Careers in Clinical Research: Obstacles and Opportunities

This book is a report prepared by the Committee on Addressing Career Paths for Clinical Research of the Institute of Medicine. It is the latest in a series of reports, analyses, and commentaries from several sources that stem from the perception of a sharp decline in interest by young physicians in seeking research training and in pursuing a career in clinical research. Concern began in 1979, when Wyngaarden described clinical investigators as an endangered species and reached a climax when in 1992 Ahrens choseThe Crisis in Clinical Researchas the title of his book. Characteristic of this type of report, there is an introductory executive summary, which condenses the report, makes a number of specific recommendations, and calls attention to other concerns for which it does not make recommendations. In many respects the executive summary is the heart of the report. The data portion follows. Its four sections, which