The Ohio State University Research in Residency Physician Scientist Initiative

Ohio State University, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

Project Summary The Ohio State University (OSU) R38 StARR Program will leverage the large, collaborative and multidisciplinary research environment of Ohio State with the support of the College of Medicine (COM), Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME), and participating departments to provide 24 months of research training in immune-mediated disease, infectious disease and/or immunotherapeutics for select Resident- Investigators from the Departments of Medicine, Neurology, Pathology, Surgery, and Plastic Surgery. The R38 program will be embedded within the OSU COM Office of Physician Scientist Education and Training (PSET) that will facilitate Resident-Investigator interactions, vertical peer mentoring and networking with a full spectrum of physician scientists ranging from undergraduate trainees, MSTP students to early career physician scientist faculty. The R38 program will benefit from an experienced leadership team engaged in national efforts to fortify the physician scientist and surgeon scientist pipelines. The diversity driven recruitment strategy, curricular design, ample NIH-funded faculty mentor pool and resources build upon OSU strengths while leveraging opportunities for trainee networking with the successful Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) in the Department of Internal Medicine (DOIM) and Department of Surgery’s Research Training Program (RTP). The R38 program will spearhead the recruitment of exceptional residents to engage in research training and entice and prepare them through tailored education, career development and culturally sensitive mentorship to pursue physician scientist careers. The R38 program will offer two tracks: Track 1 for residents without advanced research experience (categorical, undifferentiated “Late Bloomer” residents) and Track 2 for categorical residents with advanced scientific backgrounds (including MD, MD/MS, MD/MPH, MD PhDs). Track 1 Resident-Investigators will pursue mentored research and earn a COM Masters of Medical Science (MMS) degree that has a well established core curriculum (research design, biostatistics, research ethics and grant writing) and tracks for basic/translational, clinical and health services research. Track 2 Resident-Investigators will have individualized curricular plans including required Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Research Rigor coursework and selected optional coursework to enhance knowledge, skills or abilities in immunology, host defense, immunotherapeutics, biomedical informatics, clinical trial research, pharmacogenomics, computational biology, health services research. Resident-Investigators will participate in a monthly OSU-StARR physician scientist career development seminar series consisting of faculty led discussions on career topics and select workshops to enhance skills in science communication (oral and written), mentoring, utilization of search tools, databases, etc. The OSU-StARR training opportunities for less experienced as well as more experienced Resident-Investigators will create a rich environment and diverse community for physician scientist career development that is centralized in the COM.