The training program described in this renewal application represents a new paradigm for training academic cardiologists as cardiovascular scientists, based on the UCLA STAR (Specialty Training and Advanced Research) Program combining clinical subspecialty training with research training leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent. M.D. trainees must complete 2 years of subspecialty cardiology training and 3 years (on average) of research training fulfilling requirements for a Ph.D. degree, including formal course work, qualifying examinations, and research leading to successful thesis defense. M.D./Ph.D. trainees undergo 2 years of post-doctoral research training, including elective course work. Eight positions are requested, to provide support for the research training component only. The training faculty consists of 36 senior preceptors and 16 supporting faculty. Only senior preceptors may serve as primary research mentors, and they come from 5 groups: the UCLA Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, the UCLA Atherosclerosis Research Unit, the UCLA ACCESS Program (a multi-departmental program administering Ph.D. training in life sciences), the School of Engineering, and, for health services research, the UCLA School of Public Health and RAND Graduate School. Almost all senior preceptors have joint or primary appointments in degree-granting basic sciences departments including Biological Chemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Neurobiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Physiological Science, various Engineering disciplines, or in the RAND Graduate School. Supporting faculty do not act as primary mentors, but play a key role in enhancing the overall research environment and fostering translational research from the basic to the clinical arena. The research programs of the faculty are supported by over 24 million dollars in direct costs annually from extramural sources. By integrating cardiology subspecialty training with the formal recruitment of Ph.D. training (or equivalent post-doctoral training for those already having a Ph.D.), the UCLA Cardiology STAR Program provides graduates with the rigorous research background essential to translate advances in molecular health sciences into modern molecular medicine.
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