Curricula, Teaching Methods, and Success Metrics of Clinician-Scientist Training Programs: A Scoping Review

Queenie K W Li; Krista Wollny; Marinka Twilt; Catharine M Walsh; Katherine Bright; Gina Dimitropoulos; Linda Pires; Lesley Pritchard; Susan Samuel; Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen

doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000004764

Curricula, Teaching Methods, and Success Metrics of Clinician-Scientist Training Programs: A Scoping Review

Acad Med. 2022 Sep 1;97(9):1403-1412. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000004764. Epub 2022 Jun 1.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Q.K.W. Li is a clinical research coordinator, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7318-1701 .
² K. Wollny is instructor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, and at the time of writing was a PhD candidate, Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, and trainee, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
³ M. Twilt is a pediatric rheumatologist and associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
⁴ C.M. Walsh is staff gastroenterologist, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, an educational researcher, SickKids Learning Institute, a scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), a cross-appointed scientist, Wilson Centre for Research in Education, and associate professor of paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3928-703X .
⁵ K. Bright is Health System Impact Postdoctoral Fellow, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Addictions and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services and Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
⁶ G. Dimitropoulos is a social worker and associate professor, Faculty of Social Work and Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9487-0290 .
⁷ L. Pires is research operations manager, Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁸ L. Pritchard is pediatric physical therapist and associate professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6684-376X .
⁹ S. Samuel is pediatric nephrologist and professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
¹⁰ L. Tomfohr-Madsen is a clinical psychologist and associate professor, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

PMID: 36098782
DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000004764

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the literature on clinician-scientist training programs to inform the development of contemporary and inclusive training models.

Method: The authors conducted a scoping review, searching the PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Embase databases from database inception until May 25, 2020. Studies presenting primary research that described and evaluated clinician-scientist training programs were identified for data abstraction. On the basis of deductive and inductive methods, information about program characteristics, curricula, teaching strategies, and success metrics was extracted. The extracted variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: From the initial 7,544 citations retrieved and 4,974 unique abstracts screened, 81 studies were included. Of the 81 included studies, 65 (80.2%) were published between 2011 and 2020, 54 (66.7%) were conducted in the United States, and 64 (79.0%) described programs that provided broad clinician-scientist training. Few programs provided funding or protected research time or specifically addressed needs of trainees from underrepresented minority groups. Curricula emphasized research methods and knowledge dissemination, whereas patient-oriented research competencies were not described. Most programs incorporated aspects of mentorship and used multiple teaching strategies, such as direct and interactive instruction. Extrinsic metrics of success (e.g., research output) were dominant in reported program outcomes compared with markers of intrinsic success (e.g., career fulfillment).

Conclusions: Although programs are providing clinician-scientists with practical skills training, opportunities exist for curricular and pedagogic optimization that may better support this complex career path. Training programs for clinician-scientists can address contemporary issues of wellness and equity by reconsidering metrics of program success and evolving the core tenets of their education models to include equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and patient-oriented research competencies.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Benchmarking
Biomedical Research* / education
Curriculum
Humans
Mentors
Physicians*
United States