Training the Next Generation of Psychiatrists-Scientists for Translational Research

Psychiatry is a fertile medical specialty for translational research and physician-scientists bring a unique perspective to research through the blend of clinical and research experiences. Physician scientists are uniquely poised to bridge the gap between basic neurobiology and clinical disease and excel as leaders in translational research in psychiatry. However, the pipeline of physician scientists in psychiatry is in danger. The number and proportion of clinically trained physicians (MD or MD/PhD) who remain involved in research after residency has decreased substantially. Residency training is a critical period that can “make or break” a research career. Years of clinical training without adequate protected research time between pre-residency research training and residency graduation often result in a decline in research skills and psychiatry residency graduates often need to retrain in research skills, delaying the transition to independent research. Together with high indebtedness and low funding rates, this results in few psychiatrists applying for K or R01 Awards after residency training. Our proposed R25 program aims to train the next generation of psychiatrists-scientists during the critical period of psychiatry residency, to equip them to conduct translational research in psychiatry and accelerate the launch of independent research careers. Our program will help trainees acquire research skills and pilot data to obtain a career development (K) award. We will provide ample research protected time and coursework organized based on an Individual Development Plan. This training, coupled with outstanding mentoring and networking opportunities, grant writing seminars and an internal K award review process, will prepare promising physician scientists and help accelerate the launch of productive, independent careers in translational psychiatry research. Mount Sinai is the ideal place for this R25 program because of the strength of our Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Genetics/Genomics, which have been among the top departments nationwide in NIH funding over the past years, and have a wealth of potential mentors, including 123 NIH- funded PIs. Our exponential success in research accomplishments and funding is the result of a focused institutional effort to support physician-scientists and translational research. As an example of our commitment to recruitment, training and retention of physician-scientists, we have retained or recruited back over 50% of the graduates from our pilot physician-scientist training program.