The investigators propose to establish a Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Career Development Program atthe University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas (UTSW). In cooperation with nearby Schoolsof Dentistry, Pharmacy and Nursing, the Program will attract Scholars of exceptional aptitude from a widerange of interests and backgrounds and immerse them into a rigorous multidisciplinary environment that willtrain and support them to become the leaders of the next generation of clinical scientists. The program willprovide (1) comprehensive individualized training through a novel didactic and Socratic curriculum that spansa broad spectrum of research concepts and methods in order to promote team-based problem solving; (2) in-depth practical multidisciplinary training in the planning, execution and analysis of clinical research; and (3)effective and committed guidance through the efforts of an experienced multidisciplinary mentoring team.Particular strengths are: (1) the unequivocal institutional commitment to the Program, as evidenced byUTSW's decision to launch a program of similar design and scope using its own resources during the pastyear; (2) a substantial new financial commitment by the School to match the number of Scholars supportedby the NIH; (3) intellectual and physical immersion of the Scholars into the nation's first multidisciplinarydepartment created to promote the growth and development of clinical research; (4) more than 150 highlyproductive clinical and translational investigators across a broad range of disciplines and fields of medicinewho have established track records of effective mentoring; (5) a large medically and ethnically diversepatient base cared for at internationally-renown hospitals in immediate proximity to the Schools of Medicineand Dentistry; (6) more than $140 million (90% Federal) in annual peer-reviewed grant support for clinicalstudies; (7) a highly innovative K30-supported curriculum specifically designed and tailored for clinicalinvestigators; (8) superb infrastructure to support clinical research (e.g., an outstanding General ClinicalResearch Center and numerous specialized shared research support cores); and (9) a Program Director withthe experience, time and commitment to ensure the Program's success. The coordinated synthesis of theseelements will allow the Scholars to lead the nation's current and future commitment to clinical andtranslational research and allow UTSW to contribute importantly to the mission of the NIH Roadmap.
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