Training PhD researchers to translate science to clinical medicine: Closing the gap from the other side (original) (raw)

Nature Medicine volume 8, pages 433–436 (2002)Cite this article

It is widely anticipated that the sequencing of the human genome, the characterization of the human proteomic map and the underlying advance in technological know-how will give rise to an unprecedented leap in biomedical science over the next half century. It may be that the bottleneck in the equation is the availability of staff trained to understand the scientific data generated and transform it successfully into something with medical value. Such people must have detailed knowledge both of medicine and the practice of scientific investigation. Here, we present three commentaries that endeavor to explain how such hybrid researchers can be recruited, trained and retained.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 print issues and online access

$209.00 per year

only $17.42 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

References

  1. Rosenberg, L. Physician-scientists—endangered and essential. Science 283, 331–332 (1999).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  2. Wyngaarden, J.B. The clinical investigator as an endangered species. N. Engl. J. Med. 301, 1254–1259 (1979).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  3. Zemlo, T.R., Garrison, H.H., Partridge, N.C. & Ley, T.J. The physician-scientist: Career issues and challenges at the year 2000. FASEB J. 14, 221–230 (2000).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  4. Varki, A. & Rosenberg, L.E. Emerging opportunities and career paths for the young physician-scientist. Nature Med. 8, 437–439 (2002).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  5. Abelmann, W.H., Nave, B.D. & Wilkerson, L. Generation of physician-scientists manpower: A follow-up study of the first 294 graduates of the Harvard-MIT Program of Health Sciences and Technology. J. Invest. Med. 45, 272–275 (1997).
    CAS Google Scholar
  6. Wilkerson, L. & Abelmann, W.H. Producing physician-scientists: A survey of graduates from the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. Acad. Med. 68, 214–218 (1993).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  7. Arias, I.M. Training basic scientists to bridge the gap between basic science and its application to human disease. N. Engl. J. Med. 321, 972–974 (1989).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Arias, I. Bridge building between medicine and basic science. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.: USA (in the press).
  9. Bunn, H.F. & Casey, C.G. Educating the biomedical scientist. FASEB J. 9, 1392–1395 (1995).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Health Sciences and Technology and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
    Martha L. Gray
  2. Division of Health Sciences and Technology and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
    Joseph V. Bonventre

Authors

  1. Martha L. Gray
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Joseph V. Bonventre
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gray, M., Bonventre, J. Training PhD researchers to translate science to clinical medicine: Closing the gap from the other side.Nat Med 8, 433–436 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0502-433

Download citation