Vanderbilt Training of Otolaryngology Physician Scientists (V-TOPS) Program

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Project Summary Physician-scientists are crucial for translating new discoveries in basic science into improvements in patient care. As advances in biomedical research continue to expand our understanding of human biology, it is critical to maintain a strong cadre of physician scientists who will be able to apply this new knowledge to improve health outcomes. Concern has been growing for years that physician-scientists are decreasing in numbers, and current trends indicate that this decrease is likely to get worse. Thus, new approaches are needed to recruit more physicians into research careers and provide them with the skills and mentorship necessary for success. The Vanderbilt Training of Otolaryngology Physician-Scientists (V-TOPS) program addresses this challenge by providing mentored research experiences for otolaryngology residents and medical students. We hypothesize that two characteristics of our research education program will make it more likely that trainees will continue to pursue research careers: (a) research experiences aligned with a trainee’s clinical interests and (b) mentor-mentee relationships with successful physician-scientists. After matriculation, trainees are paired with a physician-scientist mentor who continues as an important adviser throughout their training. Residents in the program will spend two years doing research, between the second and third year of clinical otolaryngology training, thus providing adequate time for them to decide on a clinical focus area and pursue relevant research projects. We have assembled an experienced and diverse cohort of 15 faculty mentors representing a variety of research areas, including laryngeal physiology, rhinology/olfaction, airway immunology and inflammation, head and neck oncology, cochlear implants, and language disorders. We will accept one resident per year into the research program out of a total cohort of 5 residents. In addition, the V-TOPS program will accept two medical students each year for a one-year research experience, supplemented with a didactic program and individual mentoring by successful physician-scientists. Our expansive research portfolio, experienced faculty of basic and translational scientists, and the rich history for research education at Vanderbilt, make this an ideal environment to develop the next generation of physician scientists in otolaryngology.