Although dramatic advances have occurred in basic neuroscience and molecular genetics, the utilization of such knowledge in understanding the pathophysiology of mental illness and mechanisms of treatment may be hindered by a dearth of clinical researchers trained to apply it to the key problems of mental diseases. This application seeks to increase the number and quality of clinical research investigators in mental health through proactive and collaborative mentorship and targeted research support, and to facilitate the development of translational research through the collaborative involvement and mentorship of prospective trainees by researchers active in basic neuroscience and clinical behavioral research. Specifically, the program will seek to provide support for involvement in clinical research training and activity for three PGY-III residents in psychiatry. The allocation of training support to residents in psychiatry will be determined annually on a competitive basis. In addition to support of individual trainees, the program will provide internal funding to support up to three pilot projects per year and the involvement of trainees in formal coursework in methodology and statistics. To build upon unique institutional strengths in basic neuro- and behavioral science, each trainee will be required to identify both a clinical research and a basic science mentor. A seminar in translational science will be offered that seeks to model how basic and clinical science can inform one another in scientific investigation. Additional didactic experiences include a clinical fellows research seminar, and an annual faculty/trainee retreat, in which all departmental research trainees and faculty will be invited to present a summary of their recent work. Proposed participants of the retreat will include individuals enrolled in one of the training programs at UCSF, including medical students, psychiatry residents, and pre and postdoctoral fellows in psychiatry, psychology or neuroscience. The success of the program in facilitating clinical research careers will be assessed through a series of subjective and objective instruments constructed to assay changes in attitude, knowledge, and skills of trainees in the course of their clinical research training, and their ultimate career paths and success.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 142 publications
