The NIH Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) charged a Working Group with analyzing the composition and size of the physician-scientist biomedical workforce (defined as individuals with MD, DO, DDS/DMD, DVM/VMD degrees and nurses with research doctoral degrees who devote the majority of their time to biomedical research), and with making recommendations for actions that should be taken to sustain and strengthen it. The Physician-Scientist Workforce Working Group (PSW-WG) had several meetings and produced a report in June 2014 that contained nine recommendations for action (http://acd.od.nih.gov/reports/PSW_Report_ACD_06042014.pdf). Recommendation 8, which is the focus of the RFI, stated:
NIH should intensify its efforts to increase diversity in the physician-scientist workforce. This Working Group recognized major deficiencies of the physician-scientist workforce with regard to diversity. The PSW-WG strongly endorses the previous recommendations of the preceding biomedical workforce Working Group and the Working Group on diversity, all of which should be extended to the physician-scientist workforce.
In response, an internal implementation group has determined that the most efficient way to address this recommendation is to identify unique trajectories, potential systematic or structural barriers and successful strategies to enhance the diversity of the PSW. Additionally, NIH is seeking comments on whether programs exist that provide clinicians with the necessary skill sets to perform high quality, high impact independent biomedical research, whether it is obtaining a dual degree or by an alternative pathway.
For more information, click here: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-16-027.html
Responses must be submitted electronically by Monday, December 28 at the following link: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/rfi/rfi.cfm?ID=52
