Investigator training programs are an important component of developing the future translational research stars of tomorrow. Below are descriptions and links to further information about a few formal programs already in place - look for more coming soon! The MSCI is an interdisciplinary program sponsored by a consortium of Medical School departments and administered by the Department of Preventive Medicine. The objective of the Clinical Investigation program is to produce clinical researchers who are skilled in clinical research techniques, competitive in seeking research support, and knowledgeable about the complex issues associated with conducting sound clinical research, particularly in translational and clinical epidemiologic patient-oriented research.
The program offers the MS degree on a part-time, evening basis, primarily for medical residents, fellows and junior faculty members who wish to receive formal training in clinical research. It also offers graduate students in other life sciences the opportunity to explore the application of basic science concepts to medicine. The Feinberg School of Medicine and The Graduate School offer the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) leading to the combined MD/PhD. The seven- to eight-year program is designed to prepare selected students for careers in biomedical research or academic medicine coupled with the clinical practice of medicine. It is a flexible program that permits the efficient and natural combination of medical and scientific training for highly motivated students of superior research potential. The full range of biomedical research opportunities at the University is available to MSTP students, with primary oversight by the life sciences graduate programs. MSTP students typically complete two years of the medical curriculum, followed by three or more years of research training, with the production of a doctoral dissertation to fulfill the requirements for the PhD degree. Students then return to the medical curriculum to complete one and one-half years of hospital-based clinical clerkships. Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine has established an integrated Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP) for graduates of M.D.-Ph.D. programs and for recently graduated M.D.s who have had extensive experience in the conduct of research. The intent of this program is to provide an opportunity for interaction across clinical disciplines, facilitating the transition from training to productive careers in biomedical research. It includes the Departments of Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Radiation Oncology, Surgery and Urology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Successful applicants will exhibit a commitment to a career in academic medicine or surgery as a physician-scientist. The five-to-seven year Program, depending upon specialty, is designed to enhance the general training program with the opportunity for additional research-intensive training consistent with the needs of the individual and with the requirements of the specialty boards. At the completion of training, the PSTP Scholar will be prepared to pursue a career as both a physician-scientist and a board-certified specialist or subspecialist.
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