Certificate
Program in Biomedical Research (CPBR)
Daniel H. Lowenstein, M.D.
Professor of Neurology
Director, Physician-Scientist Education and Training Programs
Director, Office of Student Research (SOM)
Catherine Lomen-Hoerth,
M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurology
Associate Director, Office of Student Research (SOM)
Recognizing the national and state-wide need to train physician-scientists
who have the ability and commitment to advance the knowledge base and
practice of medicine, the UCSF Certificate Program in Biomedical Research
(CPBR) is designed to facilitate opportunities for medical students to
pursue full-time research for one or more years beyond the standard four
year curriculum. Students who apply to the CPBR must have a well-defined
plan for a high quality research project that will be carried out full-time
under the careful supervision of a faculty mentor/advisor. Furthermore,
the plan must be submitted to and approved by the School’s M.D.
with Thesis Committee, which will assign a three-member faculty committee
to oversee the student’s progress, and help the student in the preparation
and completion of a written thesis. The minimum duration of the research
project must be one year, with the option to extend for additional academic
quarters or full years as desired or needed.
In addition to full-time work on the research project, students will
attend the weekly medical student research journal club and the monthly
“Pathways to Discovery” lecture series that are scheduled
throughout the academic year. Specifically, students are required to participate
in a minimum of 15 journal club meetings and to make at least one journal
club presentation. Also, students are required to attend at least 4 of
the “Pathways to Discovery” lectures. Students will also be
encouraged to attend other research seminars that are available to the
UCSF community throughout the year. Students pursuing clinical, patient-oriented
or so-called “translational” research (as determined by the
Director of the Office of Student Research) will be required to take the
Designing
Clinical Research (DCR) course in held in August each year, and they
will also have full access to various programs organized through the Doris
Duke Clinical Research Fellowship program based at UCSF.
Documentation of attendance at these various educational components of
the CPBR will be provided by the student in the form of a signed document
to be submitted concurrent with submission of the research thesis (i.e.
February 15th of the year of graduation). Although this documentation
will be carried out under the aegis of the medical school’s honor
code, faculty in the Office of Student Research regularly attend the various
activities listed above and will be able to monitor attendance of students
as well.
The requirement of a full-year of research along with additional educational
experiences makes the CPBR distinct from the current M.D.
with Thesis Program, which has no specific requirements for the duration
of the research experience or any additional training. The faculty leadership
of the Office of Student Research believe that the CPBR program will substantially
raise the quality of the overall educational experience for students interested
in a serious exploration of a career path in biomedical research. At the
same time, by requiring completion of the M.D.
with Thesis program, the CPBR will take advantage of a pre-existing,
highly successful mechanism for overseeing the quality of the research
experience itself.
The CPBR requires a minimum commitment to twelve (12) months of full-time
research. In terms with the Office of Admission and Registrar, this translates
to four (4) consecutive quarters. Although this can begin at any time
during the year, it is expected that most students will begin their program
between June and September.
Any UCSF medical student in good academic standing who has designed a
plan for a high quality research experience is eligible for the program.
In most cases, students will opt for the CPBR in the beginning or middle
of the 3rd year of the medical school curriculum; i.e. after the completion
of all pre-clinical studies and electives, and during their clinical rotations.
Preliminary review of the student’s qualifications and research
proposal will be done by the director or associate director of the Office
of Medical Student Research. Once approved at this level, the proposal
will then be submitted to the MD with Thesis committee, which will determine
whether any revisions are required before formally accepting the student
into the M.D. with Thesis Program. Acceptance as an M.D. with Thesis candidate
will constitute approval for participation in the CPBR. (For details about
the M.D. with
Thesis Program)
Completion of the CPBR will require:
- Completion of all requirements of the M.D.
with Thesis Program (i.e. completion of a thesis which is formally
approved by a 3-person thesis committee);
- Attestation by the student’s faculty research mentor/advisor
that the student has successfully completed a full year of research
activity;
- Documentation by the student of the educational activities attended
outside of the research experience itself; and
- Review and final approval by the director and associate director of
the Office of Student Research.
It is anticipated that approximately 15-20 students will opt for the
CPBR each year.
Students pursuing a full year of research have a number of potential sources
for funding. Most students seek to obtain extramural grants, including
the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellowship, the Doris
Duke Charitable Foundation Fellowship, the
Genentech Fellowship, the PACCTR
Fellowship and others. These
funds are used primarily as a stipend to cover living expenses for the
year. In some of these programs, additional funds are provided for payment
of various fees required by the school. For students who do not obtain
fellowships, other options include Quarterly
Research Grants from the Office of Student Research and financial
support provided directly by their mentor.
Students participating in the CPBR will be enrolled at UCSF at a level
that provides access to Central Student Services (e.g., Admission and
Registration, Student Financial Services) and direct services such as
membership in Millberry Union, access to the library, and Student Health
Services. In addition, enrollment will include coverage for health, liability
and disability insurance. Given the high priority by the School of Medicine
for fostering career development in academic medicine and biomedical research,
most (if not all, depending on the number of students) of the annual cost
for enrollment, which is expected to be approximately $6,800 in AY ’07-08,
will be provided for by the Office of Student Research.
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