Training Program in Surgical Oncology

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Department of Surgery, and the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG), at the Duke University School of Medicine (DUSM) request funding to support a training program focused on educating surgeons in the theory and practice of clinical research. This proposal addresses a serious problem in the management of patients with malignant diseases; the distinct paucity of surgeons knowledgeable or experienced in clinical epidemiology and quantitative medicine. The proposed training program presents the opportunity for house officers in general surgery, and every surgical specialty, to participate in a two-year curriculum, which will provide formal didactic course work and practical experience in clinical trials research. There are particular strengths within the DUSM, which support and ensure the success of this training grant: 1) The Department of Surgery, where the training grant will be based, has a long and distinguished record of educating academic surgeons. 2) The Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP), taught by the faculties of the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), through an excellent structured curriculum will provide the trainee with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for a successful academic career in clinical research. 3) The DCRI, where the ACOSOG is physically located, is an established, academically based research organization, which provides abundant resources and experience in clinical trials methodology and practice. 4) The ACOSOG is the only clinical trial group funded by the National Cancer Institute, whose primary mission is to perform clinical studies designed to evaluate the surgical management of patients with malignant solid tumors. The unique combination of resources, available at the DUSM, the support of the proposed training program by academic and practicing surgeons in the United States and the need for a national infrastructure of surgeons, who are well trained in the practice of clinical research, makes this proposal especially timely. Four house officers will be selected annually for this training program and the majority will be recruited from institutions other than the Duke University Medical Center. The Iong-term objective of the program is to prepare house officers for academic careers in clinical research and quantitative medicine. Upon completing this training program and their subsequent residency education, trainees will be positioned to join academic departments as accomplished investigators in the rapidly emerging fields of clinical research and evidence-based medicine.