DDS Perspective: The Joy of Discovery and the Art of Mentoring

Juanita L. Merchant

doi:10.1007/s10620-022-07726-y

DDS Perspective: The Joy of Discovery and the Art of Mentoring

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	21-23
Number of pages	3
Journal	Digestive diseases and sciences
Volume	68
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-022-07726-y
State	Published - Jan 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physiology
Gastroenterology

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10.1007/s10620-022-07726-y

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@article{a0cb80b2dbc541cdb4700bfd24416e2f,

title = "DDS Perspective: The Joy of Discovery and the Art of Mentoring",

author = "Merchant, {Juanita L.}",

note = "Funding Information: As a senior faculty member at a major medical center, I have noticed that fewer physicians are considering a career in academia, whether focused on clinical or fundamental research, especially in gastroenterology. The number of physicians receiving R01 grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) comprises less than 20% of NIH grant applicants. Since physicians are trained in human pathophysiology, MD-driven research typically involves fundamental, translational, or clinical questions related to disease pathogenesis or clinical applications. To increase the academic gastroenterologic (GI) workforce requires two essential ingredients—passion for the pursuit of knowledge and multiple mentors and sponsors engaged at critical decision points in one{\textquoteright}s career. Medical residents and GI fellows need to cultivate their interest in pursuing fundamental knowledge. For most, the initial commitment to an academic career emerges from early positive exposure to the research enterprise, usually as an undergraduate or medical student, but sometimes as a high school student. The earlier the seed is planted, the better. However, since most MDs have multiple career options and have acquired significant debt to complete their degree, a “successful” academic career generally will require maintaining a delicate balancing act between meeting academic standards of generating new knowledge and juggling patient care and family commitments. This is particularly true for most women because they still bear most of the responsibility for child care. Without physicians who are “bilingual” in research and its clinical application, I strongly believe that it is impossible for basic science discoveries to translate into clinical practice. Unfortunately, we as a nation continue to struggle with how to stop the continual departure of US-based physician–scientists. Therefore, the focus of my perspective article is to provide advice to mentees and to mentors with the hope of encouraging more trainees to choose this career path and also to engage more mentors in supporting the next generation of physician–scientists. ",

year = "2023",

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doi = "10.1007/s10620-022-07726-y",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "68",

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journal = "Digestive diseases and sciences",

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TY - JOUR

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T2 - The Joy of Discovery and the Art of Mentoring

AU - Merchant, Juanita L.

N1 - Funding Information: As a senior faculty member at a major medical center, I have noticed that fewer physicians are considering a career in academia, whether focused on clinical or fundamental research, especially in gastroenterology. The number of physicians receiving R01 grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) comprises less than 20% of NIH grant applicants. Since physicians are trained in human pathophysiology, MD-driven research typically involves fundamental, translational, or clinical questions related to disease pathogenesis or clinical applications. To increase the academic gastroenterologic (GI) workforce requires two essential ingredients—passion for the pursuit of knowledge and multiple mentors and sponsors engaged at critical decision points in one’s career. Medical residents and GI fellows need to cultivate their interest in pursuing fundamental knowledge. For most, the initial commitment to an academic career emerges from early positive exposure to the research enterprise, usually as an undergraduate or medical student, but sometimes as a high school student. The earlier the seed is planted, the better. However, since most MDs have multiple career options and have acquired significant debt to complete their degree, a “successful” academic career generally will require maintaining a delicate balancing act between meeting academic standards of generating new knowledge and juggling patient care and family commitments. This is particularly true for most women because they still bear most of the responsibility for child care. Without physicians who are “bilingual” in research and its clinical application, I strongly believe that it is impossible for basic science discoveries to translate into clinical practice. Unfortunately, we as a nation continue to struggle with how to stop the continual departure of US-based physician–scientists. Therefore, the focus of my perspective article is to provide advice to mentees and to mentors with the hope of encouraging more trainees to choose this career path and also to engage more mentors in supporting the next generation of physician–scientists.

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DDS Perspective: The Joy of Discovery and the Art of Mentoring

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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