Washington, DC — A new initiative by the National Academy of Medicine aims to strengthen and sustain the physician-scientist workforce—an essential driver of biomedical innovation and a critical link between scientific discovery and patient care.
Physicians-scientists play a uniquely important role in translating research into improved health outcomes. Yet the number of working physicians who also maintain research careers is small and increasingly vulnerable, with many early- and mid-career professionals leaving research pathways due to financial pressures, unstable funding, and competing clinical demands.
“Without coordinated action, the continued erosion of the physician-scientist workforce threatens our nation’s ability to innovate and respond to emerging health challenges,” said Victor Dzau, NAM president. “This effort is about building a more sustainable, supportive system so these essential leaders can thrive.”
Building on longstanding efforts to support the biomedical workforce, the NAM initiative will convene leaders across academia, government, industry, and philanthropy to identify structural barriers and develop actionable strategies to strengthen career pathways for physician-scientists.
The initiative will focus initially on two critical and complementary priorities:
- Strengthening mentorship to improve career development, research productivity, and retention.
- Advancing sustainable financing to stabilize career pathways and reduce reliance on clinical revenue.
These areas were identified as key leverage points at an NAM workshop in collaboration with the American Junior Investigator Association in September 2025, which explored successful models for supporting physician research in the United States and around the world. A summary of the workshop, which was sponsored by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Lasker Foundation, and the American Society for Clinical Investigation, is now available.
With an initial focus on advancing mentorship and financing models, the initiative will produce a set of actionable deliverables designed to inform policy, guide institutional practice, and catalyze cross-sector collaboration, including:
- A national mentorship framework outlining standards and best practices, including a benchmarking analysis of mentorship programs across institutions and specialties
- A podcast series for trainees with advice on how to choose a residency, make time for research during residency, apply for awards, establish a public profile as a scientist, and more.
- Financing recommendations for federal agencies, including NIH, as well as industry partners
- A conceptual model for cross-sector collaboration, including opportunities for philanthropic and private-sector engagement
The initiative is actively seeking collaborators. To get involved, reach out to Melissa Laitner, Director of Special Initiatives, at [email protected].
Advisory Committee
Mentorship Working Group
- Eva Feldman (Chair), Russell N. DeJong Professor of Neurology, University of Michigan
- Daniel Amusin, President Elect, American Physician Scientists Association
- Michael DeBaun, Professor and JC Peterson Chair in Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Jessica Ding, President, American Physician Scientists Association
- Julie Freed, Senior Associate Dean, Medical College of Wisconsin
- Susan Furth, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- David Gutmann, Director of Neurofibromatosis Center, Washington University in St. Louis
- Rebecca Feldman Hamm, Assistant Professor, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
- Reshma Jagsi, Lawrence W. David Professor and Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine
- Nate Kupperman, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Children’s National Hospital
- Timothy Miller, David Clayson Professor of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis
- Evan Noch, Assistant Professor and Director of Physician-Scientist Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center
- Nina Schor, Chair Emerita, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
Financing Working Group
- Karen Antman (Co-Chair), John Sandson Distinguished Professor of Health Science and Dean Emeritus, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Alyssa Tilhou, Assistant Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Freddy Nguyen, Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Catalyst Scholars Program
- Avindra Nath, Senior Investigator, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- David Hafler, Edgerly Professor, Yale School of Medicine
- Claire Pomeroy, President & CEO, Lasker Foundation
- Ginny Bumgardner, Associate Dean, Physician Scientist Education and Training, Ohio State University College of Medicine and Wexner Medical Center
- Jennifer Kwan, Assistant Professor, Yale School of Medicine
- Rohini Guin, Past President, American Physician Scientists Association
- Walter Koroshetz, Senior Advisor, Dana Foundation
Media Inquiries: Molly Galvin ([email protected]).
