Iowa StARR Scholars Program

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PROJECT SUMMARY The Iowa StARR Scholars Program is designed to help address the continuing need for physician-scientists in the fields of internal medicine and pediatrics. The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine (CCOM) has an outstanding group of physician-scientists, a tradition of training physician-scientists, and a long history of physician-scientist leadership. The Iowa StARR Scholars Program will identify residents early in their training who have an interest in a mentored research experience during their residency. The Specific Aims of the program include: Aim 1. To recruit and train outstanding Scholars from the University of Iowa internal medicine and pediatric residency programs to increase the pipeline of physician-scientists. Aim 2. To create an academic environment that stimulates and encourages promising trainees toward a career path as a physician-scientist. Aim 3. To provide a highly focused and mentored research experience in the areas of cardiovascular, lung, blood, and sleep diseases that promotes the Scholar’s success. Aim 4. To develop a personalized mentoring and career development plan for each StARR Scholar that ensures mastery of clinical skills and outstanding training and development as a scientist. Aim 5. To provide guidance and advice for subsequent subspecialty fellowship training. We will focus on trainees who may not have otherwise considered a career as a physician-scientist, and will provide them with the opportunities, mentoring, and skills they need to succeed. This will be accomplished through a positive mentored research experience over 12-18 months in the context of their residency. Subsequent to this program, we anticipate that trainees will pursue subspecialty training with a research focus and pursue research-oriented independent careers in academic medical centers. We identified a team of outstanding, diverse, accomplished mentors in basic, translational, and clinical research responsive to NHLBI priorities. The Iowa StARR Scholars Program will provide an environment conducive to success. Key features include: 1) a mentored research experience that promotes the Scholars’ success and enthusiasm for a career as a physician-scientist. This includes immersion in a rich research environment with interactions with successful physician-scientists; 2) an individual development plan designed around the trainee’s experience and career goals and supervised by a mentoring committee; 3) regular assessment of research competencies; 4) training in forms of communication including slide preparation, planning of scientific talks, presentations at regional and national meetings, and manuscript writing and publication; 5) a range of program activities including selected coursework, conferences and symposia, designed to enrich the research experience and provide context for future success. At the completion of the program Iowa StARR Scholars should have the clinical and research backgrounds needed to attain board eligibility in pediatrics or internal medicine, succeed in subspecialty training, pursue support via the K38 program, and advance to faculty positions aimed at independent research careers.