CAREER: Northwestern University Mentored Scholars Program

DESCRIPTION (Provided by the applicant): The goal of the Clinical Research Scholars (CRS) Program at Northwestern University Medical School (NUMS) is to strengthen substantially the patient-oriented clinical research enterprise by mentoring and providing didactic course work to a cadre of bright, enthusiastic, well-trained, academically-oriented, and race/ethnic and gender diverse young MD or DO scholars, helping them become knowledgeable about the complex issues in conducting scientifically and ethically sound patient-oriented research and maximizing the likelihood they will be competitive in seeking research support and achieving long-term academic stability. The Program provides institutional leadership, oversight, and coordination of these activities. Specific measurable objectives are ambitious and include: 1) Establish an interdepartmental mechanism for recruitment of at least 12 talented junior faculty candidates for the CRS award in the next five years. 2) Establish guidelines and oversight procedures to guarantee that all CRS award recipients spend at least 75% of their time on clinical research and clinical research training activities. 3) Establish a procedure to monitor the efforts of Lead Mentors to assure the provision of high-quality mentoring. 4) Establish a Mentor Development Program to enrich the pool of effective mentors in future years. 5) Graduate at least 80% of CRS recipients in the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation or Master of Public Health degree program (if they do not already come with such a degree). 6) Achieve extramural research funding for at least 80% of all CRS award recipients during the award period. 7) Enhance the likelihood that 100% of all CRS award recipients will be promoted to the rank of Associate Professor within nine years of their initial faculty appointment. The Program is designed to accommodate Scholars with varying levels of research experience. The Program is coordinated by the Principal Investigator in cl