Department of Surgery

R38 USC Research Training Program in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary science

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Program Overview

Funded by the NHLBI of the NIH, the goal of the R38 University of Southern California Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (USC-StARR) Program is to recruit, train, and mentor a group of exceptional Resident Investigators in acquiring rigorous research skills, conducting high-impact, clinically relevant research projects, and launching promising careers as surgeon-scientists in cardiovascular and pulmonary science.

This program is designed for individuals who have completed a significant portion of their clinical training (~3 years) in the General Surgery, Integrated Vascular Surgery, or Integrated Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency Programs, and have developed a clinical and research focus. Our program will include two research tracks:

  1. Basic and Translational Research
  2. Health Outcomes, Community Engagement, and Dissemination and Implementation Research.
Two female laboratory technologists seen holding test tubes while examining and working on some new research during their daily shift.

Program Leadership

Ito- Fumito_MD_
Fumito Ito, MD, PhD

Administrative Director

Lien Ching-Ling
Ching-Ling Lien, PhD

Science & Research Director

Patel- Sanjeet MD
Sanjeet Patel, MD, PhD

Educational and Career Development Director

Research and Career Advice

Trainees meet quarterly with R38 directors for feedback on their projects and career goals as well as discussions about topics relevant to academic research.

R38 trainees also have prioritized access to mentors in the USC Department of Surgery, to build out their Mentorship network.

Selected residents will meet with Research Preceptors, identify their chosen Research Preceptor, and develop an Independent Career Development Plan (ICDP) with their Research Preceptor and the R38 Program Director. The ICDP will consist of research, mentorship, and education plan, specific to the career goals of that individual.

Research Training

Responsible Conduct of Research

Once accepted into the USC-StARR Program, the Resident Investigators will meet weekly with their Research Preceptor. Resident Investigators will also meet quarterly with the R38 Program Directors, and will report on ongoing research projects, identify barriers to completion of their project, address general structure issues about the program, discuss responsible conduct of research topics, and review progress in educational goals.

SC-CTSI (Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute)

Career Development Seminars

SC-CTSI Workshops

Basic Science and Translational Research Track

Resident Investigators on this track will participate in a one-year clinical translational research course offered through USC. This course covers six main competency areas: clinical and translational research methodology, scientific communication, statistics and data analysis, team science, research in diverse populations, and ethics. This course sequence is the same as the established educational curriculum for KL2 award recipients at USC.

Health Outcomes, Community Engagement, and Dissemination & Implementation Research Track

Resident Investigators on this research track will take three graduate-level courses offered through USC, i.e., Introduction to Biostatistics, Introduction to Epidemiology, and Clinical Trial Design. Resident Investigators will participate in the 10-week Introduction to Implementation Science Theory and Design course.

Conferences and Invited Talks

$3000 per year is available for travel- and conference-related expenses.

Trainees are invited to present at the Berne Academic & Research Day in May.

Surgeon for a Day participants pose with medical students and surgical residents

Application Process

Eligibility

  • You must have MD or dual degree with MD
  • Must be a US citizen or permanent resident
  • Must be in the General Surgery, Integrated Vascular Surgery, or Integrated Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency Programs at USC

Materials required for application submission

Current CV or biosketch, and reference letters (optional) to [email protected]

Deadline

January 31, for a July 1 start date

Contact

Justin Budge
R38 Program Administrator
Department of Surgery
Keck School of Medicine of USC
[email protected]

Independent Career Development Plan

Selected residents will meet with Research Preceptors, identify their chosen Research Preceptor, and develop an Independent Career Development Plan (ICDP) with their Research Preceptor and the R38 Program Director. The ICDP will consist of research, mentorship, and education plan, specific to the career goals of that individual.

Once accepted into the USC-StARR Program, the Resident Investigators will meet weekly with their Research Preceptor. Resident Investigators will also meet quarterly with the R38 Program Directors, and will report on ongoing research projects, identify barriers to completion of their project, address general structure issues about the program, discuss responsible conduct of research topics, review progress in educational goals, discuss implementation science, and provide broad support and guidance to Resident Investigators

List of potential mentors

  • 

    • Oliver Bell, PhD
    • Cheng-Ming Chuong, MD, PhD
    • Lucio Comai, PhD
    • Yali Dou, PhD
    • Hyungjin Eoh, PhD
    • Juliet Emamaullee, MD, PhD
    • Zhaoyang Fan, PhD
    • Amir Goldkorn, MD
    • Zhiheng He, PhD
    • Ito, Fumito, MD, PhD
    • Ching-Ling Lien, PhD
    • Rong Lu, PhD
    • Alicia McDonough, PhD
    • Janos Peti-Peterdi, PhD,
    • Evanthia Roussos Torres, MD, PhD
    • Justin Schaal, PhD
    • Keyue Shen, PhD
    • Yingxiao Wang, PhD
    • Gutian Xiao, PhD
    • Qilong Ying, PhD
    • Beiyun Zhou, PhD
  • 

    • David Armstrong, DPM, PhD
    • Craig Baker, MD
    • Adam De Smith, PhD
    • Erika Garcia, PhD
    • Christopher Haiman, ScD
    • Sukgu Han, MD
    • Kenji Inaba, MD
    • Roksana Karim, MD, PhD
    • Emma Koesters, MD
    • Adam Leventhal, PhD,
    • Kazuhide Matsushima, MD
    • Sanjeet Patel, MD, PhD
    • Laura Shin, DPM, PhD
    • Anaar Siletz, MD, PhD
    • Brooks Udelsman, MD, PhD
    • Jennifer Unger, PhD