Here to stay: clinician investigator training in a changing environment

Clinician investigators (CI) are a growing sector within the research community. Given the emphasis on patient-oriented research, the need for more physicians with the aptitude to conduct translational research has never been greater. Despite this, there is limited literature on the current Canadian CI training programs. The Clinician Investigator Trainee Association of Canada (CITAC) has a significant interest in ensuring the training of clinician instigators, at both the undergraduate and residency levels, remains adept at meeting the challenges of today's health care system. In the August issue of Clinical Investigative Medicine, Appleton et al. published the first document reporting on the data collected by CITAC on the basic demographics of Canadian CI trainees [3]. The authors captured census data from each CI training program. This collaborative and national effort is a first and crucial step in understanding the strengths and potential pitfalls of Canadian CI training programs. The data presented will be used as a reference resource to improve training programs and facilitate future research.