The effect of an intense mentoring program on junior investigators' preparation for a patient-oriented clinical research career.

PROBLEM: There is a recognized need to translate scientific discoveries to patient-oriented clinical research (POCR). Several obstacles interfere with the successful recruitment and retention of physicians for POCR careers.

APPROACH: The American Society of Hematology developed a yearlong educational and mentoring experience, the Clinical Research Training Institute (CRTI), for early-career physician-scientists from multiple institutions throughout the United States and Canada pursuing POCR careers. Several academic outcome measures of the 140 participants in the first seven years (2003-2010) of CRTI were evaluated by reviewing former trainee participants' curriculum vitae and survey responses.

OUTCOMES: Ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of CRTI trainees was reflective of the proportions represented across U.S. hematology/oncology fellowship programs. Eighty-six percent (109/126) of trainees reported success establishing a POCR study; nearly half (62/126) had primarily research-focused jobs. Former CRTI trainees received at least 262 external grant awards and published 1,035 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 173 chapters, and 115 review articles.

NEXT STEPS: Because mentorship is key to developing a successful career, the CRTI program is being modified to enhance longitudinal mentorship by CRTI faculty mentors and mentors at trainees' home institutions, as well as to encourage the establishment of collaborations and the potential for research project success. Efforts to make the CRTI experience available to more phy sicians, include more CRTI graduates as faculty, and increase participation by hematologists from backgrounds under represented in medicine are under way.