Program Mission & Goals

Mission: To recruit, mentor, and educate a diverse group of physician scientists who will become leaders in their chosen careers that integrate clinical medicine and research to advance clinically relevant science and improve health throughout the world.  In order to achieve this goal, our program was designed to recruit, mentor, educate and provide experiential learning activities to a diverse group of trainees so they develop the research, clinical, and professional skills necessary for them to thrive in careers that integrate research and clinical activities to advance biomedical science.

Goals:

1. To attract, recruit and retain the highest quality students from diverse backgrounds including individuals from underrepresented in medicine groups (URI/M), with disabilities, and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
   • Measurement: We evaluate our success in recruiting diverse applicants, student retention, and overall programmatic diversity, and time to degree for all trainees as well as URI/M and gender-specific outcomes. Short- and long-term outcomes for total group, women and URI/M trainees are compared to national metrics and our MSTP historical data. In addition, satisfaction surveys of women and URI/M are compared to all students and our program historical data, as well as national data. Programmatic changes are made based on our findings in order to continuously optimize and improve our program for diverse trainees.
2. To offer a state of the art, tightly integrated curriculum in biomedical research and clinical medicine that will enable trainees to seamlessly and optimally integrate clinical and research activities and give them a strong foundation on which to build their careers as physician scientists, including prioritizing rigor in their own science and recognition of instances where rigor and reproducibility tenets may be lacking.
   • Measurement: We measure success by the number and quality of trainee publications, more translational publications, shorter time to degree, residency match into the field of their choice with focus on increasing match into integrated research residencies, ease of transitions between clinical and research activities, and overall satisfaction. This is measured by publications, types of publications, satisfaction surveys, and time to degree compared to concurrent trainees and recent graduates. MSTP specific curricula is developed and optimized based on feedback from trainees and these outcomes.
3. To equip students with the mentoring and tools necessary to become successful productive physician scientists, including equipping them to be lifelong learners, providing opportunities for networking and entrepreneurial activities, professionalism, grant/manuscript writing, and experiential learning of oral and written communication skills so they can communicate effectively with individuals at all levels of science, clinical medicine, industry, political and community leaders, and their patients and communities.
   • Measurement: We measure success by number of trainees applying for individual grants (F30, F31, other) and overall success with grant submissions, development of core competencies, trainee participation and feedback around their individual development plans, trainee feedback on and overall satisfaction with the mentoring activities (formal and informal), and trainee participation and feedback in MSTP-specific workshops and retreats focused on career development, grant/manuscript writing, scientific rigor, ethics etc. In addition, we provide ongoing training and assessments of the Program faculty to ensure the highest Programmatic changes are made based on our findings in order to continuously optimize and improve our program.
4. To graduate physician scientists in a timely fashion.
   • Measurement: We evaluate time to degree for majority and URI/M trainees as well as gender-specific outcomes, and this is compared to national metrics and our program historical data. We use these data along with feedback from students, alumni, Program Faculty, and our internal and external advisory boards to identify gaps and determine how/where we can optimize our program.
5. To provide a safe and inclusive environment for the entire MSTP community.
   • Measurement: We prioritize safety and ensure an environment that is inclusive of all individuals including those with disabilities. We incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training into our curriculum and make this part of our MSTP culture and community at all levels. We do not and will not tolerate racism or inequity. We evaluate our success through survey/feedback instruments of satisfaction and meetings with trainees, program faculty, and leaders to ensure that our efforts are fully inclusive. Programmatic changes will be made based on our findings in order to continuously optimize and improve our program for diverse trainees.