Training Program for Applied Research and Development in Genomic Medicine

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ABSTRACT Healthcare professionals, genomic scientists, and numerous other stakeholders are embracing the advances in healthcare that are possible, and with increasing frequency are being delivered, through approaches that employ genomics to improve care and patient outcomes. To ensure that we can continue to expand upon and deliver the full potential of such an approach requires a highly qualified cadre of clinician-scientists, scientists, and clinicians working collaboratively to advance discoveries and implementation in genomic medicine. This proposal for continuation of our post-doctoral genomic medicine training program, “Program for Applied Research and Development in Genomic Medicine or PARADIGM,” leverages our successes and lessons learned from the first cycle of funding to: 1) refine an integrated training program in genomic medicine, which includes didactic, research, clinical, and professional development activities; 2) recruit promising junior investigators and train them using an interprofessional and interdisciplinary mentoring approach; and 3) evaluate the PARADIGM training program for achievement of learning objectives, success, and long-term productivity and career progress of trainees. This training program for MDs, PharmDs, PhDs, and other clinical specialists at the doctoral level is based on four premises: 1) Genomic medicine must be advanced by a cadre of clinicians and PhD scientists from a variety of specialty areas; 2) a team approach is essential; 3) genomic medicine will require a diverse workforce of leaders; 4) the University of Florida is an ideal environment for this training. To train individuals to meet these needs, PARADIGM will provide a multi-year, integrated, multidisciplinary program comprised of four major components: 1) a Didactic component of required and optional coursework; 2) a Mentored Research component involving a defined research project under the mentorship of an accomplished genomic medicine scientist and clinician; 3) a Clinical Genomic Medicine component that integrates trainees into the genomic medicine clinical practice setting; and 4) a Professional Development component including training in research integrity; administrative, fiscal and regulatory training; and grant-writing skills. Training across these four components will be tailored to the experience and needs of each trainee, but will be concentrated in three cores of expertise at UF: pharmacogenomics, cancer genomics, and disease susceptibility genetics/genomics. The program will be led by two highly accomplished leaders in the field together with a cadre of highly talented, collaborative, multidisciplinary mentors. PARADIGM will undergo continuous evaluation and quality improvement to ensure long-term success of the trainees. Upon program completion, each trainee will be expected to possess knowledge and skills that will enable them to manage the challenges of evidence generation and clinical use of genomic medicine.