Training in Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders: From Animal Models to Patients

Project Summary This application is for renewal of grant 5T32MH018870, “Training in Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders: From Animal Models to Patients”, that has been funded since 1988. The goal is to train postdoctoral (MD, MD/PhD, and PhD) fellows for careers as independent researchers. Achievement of our goal is measured by how many fellows continue in a research-intensive trajectory whether supported by a K award or other sources of funding. During an intensive three-year program, fellows learn to identify key research questions, formulate hypotheses, and design and execute experiments that test those hypotheses. Other skills required for a fellow to become an independent researcher include understanding the administration of a successful research enterprise, effective collaboration and writing grants. Comprehensive training in the Responsible Conduct of Research begins early in the fellowship. A fellow must maintain the highest standards of scientific integrity and understand the ethical issues relevant to human and animal research. The success of the training program is reflected in both the accomplishments of the trainees and in the diversity of the fellows. In the past 15 years, 42 fellows have been selected to enter the training program; 33% female, 10% minorities, 33% MDs, 29% MD/PhDs and 38% PhDs, with 29% from the Columbia Psychiatric Residency program and 71% from outside. Over the past 10 years, due to our enhanced minority recruitment efforts and the impact of the Levy Fellowship on our ability to recruit trainees, we have recruited 15% minorities and 38% of non-white and/or non-European descent, and the fraction recruited from the Columbia residency has climbed to 42%. Furthermore, our fraction of MD/PhDs has increased to 31% over the past 10 years. The graduation rate of the fellowship is 97% over the last 15 years (31/32); the one fellow who did not graduate left after 1 year of research on the translation of research findings into mental health policy and practice to pursue a clinical administration position in the New York Office of Mental Health implementing his research, which we also consider a success. Of these graduates, 94% have remained in research, with 70% in research-intensive positions and 24% in research-related positions. Of the 31 fellows who have graduated the program in the last 15 years, 69% have been awarded K awards. Of those who graduated more than 5 years ago, 62% have received R-level funding from the NIH, 72% have received major federal funding (NIH or Department of Defense), and 95% have received one or more research grants of some kind (including foundation support). Currently, there are 8 fellows: 2 third-year, 2 second-year, and 4 in the first year of training; one fellow has been accepted to begin in July 2019.