Physician-scientists are uniquely positioned to conduct innovative medical research along the entire continuum of basic, clinical, patient-oriented, and population-based sciences. Moreover, physician-scientists provide a critical pipeline for faculty and leaders in academic medicine. Although currently preserved from extinction, the physician-scientist remains threatened today, in part, due to obstacles that exist along the physician-scientist career pathway. Among these obstacles are the long training period, personal debt, limited research funding, lack of mentoring, and the uncertainty of a successful career. Such obstacles create challenges for all trainees on this path, but particularly impact individuals who are underrepresented in medicine and biomedical research. Thus it is crucial to have career development opportunities targeted specifically to this important cadre of future scientists. The APSA Annual Meeting serves as an excellent opportunity for current and prospective physician-scientists in training to learn about the diverse career options available to them. This meeting is held concurrently with the Joint Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) and the Association of American Physicians (AAP), two premier organizations dedicated to the physician-scientist. Through this close collaboration, APSA members are able to interact directly with well established physician-scientists from all areas of medicine and science. The 3-day National APSA Annual Conference brings together over 300 trainees interested in careers combining science and medicine, at the following stages of training: MD, DO, PhD, Residents/Fellows and undergraduates. The conference provides a structured environment to disseminate career advice from established physician-scientists in all career sectors, to promote the development of mentoring relationships, and to foster community building amongst physician-scientist trainees. Moreover, the APSA Annual Meeting provides a critical venue at which the issues faced by trainees, including those from under-represented groups, can be discussed and addressed with senior physician-scientist leaders. This application seeks funds to specifically enhance the diversity of APSA Annual Meeting attendees by providing travel awards for individuals from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in health-related sciences, individuals with disabilities, and undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and supporting costs associated with hosting speakers and panelists that address issues of diversity.
APSA Annual Meeting Project Narrative Physician-scientists are a critical component of the medical research enterprise and their training provides them with the unique ability to apply clinical knowledge to their research efforts to improve the treatment of human disease. The decline of physician-scientists in the United States is well documented and numerous NIH initiatives have been put in place to preserve this rarified group. The APSA Annual Meeting directly supports the future of physician scientists in the United States by providing current trainees with an unparalleled perspective on the career opportunities available to them and by providing numerous opportunities for vertical and horizontal mentorship. This application seeks funds to enhance diversity at this meeting.
