The objective of the training program in Basic Medical Oncology at the University of Chicago is to provide an outstanding multidisciplinary research training environment for postdoctoral fellows who have completed internal medicine residency training in order to prepare them for academic careers in oncology. The Section of Hematology/Oncology offers a three-year training in hematology/oncology with the expectation that candidates for research training will complete one clinical year funded by the hospital and then have a minimum of two or three years of training under the proposed training grant depending on whether they perform patient-oriented research or basic/translational laboratory research. The direction of the program - the integration of training in basic and clinical oncology has not changed since the program's inception but we have significantly enhanced our training in patient-oriented research in response to a national need. There are several important structural elements in the research training proposed: 1) access to a diverse population of cancer patients;2) training under the guidance of a research preceptor(s) within project areas;and 3) specific educational opportunities in the form of course work and special seminars under the various academic units in the University. The research training faculty preceptors interact on a number of collaborative research and training efforts. This interaction has been fostered by the close proximity of the investigators at the University of Chicago campus and particularly by their research activities within our NCI- designated cancer center. Generally, research programs fall into three distinct areas - patient-oriented research, translational/basic science and population science research. In the proposed grant period, we shall continue the successful elements of the program. At the same time, we shall enhance the curricular offerings by providing coursework leading to a Master of Science degree focused on clinical research design, biostatistics, and epidemiologic methods: Our extensive inpatient and outpatient facilities will continue to promote a comprehensive clinical training experience, while our research laboratories will allow for the acquisition of basic science skills, Physicians completing our training program will enter the oncology work force better prepared to become academic leaders in oncology who are able to vertically integrate their knowledge from the bedside to the bench or from the bench to the bedside. With the rapid pace of scientific advances and an aging population prone to develop cancer, well trained oncology work force as proposed in this training program is a wise investment for the nation.
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