Program seeks Council approval for renewal of an initiative entitled the “Pediatric Critical Care and Trauma Scientist Development Program (PCCTSDP)” which is a national training program to develop successful pediatric critical care and pediatric trauma physician scientists. The Program will facilitate the identification and training of early career scholars from across the country to conduct basic, translational and clinical research focused on the many knowledge gaps that exist in the understanding and treatment of critical illness and injury in children.
Since its inception, the Program has successfully trained 44 junior faculty from across the United States. Many of those trainees have subsequently been awarded federal funding for research. Despite these successes, and given the clinical and physical demands of critical care and trauma training, the paucity of established research mentors in these nascent fields, and the financial incentive of clinical practice, a national research training infrastructure such as the PCCTSDP is needed to level the playing field and to maintain a workforce of well-prepared physician scientists committed to pursuing independent research careers. Without the continued support of such a national Program, it is likely that only those individuals from the premier academic centers will be competitive for subsequent individual federal awards. Moreover, much of the vital synergy produced by this Program that has fueled research in pediatric critical and trauma care will be lost.
Thus, the overarching objective of the initiative is to identify, stimulate and train early career investigators to conduct research that will improve outcomes among critically ill and injured children by enhancing research capacity and infrastructure in the field on a national level.
This proposed concept aligns with the NICHD Vision areas of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease and the Conduct of Science.
This proposed concept aligns well with all the Pediatric Trauma and Critical Illness Branch research priorities, but most notably with the Care and Treatment of Trauma and Critical Illness for Pediatric Populations.
Program Contact
Robert Tamburro
Pediatric Trauma and Critical Illness Branch
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