Training a biomedical physician workforce to develop tomorrow's cures for today's diseases

The goal of this planning grant proposal is to design and develop a framework for a Dean’s Academy at Northwestern Medicine (NM) focused on cultivating MD-educated physician-scientists. We anticipate that this initiative will demonstrate an effective approach to reverse the declining general trend in, and expand a vital segment of, the biomedical workforce that is critical to discovering, translating, and developing tomorrow’s cures for today’s diseases. The planners of this grant recognize that we live in changing times that cross the healthcare and biomedical spectrum—from the economy to technology—with broad cultural implications for medical and scientific training. These factors lend uncertainly to medical trainees who question their ability to acquire the skills, resources, support, and mentorship needed to succeed in a career that includes biomedical research. This planning grant will implement a trans-disciplinary approach to identify the perceived limitations to success during individual training periods along the pathway toward a career in biomedical investigation. We will accomplish this goal by testing our initial assumptions and critically engaging the mentors and trainees who are the stakeholders in this effort. We will analyze granular data on recent institutional and national trends in biomedical training across medical specialties. The result will be the establishment of a self-sustaining Dean’s Academy at NM that will foster a culture of physician-scientists and address identified roadblocks with the goal of stabilizing and growing the biomedical workforce. Academy trainees will be equipped with the skills to bring the scientific cures and technologies of tomorrow to the increasingly complex care of today’s patients.