Short Term Research Training for Medical Students

描述(由申请人提供)： 项目摘要和相关性 项目摘要 这项申请寻求持续51个月的支持，每年为17名医学生提供短期研究培训。这些项目通常会持续两三个月。该计划主要针对医学院一年级到二年级之间从事研究的学生，但如果三年级和四年级的学生希望将所需的研究项目(学术追求)延长两三个月的选修研究，也可以申请。该培训计划最初旨在支持不同学科的研究，但在资金周期内，NIDDK要求该计划更加重视与NIDDK相关的研究。因此，该计划加强了对NIDDK相关研究的重视，现在它正式隶属于宾夕法尼亚大学新成立的糖尿病、肥胖和代谢研究所。宾夕法尼亚大学有80多名由NIDDK资助的教职员工，他们从事糖尿病、内分泌学、代谢性疾病和消化系统疾病等领域的工作。该培训项目由著名科学家布莱恩·沃尔夫博士指导，他长期致力于宾夕法尼亚大学的教育项目。一个咨询委员会帮助沃尔夫博士寻找合适的导师，并挑选需要支持的学生。 与公共卫生的相关性 仅在美国，目前就有1800万糖尿病患者和5800万肥胖患者[原文如此]。糖尿病造成的损失估计为每年1320亿美元，疾病控制中心预测，2000年出生的儿童中，每三个人中就有一个会在一生中患上糖尿病。显然需要培训更多的内科医生和内科科学家，他们具有了解糖尿病、肥胖症和这些疾病的并发症的遗传、生化、分子、环境和行为根源的专业知识，目的是减少它们的发生率和严重性。该培训计划旨在激励更多的医学生从事研究事业，并加入临床医生和研究人员的行列，解决糖尿病、肥胖症和相关的健康问题。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Project Summary and Relevance Project Summary This application seeks continuation of 51 months of support to provide short-term research training for 17 medical students per year. The projects typically last two or three months. The program primarily targets students doing research between the first and second year of Medical School, but third and fourth year students may also apply if they wish to extend a required research project (Scholarly Pursuit) for an additional two or three months of elective research. The training program was initially designed to support research in diverse disciplines, but during the funding cycle NIDDK requested that the program place a greater emphasis on NIDDK related research. As a result of this, the program increased emphasis on NIDDK relevant research and it is now formally affiliated with Penn's new Institute of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. There are over 80 NIDDK funded faculty members at Penn doing work in the areas of diabetes, endocrinology, metabolic diseases and digestive diseases. The training program is directed by Dr. Bryan Wolf, a distinguished scientist with a long standing commitment to educational programs at Penn. An advisory committee helps Dr. Wolf to find appropriate mentors and select students for support. Relevance to public health In the United States alone, there are currently 18 million people with diabetes and 58 million obese [sic]. The cost of diabetes is estimated at $132 billion per year, and the Centers for Disease Control has projected that one out of three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime. There is a clear need for training additional physicians and physician scientists with expertise in understanding the genetic, biochemical, molecular, environmental, and behavioral origins of diabetes, obesity, and the complications of these diseases, with the goal of reducing their incidence and severity. This training program seeks to inspire more medical students to pursue research careers and to join the ranks of clinicians and investigators addressing diabetes, obesity and related health issues.