? The latter part of the 20th century witnessed an exponential growth in scientific knowledge culminating with the sequencing of the human genome. The resulting opportunities for new discoveries that could substantially improve human health and cure disease have been unparalleled. These opportunities have resulted in an increasing awareness of the need for a cadre of scientists who can work at the interface between fundamental science and clinical medicine. This program, initiated in 1956, has trained predoctoral students as well as postdoctoral PhD and MD fellows since 1995. There are currently 14 highly interactive faculty representing six clinical departments brought together by common interests in molecular mechanisms of hormone action, endocrine genetics, signal transduction, diabetes and metabolism. The program will provide a unique training environment in which graduate students and PhD trainees will be exposed to physiological models and diseases that are unique to endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism in an effort to enhance the translation of basic science research into the clinical arena. In parallel, physician-scientists with a strongly disease-oriented perspective will be exposed to the latest methods of basic and clinical research. The overall objectives of the program are: 1) To provide training in the fundamental biology and integrative physiology of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism in a disease-oriented environment; 2) To mentor the next generation of investigators who can work at the interface between the laboratory and clinical medicine to ensure that scientific advances are rapidly translated to improve the care of patients with endocrine and metabolic disorders, including diabetes and obesity. The combined training of graduate students, PhDs and clinical fellows in Endocrinology and Metabolism emphasizes these objectives and the continuum between fundamental science and patient care. The program has been very successful in achieving its objectives. Over the past 10 years, almost 80% (15 of 19) of our postdoctoral trainees have selected academic career paths. Greater than 90% (10 of 11) of our predoctoral trainees remain in academic positions, either in postdoctoral fellowships, or in medical residency or fellowship training. ? ?
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