Michael A Skinnider1, Jordan W Squair1, David D W Twa1, Jennifer X Ji1, Alexandra Kuzyk1, Xin Wang1, Patrick E Steadman1, Kirill Zaslavsky1, Ayan K Dey1, Mark J Eisenberg1, Ève-Reine Gagné1, Kent T HayGlass1, James F Lewis1, Peter J Margetts1, D Alan Underhill1, Norman D Rosenblum1, Lynn A Raymond1. 1. Affiliations: Faculty of Medicine (Skinnider, Squair, Twa, Ji, Raymond), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Clinician-Investigator Training Association of Canada(Kuzyk, Wang, Steadman, Zaslavsky, Dey); Faculty of Health Sciences (Kuzyk, HayGlass), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man.; Faculty of Medicine (Wang, Steadman, Zaslavsky, Dey, Rosenblum), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Eisenberg), McGill University, Montréal, Que.; Faculty of Medicine (Gagné), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Que.; Faculty of Medicine (Lewis), Western University, London, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Margetts), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Underhill), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.; Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation (Underhill), Ottawa, Ont.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Combined MD/PhD programs provide a structured path for physician-scientist training, but assessment of their success within Canada is limited by a lack of quantitative data. We collected outcomes data for graduates of Canadian MD/PhD programs. METHODS: We developed and implemented a Web-based survey consisting of 41 questions designed to collect outcomes data for Canadian MD/PhD program alumni from 8 Canadian universities who had graduated before September 2015. Respondents were categorized into 2 groups according to whether they had or had not completed all training. RESULTS: Of the 186 eligible alumni of MD/PhD programs, 139 (74.7%) completed the survey. A total of 136/138 respondents (98.6%) had completed or were currently completing residency training, and 66/80 (82%) had completed at least 1 postgraduate fellowship. Most (58 [83%]) of the 70 respondents who had completed all training were appointed as faculty at academic institutions, and 37 (53%) had been principal investigators on at least 1 recent funded project. Among the 58 respondents appointed at academic institutions, 44/57 (77%) dedicated at least 20% of their time to research, and 25/57 (44%) dedicated at least 50% to research. During their combined degree, 102/136 respondents (75.0%) published 3 or more first-author papers, and 133/136 (97.8%) matched with their first choice of specialty. The median length of physician-scientist training was 13.5 years. Most respondents graduated with debt despite having been supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research MD/PhD studentships. INTERPRETATION: Most Canadian MD/PhD program alumni pursued careers consistent with their physician-scientist training, which indicates that these programs are meeting their primary objective. Nevertheless, our findings highlight that a minority of these positions are research intensive; this finding warrants further study. Our data provide a baseline for future monitoring of the output of Canadian MD/PhD programs. Copyright 2017, Joule Inc. or its licensors.
BACKGROUND: Combined MD/PhD programs provide a structured path for physician-scientist training, but assessment of their success within Canada is limited by a lack of quantitative data. We collected outcomes data for graduates of Canadian MD/PhD programs. METHODS: We developed and implemented a Web-based survey consisting of 41 questions designed to collect outcomes data for Canadian MD/PhD program alumni from 8 Canadian universities who had graduated before September 2015. Respondents were categorized into 2 groups according to whether they had or had not completed all training. RESULTS: Of the 186 eligible alumni of MD/PhD programs, 139 (74.7%) completed the survey. A total of 136/138 respondents (98.6%) had completed or were currently completing residency training, and 66/80 (82%) had completed at least 1 postgraduate fellowship. Most (58 [83%]) of the 70 respondents who had completed all training were appointed as faculty at academic institutions, and 37 (53%) had been principal investigators on at least 1 recent funded project. Among the 58 respondents appointed at academic institutions, 44/57 (77%) dedicated at least 20% of their time to research, and 25/57 (44%) dedicated at least 50% to research. During their combined degree, 102/136 respondents (75.0%) published 3 or more first-author papers, and 133/136 (97.8%) matched with their first choice of specialty. The median length of physician-scientist training was 13.5 years. Most respondents graduated with debt despite having been supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research MD/PhD studentships. INTERPRETATION: Most Canadian MD/PhD program alumni pursued careers consistent with their physician-scientist training, which indicates that these programs are meeting their primary objective. Nevertheless, our findings highlight that a minority of these positions are research intensive; this finding warrants further study. Our data provide a baseline for future monitoring of the output of Canadian MD/PhD programs. Copyright 2017, Joule Inc. or its licensors.
Authors: Lawrence F Brass; Myles H Akabas; Linda D Burnley; David M Engman; Clayton A Wiley; Olaf S Andersen Journal: Acad Med Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 6.893
Authors: Reynold A Panettieri; Jay K Kolls; Stephen Lazarus; Stephanie Corder; Andrea Harshman; Esther Langmack; Irina Petrache Journal: ATS Sch Date: 2020-06-16