A clinician-scientist, or more commonly referred to as a "physician-scientist" in the US, is a person who has a clinical degree, most often an MD degree or equivalent, and who devotes a considerable amount of his/her time to research. Clinician-scientists may or may not have an additional degree, such as Master's or PhD degree. Clinician-scientists function in various settings, with many of them in academia but also many in the private sector including the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, and financial community. The clinician-scientist "phenotype" incorporates clinical care, research, and education. It also incorporates and ethos of "bedside to bench" in a quest to take clinical problems and find solutions in academia and industry which can then be brought back to the care of patients. The clinician-scientist develops many core competencies and contributes to the healthcare system in many ways: evidence-based practice, critical thinking and professional development, interdisciplinary collaborations, innovation, new therapeutic approaches, direct application of research findings, attraction and education of innovators and future leaders, healthcare policy, and funding priorities. It is in the economic best interest of the healthcare system to invest in clinician-scientists who are instrumental in: new drug development, intellectual property, patents, licenses royalties, funding, partnerships, cost savings, attraction of patients and new faculty, spin-off companies and new jobs. Clinician-scientists are trained to uphold and advance ethical standards in the healthcare system. As an example, we will discuss the important ethical issues involved in the rapidly developing field of Xenotransplantation.
Despite the important roles of clinician scientists in a healthcare ecosystem that is rapidly expanding worldwide, many countries are having trouble with reduced interest in research among physicians and this group is often referred to as an "endangered species." The increase in the length of time to training, uncertain research funding and financial insecurity are some of many factors contributing to this growing crisis. To sustain a robust growing clinician-scientist community we have to provide opportunities and encouragement all along the educational path. We must provide: 1) more financial support during training; 2) mentorship; 3) diverse research opportunities; 4) work-life balance; 5) flexible curricula; 6) ability to sustain research interests during clinical training; 7) career development opportunities with financial security; 8) loan forgiveness. We will summarize examples of programs to encourage clinician-scientist development in Nephrology at various stages of their development and including a call for the world to take a lesson from the global nature of science to bring understanding and tolerance to our planet.
