This application is a request for funds to continue an innovative Short-Term Institutional Research Training program at Albany Medical College (AMC) to expose medical students early in their training to the excitement of discovery and the challenges of research, to provide, them an opportunity to spend 10 weeks in a biomedical science laboratory engaged in research that is important to the mission of the NHLBI, with the long-term goal of helping to ensure that a diverse and highly-trained workforce of physician scientists is available to carry out the Nation's biomedical research agenda. The purpose of this training program is to orovide a sound, short-term research experience for MD candidates under the supervision of an xtramurally-funded member of the AMC faculty. Recruiting the best minds and most motivated students from the AMC 1st year class (with emphasis on recruiting Minority students) provides a competitive applicant pool. The process by which students apply for the research fellowship provides extensive training in writing research proposals and receiving substantial feedback, thus helping students achieve mastery of the project prior to starting in the lab. Ten students from the first year class at AMC will be actively and importantly engaged in meaningful, authentic, innovative research projects, working alongside their mentors who are NIH-funded investigators. Students will be integral contributors to the research team of the host laboratory and will spend >95 % of their 10 weeks in the lab, but will also participate in a variety of Enrichment Activities which will allow them to interact with each other, with role model physician scientists, and obtain training in how to respond to their Summary Statement. The design of the program is that of a highly structured, focused research apprenticeship which will equip alumni (ae) to participate in research after leaving medical school. Initial summative evaluations are measured against the short-term goals, which are to a.) provide a sound, short-term research experience for MD students under the supervision of an extramurally-funded mentor, b.) engage medical students in research throughout their stay at AMC, c.) provide valuable experiences for students who hope to obtain further training in the future, and d.) encourage medical students to consider pursuing a career that involves basic science or clinical research. The program takes advantages of the strengths of AMC, including the research in our Center for Cardiovascular Sciences.
