The objectives of the Summer Research Training in Aging for Medical Students (MSTAR) program are to: 1) provide a culturally diverse cadre of medical students with a stimulating 8 week summer experience in geriatric and gerontological research using didactic, clinical and research training; 2) measure the productivity of the participating medical students using the number of abstracts, presentations and publications as metrics; and 3) ascertain the impact of the program on the students' career using follow up surveys of the participants. The principal rationale for the training program is to increase the workforce of physicians entering careers in aging related research from culturally diverse backgrounds. Over the next three decades, the U.S. population of adults age 65 and older is expected to double from 35 million to 70 million. Those over age 85, will constitute the fastest growing segment of the population. In addition, the percentage comprised of minority populations will increase from 20 to 42%. Attracting medical students who represent this ethnic and cultural change and who will pursue careers in aging research is supported by societal mandate as articulated in the 2008 Institute of Medicine report Retooling for an Aging America. The MSTAR program at Johns Hopkins is designed to provide 18 students, after completion of the first year of medical school, with an 8 week research experience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology and the Center on Aging and Health, and the National Institute on Aging. Training targets knowledge, skills and behaviors needed to pursue stage appropriate research by allowing students to perform mentored research that is supplemented by didactic methods (e.g., lectures, seminars, etc.) in epidemiology, biostatistics, hypothesis generation and testing, responsible conduct of research, and career development. Mentored research experiences are designed to be completed during the summer and result in a peer-reviewed abstract presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society and other suitable peer-reviewed scholarly papers. Clinical experiences are designed to demonstrate the relevance of the research to the needs of an aging population, and to impart excitement about a career in aging research.

Public Health Relevance

While the U.S. population of adults age 65 and over is predicted to double from 35 million in 2000 to 70 million by 2030, the number of physicians with training in aging research is declining. Similarly, the proportion of physicians from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds entering careers in aging research is insufficient to meet society's needs. A program that stimulates and excites the interest of a cadre of culturally and ethnically diverse medical students to choose careers in aging research is critically needed.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
NRSA Short -Term Research Training (T35)
Project #
2T35AG026758-11
Application #
8960195
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAG1-ZIJ-3 (M2))
Program Officer
Eldadah, Basil A
Project Start
2005-06-01
Project End
2020-05-31
Budget Start
2015-06-01
Budget End
2016-05-31
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
$87,869
Indirect Cost
$6,509
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21205
Dixon, Jasmine S; Saddington, Deborah G; Shiles, Celia J et al. (2017) Clinical evaluation of brief cognitive assessment measures for patients with severe dementia. Int Psychogeriatr 29:1169-1174
Cappelli, Laura C; Gutierrez, Anna Kristina; Bingham 3rd, Clifton O et al. (2017) Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Immune-Related Adverse Events Due to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 69:1751-1763
Thein, Mya Sanda; Kohli, Anita; Ram, Rohit et al. (2017) Chitotriosidase, a marker of innate immunity, is elevated in patients with primary breast cancer. Cancer Biomark 19:383-391
Cappelli, Laura C; Gutierrez, Anna Kristina; Baer, Alan N et al. (2017) Inflammatory arthritis and sicca syndrome induced by nivolumab and ipilimumab. Ann Rheum Dis 76:43-50
Korada, Sai Krishna C; Zhao, Di; Gottesman, Rebecca F et al. (2016) Parathyroid Hormone and Subclinical Cerebrovascular Disease: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 25:883-93
Takiar, Radhika; Lutsey, Pamela L; Zhao, Di et al. (2015) The associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, vitamin D binding protein gene polymorphisms, and race with risk of incident fracture-related hospitalization: Twenty-year follow-up in a bi-ethnic cohort (the ARIC Study). Bone 78:94-101
Leng, Sean X; Dandorf, Stewart; Li, Huifen et al. (2015) Associations of Circulating Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor-? Receptors 1 and 2 with Interleukin-6 Levels in an Aging Cohort of Injection Drug Users with or at High Risk for HIV Infection. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 31:1257-64
Arbaje, Alicia I; Yu, Qilu; Newhall, Karina A et al. (2015) Prevalence, Geographic Variation, and Trends in Hospital Services Relevant to the Care of Older Adults: Development of the Senior Care Services Scale and Examination of Measurement Properties. Med Care 53:768-75
Chik, Ivan; Smith, Thomas J (2015) Obtaining Helpful Information From the Internet About Prognosis in Advanced Cancer. J Oncol Pract 11:327-31
Yasar, Sevil; Xia, Jin; Yao, Wenliang et al. (2013) Antihypertensive drugs decrease risk of Alzheimer disease: Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study. Neurology 81:896-903

Showing the most recent 10 out of 13 publications