Texas Health Resources Clinical Scholars Program

Southwestern Health Resources, the integrated clinical network formed by UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) and Texas Health Resources (THR), Texas Health Resources has established the Texas Health Resources Clinical Scholars Program to facilitate the training and development of outstanding clinician researchers at UT Southwestern.

The work of THR Clinical Scholars will be expected to advance the effectiveness of UTSW and THR clinical research program and lead ultimately to improved care and care delivery to the North Texas community. A scholar’s clinical research interest is defined broadly as including translational biology, epidemiology/population health, survey/behavioral studies, clinical trials, implementation science or health policy within the UTSW and THR systems. This program provides up to 70% protected research effort as well as other research resources to selected individuals to promote their early career develop and specific research project.

Essential Features

  • Internal early career candidates must have held a faculty appointment for less than five years.
  • External candidates with more than five years of a faculty appointment and an established and successful career with regards to research productivity and independent funding may be considered.
  • All candidates must be eligible for appointment as an Assistant Professor or above at UT Southwestern upon the effective date of their appointment as a THR Clinical Scholar.
  • Candidates with a medical degree are preferred, but candidates with other doctoral degrees who are qualified to direct programs promoting health care quality, patient safety, population health and/or health care management will also be considered.
  • Clinicians must also be eligible for a medical staff appointment at UT Southwestern or Texas Health Resources health systems,
  • Clinicians must be willing to devote 70 percent of their professional effort to clinical research. Note surgeons or interventional/proceduralists who can devote at least 50% effort will be considered.
  • Non-clinicians will devote 30 percent of their professional effort to Southwestern Health Resources programs promoting health care quality, patient safety, population health and/or health care management.
  • THR Clinical Scholars will be asked to have annual reviews to demonstrate progress and to give periodic presentations to the THR Board of Trustees and/or the medical staff of THR facilities.

Available Support

The THR Clinical Scholars are eligible to receive up to $750,000 for research and salary support for three years. Under extraordinary circumstances, the Department Chair may request that a THR Clinical Scholar be extended for an additional one or two years of support. This additional support is subject to competitive review and to the availability of funds.

Nomination Process

Eligible candidates may contact a UT Southwestern Department Chair, Division Chief, or Center Director in their specialty to discuss their potential nomination for this program. See Department and Center specifics.

Selection Process

The THR Clinical Scholars Program committee will review and select candidates. Particular attention will be paid to the scholar’s past research experience, their research infrastructure and mentorship team, and the quality of their proposed science.

Scholars selected will be required to give the committee annual progress reports.  The committee will then review each candidate to assure that the scholars is making sufficient research and care development progress. 

Instructions for Nomination

Nominations for the Texas Health Resources Clinical Scholars Program may be submitted electronically at any time and should consist of the following:

  • A letter from the nominating department chair or center director indicating:
    • How the candidate’s research will fit into the department’s current and planned research enterprise
    • The percent of the candidate’s time that will be protected for research for the duration of the award
    • The additional support the department is prepared to offer the candidate should an award be made
    • The space and research facilities that will be assigned to the candidate to support his or her research. The Chair must also state who will serve as the candidate’s research mentor and collaborators.
  • A budget and justification of requested support
  • Candidate’s curriculum vitae, including three top research publications
  • Candidate’s research statement – including a description of past research training, their committed research time, and their formal research plan (including: Background, Specific Aims, Methods, and Future Research Plans and Implications). (5 pages maximum)
  • Three letters of recommendation from individuals with knowledge of the candidate’s research. Recommendations should include a description of the candidate’s research accomplishments and future promise.
  • Candidate publications – include up to three publications

Apply Now

Submit the above as an email attachment to the THR Clinical Scholars Program Committee Chair, Dr. Eric Peterson, Email.

Questions may also be directed to Dr. Peterson at the above email.