• Introduction
• General Requirements
• Requirements Specific to the Basic Sciences Pathway
• Requirements Specific to the Clinical Sciences Pathway
• Application Procedures
• Completion
• Faculty Advisors
• Funding Resources

Introduction

The “Science of Medicine and the Physician-Investigator” concentration offers medical students the opportunity to explore the wide and far-reaching world of biomedical research, ranging from basic, laboratory-oriented research to the clinical sciences. In keeping with the overall philosophy of the medical school to emphasize leadership, scholarship and discovery in our education programs, the Science of Medicine and the Physician-Investigator AoC is meant to provide an individualized program of study which will enable students to:

• develop a deeper understanding of the scientific basis of medicine that goes beyond what is offered in the core curriculum,
• achieve a greater understanding of the process and methods of scientific discovery,
• gain further experience in communicating advances in biomedical research,
• appreciate the opportunities and challenges that exist in academic medicine, and
• recognize the way in which scientific discoveries can translate into major advances in the health of society.

As described in further detail below, students completing the Science of Medicine and the Physician-Investigator AoC also fulfill the requirements for graduating with the honor of “M.D. with Thesis.”

The spectrum of activities falling within the rubric “Science of Medicine” is meant to be quite broad. This includes:

• the fundamental sciences such as biophysics, cell biology and bioinformatics
• translational, human-oriented research such as human genetics, imaging and immunotherapy
• epidemiologic or behavioral research such as clinical trials of therapeutic interventions, environmental studies, or social science research.

In all cases, the emphasis is on delineating the limits of what we do and do not understand about a particular problem in medicine, proposing hypotheses based on existing knowledge, and designing scientific approaches to rigorously test these hypotheses.

The AoC program is designed to accommodate students who have no prior experience in research as well as those with extensive research backgrounds. An extraordinarily diverse array of research opportunities exist at UCSF, and many faculty are dedicated to helping students learn more about the process of scientific investigation and to convey the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are required for this aspect of the practice of medicine. Thus, students are encouraged to seek out the area of biomedical research they find most exciting and promising, and to work with faculty who they feel will provide the best educational experience. The only prerequisites are a sincere interest in learning about research and a serious commitment to fulfilling all the components of the AoC course of study.

Given a number of differences between the type of training and methodology in laboratory-oriented research and the clinical science, the Science of Medicine and the Physician-Investigator AoC offers two pathways from which to choose:

• Basic Sciences Pathway
• Clinical Sciences Pathway

Both the training requirements and timeline for these two pathways differ as described below.

Students may enter into either pathway of the Science of Medicine and the Physician-Investigator AoC at any time prior to the final year of medical school. Regardless of the entry point into the program, students are encouraged to devise a schedule that will allow for a sustained, full-time effort in research. At a minimum, this should be 3-4 months. However, as anyone involved in scientific investigation knows, research, especially research that is novel and creative, is characterized by the unexpected and the unpredictable, and it requires hard work, persistence and patience. Thus, students pursuing this AoC should carefully consider the merits of a five-year course of study during medical school that includes 9-12 months of full-time research. As noted elsewhere in information describing the UCSF School of Medicine M.D. program, there are many programs and resources available to enable students to develop a five-year plan in a way that results in little, if any, additional financial burden.

General Requirements

Similar to other topic areas in the AoC program, students declaring the Science of Medicine and the Physician-Investigator AoC fulfill requirements in three main areas:

1. Preparatory Studies
2. Research Experience
3. Legacy

Preparatory Studies
The Preparatory Studies component is quite different for the Basic Sciences and Clinical Sciences Pathways as described below.

Research Experience
The Research Experience component must meet the requirements of the M.D. with Thesis program. With guidance from a faculty sponsor, students must devise a research project that addresses an interesting and important question, utilizes rigorous methods of data collection and analysis, and provides an opportunity to work in a high quality research environment. The research plan is presented to the M.D. with Thesis Committee by no later than the spring before the final year of medical school, where it is reviewed and considered for approval (Students with proposals not initially meeting the standards of the M.D. with Thesis program will receive feedback on how to improve their plan and will be encouraged to reapply). Once the research plan is approved, the student will be assigned a three-person thesis committee (comprised of the student’s research sponsor, a member of the M.D. with Thesis Committee, and another faculty member who has expertise in the proposed research) which will be responsible for keeping track of the progress of the student, providing guidance as needed, and reading and approving the thesis itself.

In most cases it is expected that the student’s research will be carried out under the direct supervision of a UCSF faculty member. However, some students may prefer to pursue projects at other institutions. This option will only be considered for students who wish to spend a full year devoted to a research project (i.e., are committed to a 5 year medical school program). There should be a compelling reason to undertake research away from UCSF. A clearly defined project under the supervision of an accomplished investigator is mandatory, and the student and the prospective mentor are required to identify a member of the UCSF faculty who will act as a liaison.

