This is a competitive renewal for the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at Mount Sinai School of Medicine (MSSM) whose mission is to educate future physician-scientists in a rigorous integrated joint degree program in an environment that promotes cutting-edge biomedical research. These trainees will become independent investigators and leaders who will apply basic science discoveries to improved healthcare in all communities. During the past five years, MSSM has continued to increase in ranking as one of the nation's top translational biomedical research institutions. We implemented a Strategic Plan with an Institute organization cutting across departments that strengthened our translational goals. A major centerpiece of the organization is a new translational research building, The Center for Science and Medicine, that will increase our research capacity by 30% and the recruitment of ~60 new faculty. This institutional translational research growth along with prominent and experienced scientists with major NIH funding who serve as excellent mentors has been paralleled with a significant increase in the number of highly qualified applicants to our MST program and increased success of our currents matriculants with publications in highly ranked journals and increased numbers of individual training grants. In addition, we are increasing efforts to enhance the diversity of our student body as data has shown that participation in our program significantly enhances their development and success. As such, we are asking for an increase in the number of MSTP trainees supported by the NIH to 28. The MSTP has a new Director, Dr. Yasmin Hurd, who together with previous Directors in the program, Drs. Lisa Satlin and Terry Krulwich, who now serve as Associate Directors, have managed a seamless transition in leadership. Ongoing changes in the Graduate School curriculum, including 8 Multidisciplinary Training Areas aligned to the new Institutions, plus the continuous emphasis on integrating clinical exposure during the PhD phase and the medical school curriculum that allows graduate school courses to be taken in conjunction with the preclinical medical school coursework provides significant flexibility for our trainees and truly promotes integrative biomedical research and clinical training. Altogether, our program provides a strong foundation to build successful careers as physician-scientists.
Scientific discoveries that advance medical breakthroughs are essential to meet the increasing healthcare needs nationally. It is the goal of our Medical Scientist Training Program to educate future physician-scientists in a rigorous integrated joint degree program in an environment that promotes cutting-edge biomedical research to develop independent investigators and leaders who will apply new basic science discoveries in the clinic and improve healthcare in all communities.
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