Award) as Principal Investigator, 2) participate in the development and completion of three original research protocols, 3) publish 6 research articles, 4) participate actively in substance abuse treatment and research committees, conferences, round tables, and workshops, 5) be responsible for teaching specific substance abuse topics to medical students, psychiatry residents and fellows, and participate in at least two projects, (i.e., AIDS Project Substance Abuse Prevention Program) that will directly benefit the community. The candidate will also gain valuable experience by visiting investigators and scholars in other well-established Substance Abuse Treatment and Research Centers. Over the course of five years, the candidate will conduct several studies. Some of them will be suggested by the results of ongoing work or new clinical experiences. The first study will be a 100 patient, double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy of carbamazepine compared to placebo in the treatment of cocaine dependence. Carbamazepine will be specifically evaluated for its efficacy in 1) reducing or eliminating cocaine craving, 2) diminishing overall cocaine withdrawal symptoms, and 3) preventing early relapse. Several other proposed studies are described.
