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  1. Archived File The file below has been archived for historical reference purposes only. The content and links are no longer maintained and may be outdated. See the OER Public Archive Home Page for more details about archived files.

  2. Moving Toward the Future:Issues in Graduate & Postdoctoral Interdisciplinary Training in the Biomedical Sciences William R. Galey, Ph.D. Director of Graduate Education Programs, HHMI November 12, 2003 OSTP Regional Forum on Research Business Models

  3. Why are Graduate & Postdoctoral Training Important to the Research Enterprise ? Graduate students and postdoctoral trainees: • do most of the actual research work. • Must understand the work they are doing • Must be able to communicate & collaborate with research colleagues from partner disciplines • are the future researchers. • Who will design future research to exploit the new connections with other disciplines

  4. NIH NSF HHMI are all initiating or have in place major efforts in interdisciplinary biological research!

  5. Future major advances in the Biomedical Sciences will require interdisciplinary research at the interfaces between biology and the physical,engineering, computational sciences and mathematics. The training of graduate students and post doctoral fellows must be appropriate to accomplish this new approach.

  6. Issues in Graduate & Postdoctoral Training:The Biomedical Sciences • Length of the training period is too long. • Training experiences are too narrow. • Trainee population lacks Diversity. • University structures & policies fail to support interdisciplinary or team science. • Barriers exist that impede the participation of well educated foreign trainees and researchers. • Trainee support mechanisms are inconsistent and uncoordinated and often inequitable. 7. There is inadequate data to evaluate the biomedical research workforce.

  7. Length of the training period DegreeDurationAge at Completion • Bachelors Degree: 4-5 years ~23 • Ph.D: 7.2 years ~30 • Postdoctoral Training 5-7 years ~35 This is a problem because • Compensation is inadequate • Interdisciplinary research threatens to increase training • Career independence is delayed • Trainees are working on the ideas of others during the most creative period of their lives !

  8. 2. Narrowness of the training experience • Career preparation: is primarily for Academic Research Career • Little or no opportunity to: Gain & apply interdisciplinary knowledge Work in teams Learn about conducting research in nonacademic environments Gain appreciation for medical relevance of their science Learn teaching skills • Scientific specialization within biological sciences Research & training is often focused on detailed study in a very small field of biomedical sciences Research is primarily “reductionistic” rather than “synthesis” or integration oriented

  9. Narrowness of training cont. • Lack of physical & computational science and mathematics education Few Biology majors are prepared to utilize the more mathematical approaches of the “hard” sciences • Lack of education in “medical sciences” Although most Biomedical Science trainees are in Medical School settings • Few trainees gain an appreciation for the role of their research to medicine or public health • Few trainees understand the most important science-related “problems” facing clinical medicine • Lack of interdisciplinary and team-science training Focus of graduate training is on “individual” research achievement rather than “team” oriented research

  10. 3. Lack of Diversity in trainee population • Gender equity is close in Biomedical Science training • Much is yet to be done to capitalize on the contributions of a diverse research environment 4. University structure & policies • Discourage interdisciplinary study • Discourage faculty from attempting team research 5. Barriers to participation of foreign trainees • Current visa policies impede entry of outstanding trainees

  11. 6. Inconsistencies in trainee funding mechanisms by governmental funding agencies • Complicate support of trainees working in interdisciplinary research teams • Confuse and Complicate stipend levels, benefits, tuition and research supplies issues 7. Inadequatedata on the size and employment in the biomedical research workforce.

  12. Selected Government Graduate Fellowship ProgramsFY 2003 Funding Levels and Other Information

  13. Selected Government Graduate Fellowship ProgramsFY 2003 Funding Levels and Other Information Support Limits 1 to 5 years

  14. Selected Government Graduate Fellowship ProgramsFY 2003 Funding Levels and Other Information Stipend Amounts $18,000 to $27,000

  15. Selected Government Graduate Fellowship ProgramsFY 2003 Funding Levels and Other Information Allowances $6K to $17K

  16. Selected Postdoctoral Fellowship ProgramsFY 2003 Funding Levels and Other Information

  17. How Governmental Agencies might help Provide Solutions to the Identified Problems 1. Set consistent limits on the length of support for trainees receiving Federal money 2. Require Federally supported trainees to receive Career preparation training such as industrial co-ops, teacher training, etc 3. Encourage more rigorous science and mathematical training of trainees 4. Encourage better understanding of medicine by trainees • Facilitate PhD training in “clinical aspects” of their science • Encourage MD students to enter Basic Science research

  18. Immediate Practical Changes Governmental Agencies can Adopt • Establish consistency of: • Stipends • Benefits • Tuition and Training Costs • Length of support for all doctoral and postdoctoral trainees receiving support from federally sponsored • Individual Fellowships • Research Assistants funded on grants • Training Grants

  19. Immediate Practical Changes Governmental Agencies can Adopt cont. 2. Resolve issues surrounding foreign trainee • Visa application processing • correct technical problems with SEVIS • Expedite review process • Returning visas for scholars • Allow trainees to apply for a “return visa” prior to leaving US or • reinstate multiple entry visas for Scholars.

  20. William R. Galey, Ph.D. Director of Graduate Education Programs, HHMI November 12, 2003 OSTP Regional Forum on Research Business Models Thank You !

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