There are inadequate numbers of cancer clinical investigators to translate basic science advances into patient benefit. One reason for this shortage is inadequate clinical investigator training. Johns Hopkins is poised to address this deficiency. In July, 1992 it will inaugurate a training program for clinical investigators. The Oncology Center was a leader in the development of this program. As a comprehensive cancer center there are abundant opportunities for clinical research at Johns Hopkins in established research programs at the lab-clinic interface. These programs have a record of training successful clinical investigators. This application describes a Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Program (CORCDP) that will train-oncologists to translate basic science advances into improved cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment. The CORCDP will be under the direction of Martin D. Abeloff, M.D., Director, Stephen B. Baylin, M.D. and John H. Fetting, M.D., Co-Directors, and a representative Advisory Committee. Faculty will be established investigators in research programs at the lab-clinic interface. The core of the three year CORCDP will be the Johns Hopkins, program to train clinical investigators which combines courses on clinical investigation with mentored clinical research and results in a Master's Degree. Trainees in the CORCDP will have electives involving both cancer basic science and clinical trials and will perform clinical research at the lab-clinic interface. The CORCDP will enable the Oncology Center to be a major participant in the Johns Hopkins' program. Trainee candidates from medical, pediatric, radiation, and surgical oncology fellowships or residencies will be selected on a rotating basis to assure that the CORCDP is available to all subspecialties. Two or three fellows will be selected yearly. When fully operational, seven or eight fellows will be in the CORCDP at a time. Special efforts will be made to recruit minority candidates. Regular evaluation of the CORCDP is planned. The CORCDP will be successful if it trains productive clinical investigators.
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