In this application, the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) is partnering with University of California San Francisco School of Medicine (UCSF) and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (UCHSC) to seek support for a formal 8-12 week program of training in aging research for medical students to: . Expose them, early in their training, to ongoing research with mentorship from successful researchers in aging . Encourage them to consider pursuing, and to plan for over time, a research career in areas important to the NIA . Increase the pool of physician scientists engaged in areas of research important to the NIA. With UCLA as the core site, our three institutions are particularly well suited to reach these objectives. All three of our programs have: 1) been funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation as Centers of Excellence; and 2) outstanding faculty who conduct NLA-funded research in aging; and 3) experience training others in aging research. To meet the objectives outlined above, we will augment the experiences we have from the John A. Hartford Foundation/American Federation for Aging Research Medical Student Geriatric Scholars Program of identifying research mentors, matching medical students with these mentors, monitoring and facilitating their research progress both during and after the summer training program, teaching essential general research skills (including the responsible conduct of research), and providing a forum for presentation of their research and discussion of ideas. In addition, we will offer instruction on common topics in clinical geriatrics, career options in aging, and the opportunity to observe and participate in the clinical care of geriatric patients in a variety of settings. We will encourage networking among the medical students and research mentors at all three sites and evaluate all aspects of the program to ensure the program is meeting its aims. By accomplishing the aims outlined in this proposal, this program will encourage and support medical students' interest in aging research and geriatrics, and develop a new cadre of physician scientists who will be able to address key issues related to the research priorities of the NIA. This program will also aim to enhance the aging research programs at the participating institutions and foster collaboration in medical student research training in aging among UCLA, UCSF and UCHSC.
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