XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
 Latest Research
 Cancer
 Psychiatry
 Genetics
 Surgery
 Aging
 Ophthalmology
 Gynaecology
 Neurosciences
 Pharmacology
 Cardiology
 Obstetrics
 Infectious Diseases
 Respiratory Medicine
 Pathology
 Endocrinology
 Immunology
 Nephrology
 Gastroenterology
 Biotechnology
 Radiology
 Dermatology
 Microbiology
 Haematology
 Dental
 ENT
 Environment
 Embryology
 Orthopedics
 Metabolism
 Anaethesia
 Paediatrics
 Public Health
 Urology
 Musculoskeletal
 Clinical Trials
 Physiology
 Biochemistry
 Cytology
 Traumatology
 Rheumatology
 
 Medical News
 Health
 Opinion
 Healthcare
 Professionals
 Launch
 Awards & Prizes
 
 Careers
 Medical
  United States
  United Kingdom
  India
  ECFMG
  Australia
 Nursing
 Dental
 
 Special Topics
 Euthanasia
 Ethics
 Evolution
 Odd Medical News
 Feature
 
 World News
 Tsunami
 Epidemics
 Climate
 Business
 
 India
Search

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 12:32:53 PM

United States Channel
subscribe to United States newsletter

Careers : Medical : United States

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Renewed interest in young physicians to pursue research careers
Sep 23, 2005 - 3:19:00 PM, Reviewed by: Dr.

"New programs recently initiated by the NIH and private foundations are beginning to have a positive impact on the decisions of young physicians to pursue research careers. To maintain this trend, strong funding commitments will be required beyond the entry level. If these commitments are sustained, we are cautiously optimistic that they will result in an increase in the population of physician-scientists in the United States in the near future"

 
Recent initiatives appear to have created renewed interest for young physicians to pursue research careers, according to a study in the September 21 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on medical research.

Physician-scientists, defined as individuals with a medical degree who perform medical research as their primary professional activity, have contributed much to the preeminent position of the U.S. in medical science, according to background information in the article. The unique perspective that physician-scientists bring to the medical research workforce is that their scientific questions arise at the bedside and in the clinic. Despite this perspective, the pipeline of physician-scientists has had a serious problem, first described more than a generation ago: the physician-scientist population in the U.S. is smaller and older than it was 25 years ago. These and other trends have led some observers to conclude that the physician-scientist is a threatened species. A variety of factors were thought to contribute to this problem, including increasing indebtedness of medical school graduates caused by rapidly rising medical school tuition costs.

Several National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored groups, private foundations, and national organizations called for new initiatives and award programs aimed at revitalizing the physician-scientist career path. The private not-for-profit sector created new awards for young and established physician-scientists and an increasing number of research-intensive medical schools and hospitals (where most physician-scientists work) have constructed multifaceted programs aimed at encouraging medical students to become involved with research before and after receiving their M.D. degree and at protecting the research time of young physician-scientists during their junior faculty appointments.

Timothy J. Ley, M.D., of the Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, and Leon E. Rosenberg, M.D., of Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., conducted a study to attempt to define the effects that these budgetary and institutional initiatives have had on the physician-scientist career path. The authors determined trends using data obtained from the NIH, the American Medical Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and other sources.
The researchers found that the number of physician-scientists in the United States has been in a steady state for the past decade, but funded physician-scientists are significantly older than they were 2 decades ago. "However, the study of early career markers over the past 7 to 10 years has demonstrated increasing interest in research careers by medical students, steady growth of the M.D.-Ph.D. pool, and a new burst of activity in the 'late bloomer' pool of M.D.s (individuals who choose research careers in medical school or in residency training), fueled by loan repayment programs that were created by the NIH in 2002. Several recent trends for more established physician-scientists have also suggested improvement."

"New programs recently initiated by the NIH and private foundations are beginning to have a positive impact on the decisions of young physicians to pursue research careers.
 

- September 21 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on medical research.
 

JAMA . 2005;294:1343-1351

 
Subscribe to United States Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 



Related United States News

Jefferson Acquires Wills Eye Residency Programs
Major Increase in U.S. Medical School Enrollment
Renewed interest in young physicians to pursue research careers
Number Of Students In U.S. Medical Schools Remains Constant
Record Number Of Trainee Residents And Fellows In US
Virtual Celebration Encourages Exploration of Genomic Careers


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us