The University of Colorado Health Science Center (UCHSC) MD/PhD Program was established in 1983 and obtained NIH/MSTP funding in 1993. This is the 3rd competitive review, with an unchanged slot number (14) for the past 10 years. The goal of this Program is to train outstanding physician-scientists who will become the future leaders in their chosen discipline of study. To accomplish this goal, we select students from a national applicant pool, seeking out those candidates whose record of research, academic, and leadership achievements are exemplary. Our pool size has increased significantly, from 55 in 1997 to 154 in 2007. We now matriculate ~8 students annually, with a current total of 52 students (51% female;15% URM). The selected MSTP students enter a newly-revised, flexible, yet highly rigorous training program that interdigitates graduate and medical courses in the first two years, typically entails 3-4 years of thesis work, and is completed with 15-24 months of clinical work. A Clinical Science course, Seminar Series, and a 6-year Longitudinal Clinical experience have been specifically devloped for MSTPs. The students choose from 16 graduate training programs located at three sites: the new UCHSC Anschutz Medical Campus at Fitzsimons, National Jewish Medical Research Center (NJMRC), and the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder). These three training sites have a combined grant income totaling almost $700 million. Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Programs are available at CU-Boulder;whereas Biochemistry &Molecular Genetics, BioInformatics, BioMolecular Structure, Cancer Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Human Genetics, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Neurosciences, Pharmacology, Physiology &Biophysics, and Reproductive Science Programs are available at the UCHSC/NJMRC integrated sites. To enhance the success of our MSTP students, we provide career guidance beyond the PhD thesis years, and we work diligently to place our graduates in the very best residencies and fellowships. Since 1983, 62 graduated with both degrees in 8.1 years, with 33 completing all of their training and 21/33 pursuing research in either academics or industry. Since the last submission, we have moved to the new Anschutz Medical Campus, which provides state-of-the- art education, research and clinical facilities, resulting in increases in faculty and training programs.
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