The number of physician-scientists in the United States has been steadily declining, and there is a need for more basic and translational investigators focused on digestive, pancreatic, and liver related research. Since 1963, the Training Program in Gastrointestinal Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (Penn) has been instrumental in developing academic research careers for gastroenterology trainees. Training Program and Environment: The cornerstone of the program is an intensive laboratory- based research experience (basic and translational), which entails close interaction with a Training Program faculty mentor with guidance and oversight by a research advisory committee and program leadership. Laboratory work is supplemented by a robust educational curriculum, and trainees benefit from the exceptional resources and environment within the NIH P30 Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases at Penn and the Penn and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Gastroenterology (GI) Divisions. Training Program Directors: The Program Director (Dr. Jonathan Katz) and Associate Director (Dr. Gary Wu) have extensive experience in biomedical research education and training and are guided by an Internal Advisory Board and an External Advisory Board composed of local and national thought leaders. Preceptors/Mentors: With additional enrichment of the research base since the prior renewal, the Training Program has continued to both expand and refine the pool of faculty mentors. Faculty mentors are selected from the Penn and CHOP GI divisions, as well as basic science departments, based upon experience with trainees, independent and extramurally funded laboratories (or for junior mentors, independent and emerging research programs), and relevant projects in digestive, liver, and pancreatic diseases. Currently, the Training Program has 31 program faculty, providing expertise across gastroenterology, hepatology, and pancreatology. Women comprise 39% of these program faculty, and 13% are members of racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in science and medicine. Trainees: Outstanding postdoctoral trainees, mostly M.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. physician-scientists from Penn and CHOP GI Fellowship Programs and occasionally other fellows or postdoctoral Ph.D. scientists from Penn and CHOP GI labs, are selected through a nationally competitive application process. Over the past 5 years, 27% of trainees selected for the program have been members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and 40% have been women. Training Record: The Penn Training Program in Gastrointestinal Sciences maintains a record of success, reflected, for example, by the receipt of career development awards (e.g. 13 trainees and recent program graduates currently hold career development awards), publications in high-impact journals, and eventual transitions to become independent investigators. Thus, the Penn Training Program in Gastrointestinal Sciences provides an ideal environment, with proven success, to train the next generation of basic and translational researchers in digestive, pancreatic, and liver diseases.
The number of physician-scientists in the United States has been steadily declining, and there is a major need for more basic and translational researchers focused on digestive, pancreatic, and liver related research. The Training Program in Gastrointestinal Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine has had historic success and remains at the leading edge in nurturing young researchers and ensuring their maturation into independent investigators in digestive, pancreatic, and liver diseases.
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