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 Medical Center. 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.

PSTP Cardiology Fellow Dr. Glynnis Garry

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.

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 Residency 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.

Application Process 
Eligibility  
Financial Support 

Faculty

The faculty at UT Southwestern is among the most distinguished in the world. UT Southwestern Medical Center is home to six Nobel Laureates, three of whom are M.D./Ph.D.s, 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 17 members of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine), 14 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 Ph.D. degrees, including 95 M.D./Ph.D. 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.