title: Canadian demand for highly qualified personnel for therapeutic evaluation: an opportunity for academic institutions.
abstract: Achievement of optimal therapeutics requires individuals with analytic skills appropriate to the balancing of enterprise, innovation and the need for rigorous scientific validation. A synergistic convergence of discovery research, clinical investigation, evaluative, regulatory and implementation sciences will be essential. None of the needed research capacities are likely to prove obtainable on demand. On the contrary, they require accurate projection of future needs and careful planning of post-secondary training programs. A survey conducted for Health Canada in 2010 revealed significant shortfalls in research skills available outside government and industry. This commentary argues that such an environment represents an outstanding opportunity for the academic community to demonstrate that it is eager to meet the needs of the Canadian public. University leaders should be assertive about their commitment to the ideals of patient oriented research and all governments should be clear about deliverables anticipated in return for consistent post-secondary funding.
authors.forename: Stuart M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Soon
authors.forename: Sunaina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Matthew O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Wiens
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D002170:Canada; D003479:Curriculum; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D004517:Education, Professional / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education* / Q000600:supply & distribution* / Q000639:trends; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D014495:Universities