The Physician-Scientist Really is an Endangered Species

Despite a booming budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there is growing concern that the physician-scientist is a “vanishing species.” Data presented by former Yale dean Leon E. Rosenberg shows a dramatic decline in the number of first-time MD applicants for NIH research grants, projecting zero applicants by 2003 if trends continue. The article explores the reasons for this decline, including the relative success rates of MDs versus PhDs, a lack of interest from newly-minted MDs, and the history of this issue, and discusses potential legislative and NIH-led solutions to support and revitalize clinical research careers.