Elective in Biotechnology
The Elective in Biotechnology at Brown Medical School is the first program of its kind in the country. It was created in recognition of the increasingly important role of biotechnology in medicine. It allows students to rotate through any of three experiences. The three sites, Biogen Idec, Boston Scientific, and CombinatoRx offer diverse experiences. At Biogen Idec, students are taught the mechanics of drug development through a succession of nine modules. At Boston Scientific, students work primarily independently (in Providence) researching emerging technologies. The students discuss their work at weekly meetings with the company’s Chief Scientific Officer. At CombinatoRx, students work with the Chief Medical Officer to help the company with the clinical evaluation of its combination therapeutics. These three experiences are distinct and a student may take more than one. They are described in detail through the links below. Students have different motivations for choosing to participate in the Elective in Biotechnology. Some are students who will enter clinical practice, but who desire a more complete understanding of the origin of the medicines they are prescribing. As part of a liberal medical education, they feel that a grasp of therapeutic development helps to round out their understanding of medicine. Other students are interested in participating in the process by which science is translated into medicine. Others are attracted to biotechnology because of the way in which it allows them to help many patients at the same time. Finally, a small percentage of students look at the elective as an introduction to other careers for M.D.s outside of the traditional role of practitioner. Because of its groundbreaking nature, the Elective
in Biotechnology has received attention in the press. The links below
will take you to some of the stories that have been written about the
elective.
Linda
Bozzario, Brown Medical Students, Clerkship Coordinator |
