Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has developed the world's preeminent system for biomedical research, one that has given rise to revolutionary medical advances as well as a dynamic and innovative business sector generating high-quality jobs and powering economic output and exports for the U.S. economy. However, there is a…

On the surface, a gathering held for young research faculty last week at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory was a clear expression of determination by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help them compete for grants. The agency fears that continued Congressional budget cuts, combined with the growing number of scientists who work later into…

In the past few months, animal-rights groups have stepped up their demonstrations against academic researchers who use animals, spawning a new wave of concern among scientists. In February, extremists caused a fire at the home of a researcher from the University of California at Los Angeles, and protesters struck the husband of a scientist from…

Blogs, wikis, and social-networking sites such as Facebook may get media buzz these days, but for scientists, engineers, and doctors, they are not even on the radar. The most effective tools of the Internet for such people tend to be efforts more narrowly aimed at their needs, such as software that helps geneticists replicate one another's…

Greatly modifying the present medical curriculum for the future physician-scientist is not recommended. The value of his having a PhD is questioned and the importance of his working in a hospital-based clinical department is stressed. The author contends that emphasizing the interrelationship between basic and applied research will increase public…

This interview with Jeffrey Borer, who directs cardiovascular research at Cornell Medical College, addresses his research interests, the status of research compared to practice, ways to meet educational needs of students with science talent, the role of contests and mentors, and the importance of exposing children to many types of learning…

An examination of the changes over a ten-year period (from 1972 to 1982) in the number, distribution, and characteristics of Ph.D. faculty of clinical departments of medical schools is provided in this report. Trends in the training and research involvements of this group are stated with special emphasis on an analysis of the factors associated…

A policy statement drafted by the Association of American Medical Colleges is presented that reviews the goals, environment, and mechanisms of support of biomedical and behavioral research.

The results of six studies concerning medical school faculty and clinical research personnel are presented. The studies concern: (1) career research productivity of physician faculty; (2) accession and attrition of medical school faculty who are recent physician graduates; (3) comparison of training programs for physician scientists; (4) the…

Designed to provide assistance in the assessment of the need for biomedical and behavioral research personnel, this report presents research findings related to specific medical careers. The review includes an examination of the system under which biomedical and behavioral scientists are trained for research careers and the United States…

A follow-up study of 211 early graduates of the Harvard University-Massachusetts Institute of Technology program in health sciences technology, designed to train physician-scientists and emphasizing basic science and research experience, revealed that the program has succeeded in preparing carefully selected students for those careers without…