(Boston)--Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) has been awarded a five-year, $482,400 T35 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to bolster the development of physician-scientists.
The funds will support the Medical Student Summer Research Program in Heart, Lung and Blood Disease, a 10-week summer program for 12 first-year medical students. "This project will provide meaningful research experiences in settings characterized by excellence in investigation and mentoring.
It takes advantage of BUSM's long history of funded and excellent research and the willingness of a select group of mentors in these disciplines who are committed to supporting medical school graduates in careers as physician-scientists," explained Alan Fine, MD, a professor of medicine at BUSM and co-principal investigator on the grant.
The other co-principal investigator of the award is Suzanne C. Sarfaty, MD, associate professor of medicine and assistant dean of Medical Education for Enrichment at BUSM.
Over the past decade, fewer medical school graduates are pursuing careers as physician-scientists. If this trend continues, the research culture will lose critical input from physicians' perspectives. To address this complex issue, the NIH is supporting summer research experiences for medical students at the end of their first year.
Students will be selected after careful review of a research application. Accepted students will receive a stipend, research budget and travel funds to present their completed work at national conferences.
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