Feature
The clinician scientist
Obtaining NIH funding for IR research training
Terence P. Gade, MD, PhD, is the co-director of the Penn Research Track Radiology Residency at The University of Pennsylvania,
together with David Mankoff, MD, PhD, and Misun Hwan, MD, MSTR. The Research Track Residency pathway recently received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) enabling the program to expand its support of clinician scientist training to the IR/DR program. IRQ spoke with Dr. Gade about the program, the impact of funding and why clinician science is crucial for the future of IR.
Can you tell us about the Radiology Research Track Residency at Penn, and how it differs from your traditional training programs? Terence P. Gade, MD, PhD: We have three tracks at the University of
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Pennsylvania: the diagnostic radiology track, the research track and the IR/ DR track. The Radiology Research Track Residency, at Penn and other institutions, is a separate match from other radiology residency tracks and is a formal Physician Scientist Training Program recognized by the AAMC. In our research track, additional research time is built into the first 3 years of training, and after the third year, residents pursue a dedicated year of research in which they have 82% protected time to pursue their research. They are also guaranteed their fellowship. So, if you were a research track resident who wanted to go into neuroradiology, for example, your fellowship would be guaranteed. After you finish the research year, you would go straight into fellowship with additional research time in those subsequent years to ensure completion of the work while developing grants to support
applications for faculty positions. Pursuing a fellowship at Penn is not a requirement of the research track of courser. If the resident opts not do that, then we work with them at their new institution to make sure they can continue their research.
Why is it important to have a dedicated research pathway? TG: The research track allows the residents to develop their research to a degree that’s not often possible in the context of regular clinical training. Given that IR is built on pioneering cutting-edge science, it’s important that our residents grow into clinician scientists who are capable of delivering on that mission. Having research training built into residency allows trainees to develop their skills as a researcher and develop a research niche early so that they can be positioned for success as an independent investigator.
Congratulations on receiving the NIH funding. That must have been very exciting for you and your team. TG: We were thrilled. Given the current funding environment, we didn’t anticipate that we would be awarded an expansion of the program to include
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