Medical Scientist Training Program

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The rapid advances in biomedical sciences of the past 25 years has resulted in a critical need for well trained investigators who also have direct involvement with clinical Medicine to translate the multiple new discoveries in biomedical science into workable clinical applications. Joint training of the most outstanding individuals in both modern medicine and the special intellectual perspective and technical know-how of basic biomedical science is a key component of meeting this need. The University of Alabama at Birmingham UAB MSTP provides training leading to both the MD and the Ph.D. degrees with a rigorous academic program and supportive atmosphere to outstanding students from across the country. The breadth and depth of the biomedical research being conducted at the UAB Medical Center is the primary strength of the program, which is enhanced by a strong institutional commitment to the training program, a vigorous recruiting program, an innovative flexible curriculum in the first year focused on depth of mechanistic understanding rather than merely broad coverage typical in most medical School curricula, and a talented and hard working student body. The leadership of the program was re-energized in 2001, which has resulted in many changes including further increases in the number of applicants from across the country, new programmatic activities focused on translational research, and a renewed sense of esprit among the outstanding group of students in the program. In this proposal, funding for 14 positions with an increase to a total of 20 positions over the course of the award period is requested.