The Multidisciplinary Research Training Program in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (PCCM) at the UCLA School of Medicine is designed to train outstanding M.D., M.D./Ph.D., and Ph.D. scientists for investigative careers as academic leaders in PCCM. The main focus of this program is basic science or clinical research in a """"""""laboratory environment"""""""" under the supervision of a faculty trainer utilizing cellular, molecular, animal modeling, human specimens, or clinical study design. The major strength of this training program is the environment at UCLA and the quality of the faculty trainers and their commitment to a multidisciplinary research approach related to PCCM. Trainees benefit from an academic environment in which physician-scientists and scientists have teamed effectively with investigators from non-clinical departments to build productive research collaborations. The educational program provides individual instruction designed specifically for each trainee. In addition, each trainee is exposed to small group conferences, seminars, journal clubs, and course work that is directly applicable to their research. The goal of the educational program is designed as follows: 1) provide a knowledge base of molecular, cellular, whole animal, and human specimen biology as it relates to PCCM disorders;2) provide didactic and experimental research training in the intellectual and philosophical approach to modern basic science research or clinical investigation;3) develop scientific writing skills related to manuscripts and grant preparation;4) develop teaching skills;and 5) to provide an academic research environment that will teach trainees that have insufficient previous research experience the necessary skills to be successful in academic PCCM. The research program designed for M.D. and M.D./Ph.D. trainees is in general, focused on translational research that allows integration of their clinical experience with basic science or clinical research tools to address critical questions in PCCM. This strategy highlights our strength in training future PCCM translational investigators. As an important option, we have constructed a training program that allows M.D. trainees to be educated in an environment that will lead to completion of a Ph.D. degree. Basic science programs for Ph.D. trainees are integrated with clinically relevant questions related to PCCM. In summary, the Division of PCCM Training Program (T32) at the UCLA School of Medicine is designed to provide the necessary skills for trainees to be competitive for academic careers in basic science and clinical research, and ultimately to become academic leaders. In this competitive renewal application we describe the success of our trainees from the current funding period. Of the 9 trainees who have begun training in this period, 8 continue in training or in faculty positions in investigative careers in PCCM. Relevance: This training program trains investigators to perform successful research in PCCM.
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