The Short Term Research Training Program for Health Professional Students at the University of Chicago is aimed at promoting the career development of physician scientists who will view research activity and biomedical investigation as an essential part of their long-term professional goals, particularly in the missiong areas of the NIDDK (digestive diseases, diabetes/metabolism, Kkdney/urological diseases). The program provides students with a wide choice of opportunities for high quality, mentor-based research over a 12 weeks training spanning the spring quarter of the 1st year to the beginning of 2nd year of medical school. The program selects qualified trainees from a pool of interested students by means of a formal application and evaluation procedure. Students are appropriately counseled to identify a research project and an advisor drawn from a large group of investigator educators (representing all clinical and basic science departments of the Division of Biological Sciences). Several mechanisms are used to oversee the program and student progress, including weekly cluster group meetings, a web-based reporting system that sets weekly benchmarks for students, and regular performance review by steering committee members. In addition, the program requires students to submit a final written report and to present their findings to peers and faculty at the closing scientific research forum. In addition to doing hypothesis-driven research, students undergo didactic and case-based training in proper conduct of research investigations and instruction in bioinformatics and biostatistics. To assess immediate and long-term impact of the program, a tracking system has been implemented with the help of the Office of Medical Education and Alumni Affairs office. Trainees will be followed up to 15 years after graduation to continually assess the impact of the program in promoting further research activities and career choices in NIDDK mission areas. By early indicators, the program is enormously successful, attracting the best and most highly qualified students. In the past 3 years of this first granting cycle, 50% or more of the students have selected research investigations in NIDDK mission areas. We are requesting continued support for the research training of 30 students/year. Training occurs in the supportive environment of the Division of Biological Sciences where biomedical investigation and medical student research training combine to form a long-standing academic tradition. The school maintains numerous federally funded pre and post doctoral training grants and an MSTP training program several large center and program awards for basic and clinical research on human disease, a 650-bed teaching hospital, a large and well equipped physical plant for biomedical research, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute a new institute for Molecular Medicine and Learning Center, and a research base of over 250 investigators who hold peer-reviewed grant support. In addition, the University has particularly strong research strengths in the areas of Diabetes, Digestive Diseases and Kidney Disease, exemplified by the many NIH and extramural institutional and individual research grants in these areas. Thus, the environment is ideal to support the goals of this NIDDK-supported medical student Short-term Research Training Program.
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