This application requests renewed funding for a two-year, didactic training program in Patient Oriented Research (POR), directed by faculty at the Mailman School of Public Health and the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University. Successful completion of training leads to a Master of Science degree in Biostatistics, Patient Oriented Research track. The POR track formally unites and fully exploits the training capabilities of the schools of medicine and public health with a view to augmenting training opportunities specifically in the area of clinical research. The overall goal of the current proposal is to maintain and enhance this strong, broadly based didactic program that prepares young investigators for independent careers in academic medicine. With this in mind, the specific aims are: (1) To maintain the successful POR program that has been developed and implemented over the past 5 years; (2) To continue the long-term follow-up of program graduates and describe the program's impact on their career paths as clinical research scientists; (3) To utilize detailed survey and focus group data from program graduates and current candidates to identify areas for improvement in the current curriculum; and (4) To sustain ties with our current Advisory Board members and recruit new members, whose role is to assist in admissions, provide feedback on research proposals, participate in workshops, serve as mentors, and share their expertise to ensure that the program's content and structure are as effective as possible in enabling graduates to successfully vie for independent research funding. Our application provides a detailed review of past and current trainees and their achievements to date as confirmation of the program's effectiveness. We also highlight areas for improvement and present specific plans for curriculum modification. The Mailman School, the College of Physicians & Surgeons, and the New York Presbyterian Hospital have renewed their exceptional commitment to the program by pledging to continue to support 12 students/year with full tuition scholarships, ensuring an exceptional applicant pool each year.
