Letter from the Director
As summer is upon us, the Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education (OCRTME) is happily welcoming Summer Interns and Clinical Fellows and honorably bidding adieu to the Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP). Throughout its successful 15 years, 340 students representing 87 medical and dental schools have matriculated through this program. The new Medical Research Scholars Program, beginning in September, will combine elements from CRTP and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-NIH Research Scholars program. In addition, over the past few months, OCRTME staff members have attended several conferences providing information about the various opportunities OCRTME offers. Please take a moment to read our newsletter and share with us the exciting updates about happenings of the spring as well as future events in the summer.
Yours,
Frederick P. Ognibene, MD, FCCM, FACP
Deputy Director, Educational Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, NIH Clinical Center (CC)
Director, Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education, CC
National Institutes of Health
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Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP) Fellows Wrap Up Their Year
 The spring has always been an extremely busy period for the CRTP fellows as well as the staff. It is typically the time of the year when most of the fellows are trying to finish as much of their research as possible prior to ending their fellowship while preparing to go back to medical/dental school later this summer. Two of the 2011-2012 CRTP fellows have decided to stay at the NIH for a second year to continue conducting research with their NIH mentors.
The CRTP fellows also presented their research findings to the NIH community during the annual NIH Spring Research Festival and the CRTP Scientific Presentations. These activities allow the fellows to summarize what they have been working on over the course of the year and have always provided the CRTP fellows with a sense of true accomplishment.
Benjamin Cherry, a 2011-2012 CRTP Fellow who attends Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, said he is ready to return to his university with the new skills acquired during his fellowship. "The CRTP has helped me build my research skill set and hone my scientific process. More than that, it's given me first-hand experience in gathering the data, drafting the protocol, and procuring the resources necessary to conduct a clinical trial. It has been excellent preparation for my career as an academic physician," said Cherry.
To view photos from this year's NIH Research Festival poster presentations and other CRTP events, please visit the OCRTME Flickr page [disclaimer].
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NIH Medical Research Scholars Program First Class Announced
In May, the National Institutes of Health announced its first class of 45 medical, dental, and veterinary students representing 34 different U.S.-accredited universities for the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP). The inaugural class will take a year away from their home institution and come to the NIH beginning July 2012 to participate in this year-long enrichment program that was established to train the next generation of medical researchers and provide research opportunities in basic laboratory, clinical, and translational research for medical, dental, and veterinary students. Please be on the lookout for a feature article in the next newsletter.
The MRSP blends the elements of two former, highly successful programs — the NIH Clinical Research Training Program and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-NIH Research Scholars Program. It is co-sponsored by the NIH and other partners via contributions to the Foundation for the NIH.
For a complete list of the 45 scholars and their schools, please visit the following link: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2012/cc-08.htm.
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Clinical Center Tour: Group of Emergency Physicians Visit CC
 Members of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) visited the Clinical Center in May to learn more about NIH, the clinical research hospital, and the Clinical Center's clinical research training opportunities.
The CC Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education hosted the group on May 23, 2012. The visitors met with Dr. Frederick P. Ognibene, CC deputy director for educational affairs and strategic partnerships, to discuss to discuss future directions in clinical and translational research and opportunities for partnerships in emergency medicine research.
The group also met with other NIH staff to discuss training and funding opportunities available to emergency medicine researchers. Dr. Charles Dearolf, NIH assistant director for intramural research, presented on the Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program for early career investigators. Dr. Jane Scott, director of research training and career development, NHLBI Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, also presented about K-Awards and T-32 Awards available for emergency medicine research.
This was ACEP's second visit to the CC. The annual visit was initiated last year by former ACEP president Dr. Sandra Schneider, who also recently completed the Sabbatical in Clinical Research Management at the NIH Clinical Center.
For more information on the training opportunities offered at the CC, including the sabbatical program, visit http://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/training/index.html.
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Clinical Fellows, Summer Interns Prepare to Arrive at the NIH
Summer Internship Program: The 2012 NIH Clinical Center Summer Interns started their program on Monday, June 18, 2012. In addition to their research projects, they will also attend a six-lecture series; the first lecture and welcome reception took place on Wednesday, June 27, 2012.
Graduate Medical Education: New Clinical Fellows Orientation took place on Monday, July 9, 2012. Clinical Fellows Grand Rounds will be held each Wednesday in August, starting on August 1, 2012. This is a component of the Clinical Center Grand Rounds.
Stay up-to-date on other Clinical Center's training and education news and events by visiting our Current Events page.
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Training On-Demand: Reframing Informed Consent
On May 9, 2012 the Clinical Center's Grand Rounds Series was part of the NIH Nurse's Week festivities and featured lectures given by three key individuals in the nursing field today. The topic was "Reframing Informed Consent: Understanding How Research Participants Make Decisions." This topic was discussed in detail by Dr. Gwenyth Wallen (NIH, CC), Dr. Christine Grady (NIH, CC), and Dr. Connie Ulrich (University of Pennsylvania).
To watch the lecture on-demand, please visit the following link: http://videocast.nih.gov/launch.asp?17253.
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