Physician-scientists: a dying breed?☆

Abstract

In this fast paced world of technology and innovation, there is an immense and ongoing need to conduct clinical research. Who better to do it than Physician-Scientists, a highly select group of doctors who straddle both research and patient care. Unfortunately, there are fewer of these doctors today than there were 25 years ago. Wall Street Journal writer Sharon Begley explores the reasons why.

—The Editors

a 200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281-1003, USA

Sharon Begley, Science columnist, The Wall Street Journal, 200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281-1003, USA

☆ Practical, financial, and ideological barriers to clinical research abound

Retention of physician-scientists, not recruiting them, is the problem

Patient research is much more difficult than laboratory research

The dearth of researchers qualified to do patient research means that few discoveries turn into treatments, cures, or preventions

Steps are needed to enable advances in biomedical research to be transformed into health care advances

PII: S1546-2501(04)00103-3

doi:10.1016/j.sram.2004.04.002

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