Intro to program
The ID/IMM StAAR program at Washington University seeks to address the national shortage of physician-scientists by supporting research training for resident physician. This program aims to Identify residents in eligible residency programs, Train these residents by providing them with experience, mentoring, and skills needed to launch a physician-scientist career, Retain early-stage physician-scientists and Integrate research with clinical training.
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Residents participating in the ID/IMM StARR Program will have 12-24 months of protected research time (80% research, 20% clinical), during which time the StARR program will cover 80% of the resident’s salary and support their research, travel, and other research-related activities. The timing of research participation may vary based on specialty but generally will start in PGY-3.
Two research tracks are available: basic-translational and clinical-translational. Each resident will choose one of these tracks. During their time as an R38 Scholar, residents will engage in mentored research training in the lab of a participating mentor, meet with a career advisory committee regularly, participate in tailored didactic training and scientific enrichment activities, and develop an individual development plan (IDP).
Eligibility
This training program is supported by an R38 grant from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It supports residents in the following programs performing Immunology- or Infectious Diseases-related research at Washington University: Dermatology, Medicine, Neurology, Pediatrics, or Pathology.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be a resident in a participating GME-approved residency training program at Washington University or a partner institution.
- Have the support of their residency program director
- Not already be in a PSTP program. Preference will be given to non-PhD trainees, though those with PhDs who are not in a PSTP program are still eligible to apply
- Be able to commit at least 80% protected time (free from clinical responsibilities) for 1-2 years of continuous research
- Be citizens or permanent residents of the United States – physicians on a temporary or student visas are not eligible
Application Instructions
The application has two parts:
Phase 1 – Consultation with R38 Directors
Residents interested in applying for the ID/IMM StARR Program should contact Lorraine Schwartz (lschwartz@wustl.edu) to schedule a consultation with a member of the program leadership. Program leadership will assist applicants in selecting a mentor and advisory committee and provide additional application advice. Consultations will happen between September 1 and November 1.
Phase 2 – Online Application
The application must be submitted online.
Components of the application include:
- Applicant CV or NIH biosketch
- An abstract outlining the proposed research (1pg max)
- A career statement including your career plans and how participation in the ID/IMM StARR program will advance your career as a physician-scientist (1pg max)
- A letter from the Residency Program Director indicating eligibility for the R38 program
- A letter of recommendation from your mentor
Timeline
Applications are due November 13, 2023, and we anticipate that R38 scholars will be named by the end of January, 2024.
We anticipate that most R38 scholars will begin their research time on or around July 1, 2024. Trainees who would like to start R38-supported research training before then are still encouraged to apply, and should indicate their desired timeline during the consultation period.