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Clinician-scientists are particularly well positioned to bring basic science findings to the patient’s bedside; the ultimate objective of basic research in the health sciences. Concerns have recently been raised about the decreasing workforce of clinician-scientists in both the United States of America and in Canada; however, little is known about clinician-scientists elsewhere around the globe. The purpose of this article is two-fold: 1) to feature clinician-scientist training in Germany; and 2) to provide a comparison with the Canadian system. In a question/answer interview, Rory E. Morty, director of a leading clinician-scientist training program in Germany, and Katrin Milger, a physician and graduate from that program, draw a picture of clinician-scientist training and career opportunities in Germany, outlining the place of clinician-scientists in the German medical system, the advantages and drawbacks of this training, and government initiatives to promote training and career development of clinician-scientists. The interview is followed by a discussion comparing the German and Canadian clinician-scientist development programs, focusing on barriers to trainee recruitment and career progress, and efforts to eliminate the barriers encountered along this very demanding but also very rewarding career path.

Du 21 au 23 septembre 2009 a eu lieu à Ottawa le congrès annuel de l’Association des cliniciens-chercheurs en formation du Canada – Clinical Investigator Trainee Association of Canada (ACCFC-CITAC) et de la Société canadienne de recherche clinique (SCRC). Parmi les participants se trouvaient des cliniciens-chercheurs et des étudiants en provenance des quatre coins du pays. Cette conférence mettait à l’avant-plan des invités de marque, dont le récipiendaire actuel du Prix international de la recherche en santé Henry G. Friesen, Sir John Bell. Plusieurs tables rondes entourant le développement professionnel s’y tenaient, avec des sujets tels que « le support des cliniciens-chercheurs canadiens », « le succès des cliniciens-chercheurs » et « la collaboration internationale des MD+ en formation », tout en donnant l’opportunité d’établir des liens avec des mentors et collaborateurs potentiels. De plus, le congrès annuel de l’ACCFC-CITAC mettait en vedette plusieurs recherches impliquant des MD+ en formation à travers tout le Canada, dans le cadre de la séance de présentation par affiches du Forum des jeunes chercheurs ou lors de la séance plénière. Ce survol vise à mettre en évidence certaines des recherches présentées par les chercheurs en formation lors de la conférence annuelle, autant sur le plan de la recherche fondamentale que de la recherche clinique. Dans cet article, nous résumons les principales questions de recherche abordées par ces cliniciens-chercheurs en formation dans les disciplines suivantes : neurosciences, biologie cellulaire, médecine, immunologie, obstétrique, gynécologie, néonatalogie, orthopédie, rhumatologie et santé publique.

From September 21st-23rd 2009, the Clinical Investigator Trainee Association of Canada – Association des cliniciens-chercheurs en formation du Canada (CITAC-ACCFC) and the Canadian Society for Clinician Investigators (CSCI), held their annual conference in Ottawa. Participants included clinician investigators and trainees from across the country. The conference featured many excellent guest speakers including this year’s recipient of the Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research, Sir John Bell. There were several forums focusing on professional development, with topics such as “sustaining the clinician investigator in Canada”, “succeeding as a clinician investigator”, and “collaborating internationally with MD+ trainees”, alongside networking opportunities to help establish relationships with potential mentors and collaborators. Further, the CSCI-CITAC annual conference featured some of the cutting edge research that MD+ trainees throughout Canada are engaged in. Trainees presented their research either at the Young Investigators Forum poster session or at the oral plenary. This scientific overview aims to highlight some of the research presented by trainees at the annual conference. The broad themes of scientific interest included topics from both basic science and clinical research. In this article, we summarize some of the major research questions that are being investigated by clinician-investigator trainees in the following areas: neurological sciences, cell biology, medicine, immunology, obstetrics, gynecology, neonatology, orthopedics, rheumatology, and public health.

Background : This study aimed to implement low-frequency forced oscillation technique (LFFOT) in neonatal total liquid ventilation (TLV) and to provide the first insight into respiratory impedance under this new modality of ventilation. Method. Thirteen newborn lambs weighing 2.5 « 0.4 kg (mean « SD) were premedicated, intubated, anesthetized, and then placed under TLV using a specially-design liquid ventilator and a perfluorocarbon. The respiratory mechanics measurements protocol was started immediately after TLV initiation. Three blocks of measurements were first performed: one during initial respiratory system adaptation to TLV, followed by two others series during steady state conditions. Lambs were then divided into two groups prior to undergoing another three blocks of measurements: the first group received a 10-min i v infusion of salbutamol (1.5 [micro]g/kg/min) after continuous infusion of methacholine (9 [micro]g/kg/min) while the second group of lambs were chest-strapped. Respiratory impedance was measured using serial single-frequency tests at frequencies ranging between 0.05-2 Hz and then fitted with a constant-phase model. 0.2 Hz harmonic test signals were also launched every ten minutes throughout the measurement protocol. Results. Airway resistance and inertance were starkly increased in TLV compared to gas ventilation with a resonant frequency [less than or equal to] 1.2 Hz. 0.2 Hz resistance and reactance were sensitive to bronchoconstriction and dilation as well as during compliance reduction. Conclusions. We report successful implementation of LFFOT to neonatal total liquid ventilation and present the first insight into respiratory impedance under this new modality of ventilation. We show that LFFOT is an effective tool to track respiratory mechanics under TLV.