RVB Translational Medicine Book

Education and Research on Translational Medicine
at UMC Utrecht
Translational Medicine is a complex and
interdisciplinary field. Clinicians, researchers, patients,
and industry all need to be involved to ask research
questions that are clinically relevant and translate
research outcomes to tangible products at the bedside.
Translational scientists, who are either PhDs with an
interest in clinical research or clinician-scientists, need
to obtain a broad range of skills to navigate the
translational pathway. They need to learn how to work
effectively in interdisciplinary teams and communicate
with a broad range of stakeholders. Clinician-scientists
have a dual role, as they are trained in both research
and clinical practice, and can therefore play an
important role in further closing the gap between
research and clinical practice.
UMC Utrecht invests in educating the next generation
of translational scientists and in research to further
improve training and career pathways for translational
scientists. This is necessary, as becoming a successful
translational scientist or clinician-scientist is
challenging. The competitive funding system, the
pressure to publish, and the lack of training and career
pathways make this a challenge .
The educational strategy of UMC Utrecht shows that
educating translational professionals is of high
importance for UMC Utrecht. This is illustrated by its
focus on inter-professional education, strengthening
the connection with patients, improving patient
participation in education, and creating awareness of
the societal impact of research.
The Selective Utrecht Medical Master (SUMMA) is a
concrete example of this, as it focuses on the training
of clinician-scientists. The four-year SUMMA program is
for students with a Bachelor’s degree in biomedical or
life sciences, and combines a medical degree with a
degree in clinical science. After four years, SUMMA
graduates are prepared for a career that combines
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