Internal Medicine Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP)
About the Program
The Internal Medicine sponsored Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) is a modified training track that allows young physician-scientists to take a short-track option for post-residency scientific training at UT Southwestern. PSTP participants have the option of starting a fellowship after two years of Internal Medicine training.
They are exposed to highly individualized mentorship, have the opportunity to train in the research laboratories of our internationally renowned faculty, and are eligible for up to four years of augmented salary support during the years of their fellowship training. All fellowship programs within the Department of Internal Medicine participate in this program and support it enthusiastically.
Program Goals
The goal of the PSTP program is to provide a formal mechanism to facilitate and support the development of physician scientists who wish to pursue a career in academic medicine.
Eligibility
Applicants who are eligible include trainees with both MD and PhD degrees. MDs with a Master's degree and/or other substantial research experience will also be considered. A letter from the applicant's PhD mentor or research mentor is required.
Application Process
The Internal Medicine Residency Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center strongly supports the match and offers positions to physician-scientist applicants only through the match. Applicants should apply to the categorical program. Please note that there is not a separate ERAS program number for the physician-scientist track. All applications must come through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
If offered a PSTP appointment, acceptance into the Residency Program assures the applicant a position in the fellowship of his/her choice at UT Southwestern Medical Center for the PGY-3 year. Those applicants who wish to apply for the PSTP program at UT Southwestern Medical Center should do so by emailing the program director (jay.horton@utsouthwestern.edu) prior to scheduling the residency interview.
Financial Support
Salaries during the clinical years of Internal Medicine training will be commensurate with the current salary scale offered for the traditional categorical residents. Additionally, during clinical training (years 1 and 2 of residency) trainees will receive an additional $3,000/year for purchasing books, a computer, or to attend a scientific meeting. During the fellowship training, the usual fellowship salaries will be supplemented by $10,000/year stipend for the duration of the fellowship training (a maximum of four years).
Faculty
The faculty at UT Southwestern Medical Center is among the most distinguished in the world. UT Southwestern Medical Center is home to five Nobel Laureates, three of whom are MD/PhDs, 19 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 20 members of the Institute of Medicine, 13 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators, three members of the Royal Society of Great Britain and numerous members of prominent national science policy panels. Currently, there are more than 700 students earning their PhD degrees, including 95 MD/PhD students.
Mentoring
Each resident entering the PSTP will be assigned a physician-scientist mentor at the beginning of the residency. The trainee and mentor will meet regularly during the first year to assist with choices about subsequent research training and appropriate mentors for the research training. The trainees are encouraged to choose a subspecialty during the spring of their first year. Once a subspecialty training program is chosen, a new mentor from that subspecialty will be provided if it differs from that of their initial mentor.
This mentor will then guide the trainee through the next year of general medicine and the clinical year(s) of subspecialty training. If necessary, additional mentors will be added during the research years so that both clinical and basic research expertise is available. The goal is to provide a supportive environment that will ensure successful physician-scientist training.
Clinical and Research Training
The Department of Internal Medicine follows the policies and procedures of the American Board of Internal Medicine's Research Pathway. This will guarantee that individuals will be eligible for board certification in Internal Medicine and in a subspecialty assuming successful completion of the training program.
For the PGY-1 and PGY-2 years, individuals participate fully in the categorical internal medicine program but rotation scheduling may be individualized to assure appropriate training before entering the fellowship program.
The duration of the program is 6-7 years, depending on the individual's choice of subspecialty fellowship training. Individuals are eligible for Internal Medicine Board Certification in August of the PGY-4 year, and for Subspecialty Board Certification in November of the PGY-6 or PGY-7 year.
2011 Participants
 Christopher “Chris” French, MD, PhDchristopher.french@phhs.org Medical School: University of Vermont College of Medicine Subspecialty: Cardiology |
 Katherine “Katie” Karberg, MD, PhDkatherine.karberg@phhs.org Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine Subspecialty: Infectious Disease or GI |
 Pavel Levin, MD, PhDpavel.levin@phhs.org Medical School: University of Texas Medical School at Houston Subspecialty: Hematology Oncology |