On November 12-13, 2015, AAIM convened a conference entitled “Re-examining the Physician Investigator Workforce: New and Evolving Areas of Research and Pathways to Success in Academic Institutions” and provided an opportunity for invited thought-leaders to discuss a series of critical topics which relate to the early identification of individuals with a potential for serious engagement in biomedical research and optimal mechanisms for developing the careers of these individuals.
Discussions focused primarily on the career development of MD and MD-PhD PIs across the full spectrum of biomedical investigation from basic laboratory, clinical, outcomes, and implementation science. In addition to a series of ten breakout sessions, the Conference included five plenary presentations on key topics as a way to “level set” goals/background knowledge and to focus discussion during the breakout sessions.
The end product of each breakout session is a series of recommendations targeted to the NIH and other funding agencies and to academic health leaders by which the PI workforce can be sustained and potentially expanded.