Medical Scientist Training Program

Project Summary/ Abstract UIC At a time when new foundational scientific knowledge is rapidly increasing, there is an urgent need to continue investing in nurturing the next generation of physician-scientists capable of generating and translating that knowledge to the bedside care of patients. Clinician-scientists have bridged the translational gap between

fundamental new knowledge in the pathobiology of disease and advances in health care. To continue developing a diverse pool of well-trained physician-scientists with the skills to conduct rigorous scientific research and engage in clinical practice, the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Medical Scientist Training

Program (MSTP) offers a program of combined MD and PhD training. Our dual-degree program, established in 2003, has been NIH-funded for over 15-years. The central goal of the UIC MSTP is to train the next generation of clinician-scientists to create new knowledge and implement evidence-based medicine by incorporating

didactic, rigorous research, mentoring and career development plans. A key component of our program is the tremendous benefit provided by the diversity of trainees and mentors, which is aligned with UIC’s long-standing dedication and leadership in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its educational programs. Thus, the

major objectives of the UIC MSTP are to provide a well-integrated training program that equips trainees from diverse backgrounds to become leaders in medicine, to elucidate the mechanisms of disease at molecular and cellular disease level using ‘omics’ technologies, whole animal, clinical, and translational approaches to

biomedical research. Our students will learn in an environment that addresses challenges and will be trained to translate this new knowledge into best evidence-based care of patients. The mentors are highly successful clinician-scientists/scientists with a proven track-record of research, mentoring, and collaboration who offer

superb inter- and multi-disciplinary training opportunities. We are highly diverse and balanced national academic progress of excellence. Currently 102 individuals, from all over the country, are enrolled in the program with our holistic mission-based selection process enabling us to enrolled 53% women and 22% URMs

with five-year average entering metrics of 3.7 GPA and 514 MCAT with a matriculation rate of 4% from a five- year applicant pool average of 318. Our current MSTP students include 22 under-represented minority (URM) and 34% disadvantaged/disabled trainees. The average time to complete a dual MD and PhD is 8.0-years and

our students have matched at the most competitive residency programs. Several important and exciting advances have recently been implemented including design and implementation of new mentoring program with the creation of an advising house system and pairing trainees in the final year of PhD studies with

clinician-scientists; a new Graduate Education in bioMedical Sciences (GEMS) program with thematic interdisciplinary tracks; a diversity of research experience with increasing numbers of students pursuing non- traditional PhDs; systematic training of mentors on core competencies; design and implementation of a

comprehensive program evaluation that creates mechanisms for continual feedback on advising, educational, and administrative processes; and enhancing the diversity of student recruitment through a three-tiered approach. We are confident that our program will continue to successfully train the next generation of

physician-scientists. Towards this goal, we are requesting support for 10 positions.