The UT Southwestern Dean’s Scholar in Clinical Research program provides promising early career faculty with financial resources, career guidance, research training, and protected research time to facilitate their development as successful clinical physician scientists. The goal is to provide transitional support to allow these faculty with an opportunity to launch their independent research careers. 

Scholar Eligibility

• Physician-scientists (MD/PhD, MD/MS or MD) who have completed their final training and who have exceptional potential will be eligible to be considered for the program.
• Individuals can be nominated as early as they complete their final year of research training or as late as three years after completing ACGME-mandated residency/clinical fellowship training.
• Candidates must be eligible to have at least 50% protected time and be appointed on the Clinical Scholar track.

Scholar Support

The Dean’s office will provide:

• up to 50% salary support (up to the NIH salary cap) for two years. Note chairs may provide additional protected time depending on candidates needs. Also, those who have successfully submitted a federal grant application (K or R) can be considered for a third year of protected research support.
• up to $50,000 per year for two years in startup support.
• tuition support for clinical research coursework at UTSW including courses offered under the Master’s in Clinical Research, Master’s in Research Informatics, and Master’s in Public Health Degree programs.

The Departmental Chair of the Scholar’s home Department will provide:

• Any salary cost share (above NIH cap).
• Any additional protected research time (beyond 50%).
• Matching startup research support.

Scholars will also have a mentorship team established and will go through an annual review of their progress.

Nominations

Candidates must be nominated by a clinical department in UTSW. Those nominated will undergo rolling review throughout the year by the Dean’s Scholar in Clinical Research’s Steering Committee composed of senior clinical scientists and chaired by the Vice Provost of Clinical Research.

Questions may be directed to the Dean’s Scholar in Clinical Research Committee Chair, OfficeoftheViceProvostforClinicalResearch@UTSouthwestern.edu.

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