PURPOSE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SCIENTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The immediate objectives of the Reproductive Scientist Development Program are:

1. to increase the awareness and attractiveness of a career in investigative obstetrics and gynecology;
2. to facilitate the research career development of obstetricians-gynecologists in approaches and techniques of contemporary biology; and
3. to foster the productivity of scholars by guaranteeing their placement as faculty members in medical school departments.

These objectives lead to the overall goals:

1. to strengthen the field of obstetrics and gynecology for all those professionals involved, whether their own emphasis is on patient care or research
2. to improve health knowledge and care for all women

This is a competitive renewal application for continued support of a postdoctoral research career development program for obstetrician-gynecologists. It is sponsored jointly by the NIH/NICHD, four professional organizations, and three pharmaceutical corporations. The objective of this program is to educate obstetrician-gynecologists in basic science research and to help prepare them for careers in academic medicine. This goal is to help ensure that academic obstetrics and gynecology fulfills its mission to increase research and understanding in the reproductive sciences. Ph.D. and M.D. scientists with broad-based research experience will serve as the core faculty.

This Program is administered by an ad hoc Executive Committee consisting of academic faculty and appointees from the following organizations: the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Fertility Society, the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society, the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Berlex Foundation, Ethicon, Inc., and GynoPharma, Inc., in conjunction with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

A unique feature of this Program is that outstanding individuals, upon completion of their residency, and usually two years of clinical sub specialty fellowship, spend two years in basic research training in cell and/or molecular biology (Phase I), and an additional three-year period establishing their research program in a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Phase II). The laboratory, identified as providing an outstanding environment for basic research training,is selected by the candidate with advice and approval of the Executive Committee. During Phase I of the Program, the awardees devote themselves to full time research. Following this two years of basic science research, the awardee spends three years as a junior faculty member in a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology with at least 75% time free for research under an identified preceptor. This Phase II period is funded by the sponsoring department. Upon the completion of this program, the candidate is expected to enter a productive investigative career, and to continue to devote a majority of his/her time to research. In such a position one should be competitive for starter research grants. This Program may serve as a model to educate increased numbers of reproductive scientists for academic medicine and Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The CIR-LRP will pay up to $35,000 of the principal and interest of such individual's educational loans for each year of obligated service. In addition to the loan repayments, the CIR-LRP will pay participants an amount equal to 39 percent of the total amount of the loan repayments made for the taxable year in order to provide reimbursement for tax liability caused by the Program's loan repayments. The purpose of the CIR-LRP is the recruitment and retention of highly qualified health professionals conducting contraception and/or infertility research.