This application seeks continuation of 51 months of support to provide short-term research training for 17 medical students per year. The projects typically last two or three months. The program primarily targets students doing research between the first and second year of Medical School, but third and fourth year students may also apply if they wish to extend a required research project (Scholarly Pursuit) for an additional two or three months of elective research. The training program was initially designed to support research in diverse disciplines, but during the funding cycle NIDDK requested that the program place a greater emphasis on NIDDK related research. As a result of this, the program increased emphasis on NIDDK relevant research and it is now formally affiliated with Penn's new Institute of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. There are over 80 NIDDK funded faculty members at Penn doing work in the areas of diabetes, endocrinology, metabolic diseases and digestive diseases. The training program is directed by Dr. Bryan Wolf, a distinguished scientist with a long standing commitment to educational programs at Penn. An advisory committee helps Dr. Wolf to find appropriate mentors and select students for support. Relevance to public health In the United States alone, there are currently 18 million people with diabetes and 58 million obese [sic]. The cost of diabetes is estimated at $132 billion per year, and the Centers for Disease Control has projected that one out of three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime. There is a clear need for training additional physicians and physician scientists with expertise in understanding the genetic, biochemical, molecular, environmental, and behavioral origins of diabetes, obesity, and the complications of these diseases, with the goal of reducing their incidence and severity. This training program seeks to inspire more medical students to pursue research careers and to join the ranks of clinicians and investigators addressing diabetes, obesity and related health issues.
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