Fostering Academic Physician-Investigators Treating High Risk Populations

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ABSTRACT The core pillars of academic medicine that serve as the foundation for the training and development of the clinical workforce are widely recognized to be education, research and exceptional patient care. Physician-investigators represent the lifeblood of academic medicine and recent declines in the numbers of this group represent nothing less than an existential threat to academic medicine as it is currently known. Our commitment to work to reverse these trends serves as the basis now for our Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) program proposal. The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Department of Medicine (DOM) has a vibrant clinical program that provides excellent healthcare services to an inner city population of predominantly African-Americans and Hispanic/Latinx patients, in the third largest metropolitan area in the middle of our nation. Our physicians provide care for patients at the UIC Hospital and Clinics (UI Health) and the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Stimulated by the opportunities and scientific questions that are presented by this large and unique patient base and active collaborations with outstanding basic science departments at UIC, the entire research portfolio at UIC has been rapidly expanding. At the same time, our internal medicine residency program has been committed to recruiting physicians in training, from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, who are dedicated to our mission. Core to this mission are our ongoing efforts to assume a leading role nationally in the training, growth and development of the next generation of clinician investigators. Notably, the UIC DOM is primely positioned to support this program by virtue of its highly accomplished prospective faculty mentors from across a broad range of research disciplines, a well-established pre-existing commitment to promoting scholarly activities including research amongst trainees and faculty, opportunities to synergize with three existing NHLBI- sponsored T32 training grants within the department, and an internal medicine residency program with core structural components already in place to promote resident research opportunities and career development. Additionally, a key element of our proposal is a commitment to the recruitment of a diverse group of resident- investigators including underrepresented minorities (URM). It is important to note that the UIC StARR program will build on already existing programs and infrastructure with closely aligned goals and objectives. Our program also has the full and unwavering support of the UIC College of Medicine and its leadership.