? Training at all levels is an important priority to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (COM) and the Children's Hospital. The COM and the Children's Hospital have established extensive programs for developing M.D., Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D fellows and faculty into independent clinical and basic science investigators. In 1990, the College of Medicine developed a summer program to train medical students in research and offered opportunities to train 10 to 15 medical students/year. This proposal represents the first competitive renewal of a Short Term Medical Student Training Grant after 5 years of support from NIDDK. During the last 5 years, 85 students have participated in a 10-week Summer Program between the first and second years of medical school. In 2003, because of trainee interest in pursuing projects started during the summer program, we first offered an elective in research during the senior year in which 7 trainees of the program have participated. The current summer program has a well-organized method of selection of trainees and mentors as well as an effective means of assessing the trainees' progress. A faculty of 59 Ph.Ds, M.D.s and M.D./Ph.Ds from multiple departments with a proven track record of success in research (including 32 faculty with programs pursuing with NIDDK-related focus) and mentoring are available to the students from the University of Cincinnati and other institutions from whom underrepresented racial and ethnic groups will be recruited. Included within the program are opportunities to pursue basic and clinical research projects with weekly meetings at which instruction in responsible conduct of research, human subject protection, research ethics, conflict of interest and presentation and publication of results is provided. Students present their proposed projects to peers and mentors at the beginning of the summer and at a fall symposium when the results are presented poster format with a nationally recognized M.D. investigator visiting as a keynote speaker. With this application, we are requesting 20 positions for summer students during the 1st and 2nd years and with anticipated growth, we are requesting 25 positions in the 3rd -5th years. Past experience with this program prior to and with NIDDK funding has suggested that it provides an excellent exposure to research for medical students and it is hoped that support for this program should help to increase the pool of M.D.'s who will pursue basic or patient-oriented research careers. ? ? ?
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