Physicians who pursue research often play a key role in the discovery of new innovative approaches to diagnosing and treating patients. The Dean's Scholars initiative at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis aims to nurture the careers of such doctors so they can more easily treat patients while also pursuing laboratory-based biomedical research.
The initiative, established in 2020 by the Division of Physician-Scientists at the School of Medicine, provides budding physician-scientists with funding and mentorship for up to two years to foster the careers of such individuals while also sparking new possibilities in medical science. Their positions as clinicians and the corresponding time they spend performing patient care give them an avenue through which to identify pressing clinical questions. They can then turn toward laboratory-based research in search of answers, often resulting in improved care for patients.
The division recently announced its fifth class of Dean's Scholars. They are: David F. Butler, MD; R. Alex Harbison, MD; Carol M. Kao, MD; Dzmitry Matsiukevich, MD; and Joshua Siner, MD. The new scholars were chosen after a competitive application cycle.
