Aiming to encourage and inspire more physicians to develop careers that blend scientific research with patient care, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) has announced that Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will receive a prestigious, $2.5 million Physician-Scientist Institutional Award.
The award — of which only 10 have been given, five of them this year — is intended to help medical schools create novel programs that enhance the career development of physicians who also want to conduct basic research.
Physician-scientists are considered crucial to developing new therapeutics and approaches to diagnosing and treating disease. But their numbers are declining, with only 1.5% of U.S. physicians today conducting research. While many physician-scientists hold both an MD and a PhD, the new award is targeted to strengthening the research skills of those who have earned only an MD degree.
“Washington University School of Medicine has always been a leader in developing the careers of physician-scientists and has been home to some of the most influential physician-researchers in the history of medicine,” said David H. Perlmutter, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs, the George and Carol Bauer Dean of the School of Medicine, and the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor. “The Burroughs Wellcome Fund award recognizes this history and provides additional resources for us to expand and enhance that legacy.”