The Annual National MD/PhD Student Conference was established in 1986 by the University of Colorado Medical Scientist Training Program (CU MSTP) and for the past 34 years has occurred in mid-July in a Colorado mountain resort. We obtained R13 funding in 2000 and this is the 4th competitive renewal application. The objective of the unique conference specifically targeting MD/PhD trainees is to provide a forum that brings together a diverse group of ~190 dual-degree students from across the nation to learn about cutting-edge biomedical research from Keynote speakers and MD/PhD trainees; to promote networking and life-long friendships with peers that are going through similar issues as they train; and to promote the progression of their career as high impact physician-scientists. The current 3rd year CU MSTPs organize the conference, guided by an annually rotating Faculty Advisor. The 2.5-day conference is multi-disciplinary addressing the most important current biomedical problems and includes talks by 5 nationally renowned Keynote speakers, both established (Nobel Laureates, NAS members & HHMI Investigators) and rising stars; 18 oral student presentations; 100 student posters; 5 Break Out Sessions; a Career Panel; and a Research Track Residency Recruitment Fair. Break Out Sessions include topics such as: Women in Science, Research Ethics, Rigor & Reproducibility, Career Opportunities at NIH, Interfacing with Industry, and Clinical Trials. A recent addition has been the Research Track Residency Recruitment Fair, whereby Directors of these program come and recruit MD/PhD students by establishing Program-specific tables during food service, serving on career panels, attending talks and posters, and setting up recruitment booths. The average annual Conference attendance is ~186, with ~108 (58%) men, ~78 (42%) women, and ~15 (8%) URM. Diversity is strongly endorsed with 8 (27%) women and 2 (7%) URM of the 30 Keynote Speakers, and 10 (36%) women and 0 (0%) URM of the 28 Break Out Session Leaders. The R13 grant pays for 10 Diversity Travel Awards of $1000 each, which we competitively select every year from the URM applicant pool. In the 5-year period (2014-2018) since the last submission, 49 Diversity Travel Awards were presented to 30 men and 19 women, representing 40 institutions. Publicity for the conference is accomplished via: emails to the AAMC MD/PhD Directors and Administrators list-serve; our CU MSTP Conference Website; Conference Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages; and listing the conference on the American Physician Scientist Association website with a hotlink. Finally, a key ?added value? of the Conference is that the ?MD/PhD Program Organization? and ?MD/PhD Section of the AAMC GREAT Group? grew directly out of the student Conference. In sum, the continuous improvement of this unique conference, the consistent elite caliber of the Keynote speakers, the emphasis on providing opportunities for career promotion as physician-scientists, and the new Research Track Residency Recruitment Fair and involvement of these Directors in the conference justifies our request for continued R13 support.
Lay Summary The annual National MD/PhD Student Conference in Copper Mountain, CO is the only meeting held specifically for MD/PhD students. This 2 -day conference brings 5 featured Keynote speakers, many of who are Nobel Laureates, members of the National Academy of Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators, and from the National Institutes of Health, to interact with the ~190 student attendees who come from across the country. Students present their work in oral and poster sessions, with these renowned Keynote scientists providing critical review of their work, mentorship, and role models. Finally, the conference also incoporates career advising Break Out sessions, Career Panels, and PSTP/RiR Recruitment Fair to optimize the career outcomes of these MD/PhD trainees. Given the national concern regarding the paucity and risk of loss of the physician-scientist, we propose that supporting the MD/PhD students' conference is a valuable and durable investment.
