A Career in Clinical Research

1
A Career in Clinical Research?

• There are unprecedented opportunities for you to
  engage in clinical research that will contribute
  to better diagnosis and treatment of disease
• Medical schools want to hire clinical researchers
• The NIH and other agencies want to support
  development and the research programs of clinical
  researchers
• This offers you exciting and rewarding career
  opportunities as medical school faculty members
  combining research with teaching and clinical
  service is rewarding and fulfilling
• I will deal with some issues to consider when
  contemplating a career as a faculty member
  involved in clinical research

2
Faculty Tracks and the new Clinical
Investigator

• Most research-intensive medical schools have
  multiple faculty tracks, something like ours at
  UVa
• Clinician-Investigator tenure-eligible,
  significant protected time for research
• Clinician-Educator tenure-eligible at some
  schools, usually less protected time for
  research/scholarship
• Clinical Faculty not eligible for tenure,
  protected time (optional) specified in offer
  letter and job description and subject to
  negotiation
• Before you sign on How important is tenure to
  you? What is the tenure clock? What are the
  criteria for promotion (first?) and tenure
  (later?)? Can/should you begin on a
  tenure-ineligible track? Is it hard to switch
  later to a tenure-eligible track?

3
Beginning your Research Program

• Mentored Development Awards It is common for
  new clinical investigators to begin with this
  type of funding (e.g. K08 awards)
• Protect your time If your award covers 75 of
  your effort, insist on getting 75 nonclinical
  time, both in writing and in actuality
• Work with your research mentor to maximize the
  efficiency of your research productivity
• Plan for your independent research career
  initially your research will probably involve
  heavy collaboration with your research mentor(s).
  Eventually your research program will diverge
  from that of your mentor(s). Plan for the
  development of your own research program.