Legacy
The Legacy component of the AoC is meant to insure that students take the opportunity to carefully review the results of their research experience, interpret the potential meaning of the results in the context of current scientific knowledge, and convey this thinking to others. This is accomplished in the form of a thesis, as defined in the requirements of the M.D. with Thesis program. Students are also strongly encouraged to write a manuscript describing their research that is submitted for publication. Typically, the writing if the thesis provides the framework for writing the manuscript, or vice versa.

Further details regarding the M.D. with Thesis program can be found at the M.D. with Thesis website.

Requirements Specific to the Basic Sciences Pathway

Preparatory Studies
The Preparatory Studies component in the Basic Sciences Pathway aims to help students learn more about the general approaches of basic science, analyze and critique scientific publications, and delve into at least one topical area in detail. To satisfy the requirements, students must devote a minimum of 50 hours to a combination of formal coursework, journal clubs, and didactic seminars highlighting advances in laboratory-based or translational research and career paths in biomedical research. Options for Preparatory Studies in the Basic Science Pathway include the following:

1. Attendance in the “Pathways of Discovery” Lecture Series, a series of monthly lectures organized by medical students in which physician-scientists describe their scientific work and the manner in which their careers developed. (Approx. 15 hours available per year)
2. Participation in the Medical Student Journal Club held at noon most Wednesdays during the academic year, during which students present and analyze current articles from the scientific literature. (Approx. 25 hours available per year)
3. Enrollment in elective courses designed specifically for this AoC, such as the spring elective entitled “Foundations of Scientific Inquiry” (Physiology 198).
4. Enrollment in graduate level courses that concentrate on specific areas of biomedical science. These may be taken at UCSF, UC Berkeley, or similar institutions.
5. Independent study of an area of biomedical research under the direction of a UCSF faculty member and qualifying for academic credit.

Students are expected to devote time to both the more informal learning opportunities (i.e. options #1 and 2 above) and formal coursework (options #3-5).

Research Experience
There are no restrictions as to when this work is done, other than the need to devise the research plan and obtain approval from the M.D. with Thesis Committee before commencing with the research experience itself.

Legacy
As described above under General Requirements.

Requirements Specific to the Clinical Sciences Pathway

Students electing the Clinical Sciences Pathway will follow a course of study that begins with general planning for the research topic in the middle of the 3rd year (or middle of 4th year in a 5-year plan) followed by a period beginning in August that includes an intensive, full-time course on clinical research followed by the research experience.

• Winter/Spring Quarter: Work with AoC Coordinator and potential faculty mentor to identify area of interest, develop a research question, and identify a feasible project and source of data.
• Spring Quarter: Submit a proposal for the M.D. with Thesis Program, receive approval and assignment of thesis committee.
• August: Take “Introduction to Clinical Research” course, which typically meets two days a week for the entire month.

For more information, please contact Dr. Tom Novotny.

Research Experience
The research experience may begin immediately after the “Introduction to Clinical Research” course, although students may start anytime as long as they have devised the research plan and obtained approval from the M.D. with Thesis Committee before commencing with the research experience itself.
Please note that virtually all projects conducted within the Clinical Sciences Pathway will require approval by the UCSF Committee on Human Research before any data collection efforts are undertaken.

Legacy
As described above under General Requirements.

Application Procedures

The first step in getting involved in the AoC is to log onto iROCKET, go to the "Areas of Concentration" course, and fill out the Interest Form the AoC that interests you.

Students must complete a preliminary proposal that specifies the student's AoC advisor(s), and includes information on background, plans for Preparatory Studies, and a general timeline. Students do not need to designate a specific area of research or have details on the planned research experience at the time of the initial application, since it is expected that many students will use Preparatory Studies to explore their potential interests.

The preliminary proposal will be reviewed in a timely manner by the Steering Committee of the Science of Medicine and the Physician-Investigator AoC. Students should be prepared to undertake modifications of their proposals based on the committee’s review.

Completion

Students are required to complete their research project and submit their thesis to the M.D. with Thesis Committee by February of the year of graduation, and submit a brief AoC summary (or AoC summary ) to the Student Research Office by no later than 3 months before their planned date for graduation from medical school.

Faculty Advisors

Dan Lowenstein
Lowenstein@medsch.ucsf.edu

Catherine Lomen-Hoerth
Catherine.Lomen-Hoerth@ucsf.edu

Basic Sciences

Abul Abbas
abul.abbas@ucsf.edu

Igor Mitrovic
mitrov@phy.ucsf.edu

Kevin Shannon
shannonk@peds.ucsf.edu

Clinical Sciences

Mary Croughan
Mary.Croughan@ucsfmedctr.org

George Sawaya
sawayag@obgyn.ucsf.edu

Student Advisors

Funding Resources

A wide range of funding opportunities exist for the support of student research. These are described in detail at the Office of Student Research website .