UCLA STAR Program: Nurturing Future Physician-Scientists

The Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is dedicated to fostering the development of aspiring physician-scientists. This program provides formal, dedicated research training concurrent with clinical residency or fellowship, catering to both MD-PhD graduates and those seeking to obtain a PhD.

A Legacy of Supporting Physician-Scientists

Since 1993, the STAR Program at UCLA has been instrumental in supporting physician-scientists by offering opportunities to pursue a PhD or engage in rigorous scientific training through advanced post-doctoral research within a supportive environment. The program has a proven track record with over 230 physician-scientists having completed the program. Impressively, about 80% of these graduates have continued their careers in academics, research, and the biotech industry.

Key Features of the STAR Program

In a world-class research university setting, physician-scientists participating in the STAR Program benefit from several key advantages:

Protected Research Time: Participants receive dedicated time specifically for research activities.
Tuition Coverage: The program provides tuition support for advanced degree pursuits.
PGY Salary: Participants receive their regular Post-Graduate Year (PGY) salary.
Dedicated Mentorship: Renowned faculty members from across the university provide mentorship and guidance.

These features create an environment that allows physician-scientists to thrive and develop their research skills.

STAR Physician-Scientist Training Program (STAR-PSTP)

Recognizing the challenges faced by residents in maintaining their research interests amidst demanding clinical schedules, UCLA developed the STAR Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP). This program is designed for internal medicine residents with prior research experience, allowing them to actively participate in research and STAR activities. The STAR-PSTP provides mentorship to prepare residents for STAR fellowship applications.

Integrating Research into Residency

The goal of STAR-PSTP is to seamlessly integrate residents into the UCLA research community, keeping them engaged with their research goals while expediting required clinical training in residency and facilitating additional protected time for research in fellowship. Those who match to the PSTP at the internship level may receive guaranteed spots in an internal medicine subspecialty fellowship and protected research time.

Educational Goals of STAR-PSTP

STAR-PSTP residents benefit from multi-level mentorship provided by:

Department of Medicine (DOM) leadership
Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program leadership
Faculty mentors
STAR fellows

Residents also have access to monthly STAR Seminar Series and research-focused social events, further supporting their research career development.

The Internal Medicine Residency Program focuses on rigorous clinical training to prepare physician-scientists to become excellent clinicians. For STAR-PSTP residents, UCLA provides this necessary training in two years, giving residents the option for the ABIM Research Pathway (“fast” or “short” track) into their fellowship of choice and the STAR Program at UCLA.

UCLA is committed to proving it is the ideal place to train and practice, and most STAR trainees choose to stay on faculty after they complete their training. For PSTP residents, the program guarantees a match into their fellowship program of choice, assuming clinical milestones are met. Thus, when you interview for STAR-PSTP you are effectively interviewing for fellowship and a recommendation for a junior faculty position at UCLA. The goal of STAR-PSTP is create a nurturing environment that supports this developmental trajectory.

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Curriculum Highlights of STAR-PSTP

The STAR-PSTP curriculum is designed to provide residents with a comprehensive research experience. Key highlights include:

Education: STAR-PSTP residents are invited to all STAR program events (monthly seminars, research presentations, and annual symposium), with a requirement that they attend at least four seminars. Monthly seminars/roundtable discussions include research presentations by fellows or visiting investigators, workshops on applying for a K award, techniques for writing grant proposals, and identifying research mentors. STAR-PSTP residents may also present a poster of current or prior research at the STAR Symposium.
Networking: STAR program events offer valuable opportunities for networking with research fellows and faculty in the Department of Medicine. Additionally, STAR-PSTP residents gather for dinner with the PSTP directors quarterly to interact and share ideas and feedback. Funds for travel to conferences are available if clinical schedule allows and with prior approval.
Mentorship: Each academic year, STAR-PSTP residents meet with a STAR-PSTP director approximately every four months. The STAR-PSTP directors help the participant identify and explore research opportunities, introduce them to potential research mentors, and ensure they stay connected to the program directors of their specialty of interest.

Developing Future Independent Investigators

The UCLA STAR Physician-Scientist Training Program aims to develop physician-scientists to bridge the gap between clinical questions and scientific inquiry. It provides an environment that facilitates probing the underpinnings of clinical observations in basic, translational, or clinical research settings, and translate findings on disease mechanisms and patterns into improvements in the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

The UCLA Internal Medicine Residency Program is known for its outstanding clinical training, and combined with STAR-PSTP, residents receive unparalleled training that further distinguishes them among highly accomplished peers. The internationally-renowned faculty perform cutting-edge research in basic, translational, clinical, implementation, and health services sciences and relish the opportunity to train the next generation of physician scientists.

The STAR (Stress and Resilience) Program

The STAR (Stress and Resilience) Program is designed to match UCLA students with evidence-based mental health resources, adding to the continuum of CAPS mental health resources. The program leverages research, content and capabilities from the Depression Grand Challenge. STAR is a collaboration between various campus partners: the Depression Grand Challenge, Counseling and Psychological Services, Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center, RISE Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine Behavioral Health Center.

How STAR Works

Students complete a quick registration process and then are routed to the STAR Wellness Check survey which is an adaptive 5-minute test for symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Students and the program receive immediate feedback with recommended services ranging from prevention services through crisis outreach. Students with symptoms consistent with anxiety or mild to moderate depression are offered the STAND Toolkit and may self-select which package to use-depression, panic, sleep, social anxiety, trauma or worry. Enrolled students continue to receive the STAR Wellness Check on a monthly basis, and students with severe depression or suicidality are connected with CAPS.

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Application and Eligibility

The mission is to train physician-scientists for careers in academic medicine. Applicants to UCLA clinical fellowships and certain UCLA residencies may apply to the STAR Program. Support from the applicant’s home department or division is required.

STAR Program vs. STAR-PSTP

While the STAR Program works on developing fellow-level physician-scientists, the STAR-PSTP provides opportunities for maintaining research exposure during residency training for internal medicine residents (PGY1-3) who have experience in research and are committed to a career as a physician-scientist.

Distinguishing Features of the STAR Program

The primary distinction is that the STAR Program combines research training with the later stages of clinical training, such as residency or specialty or subspecialty fellowship. This timing facilitates the transition from fellowship to faculty position. Physicians who already have a doctoral degree enter the Postdoctoral Track. A STAR fellow has the freedom to select a mentor from faculty in the basic science departments at the medical school, in the life sciences college at UCLA or at Caltech. The program is structured to integrate clinical training with courses and research training. The clinical fellowship director, the STAR Program Director, and the research mentor in the graduate department work together to coordinate and facilitate the trainee's schedule.

The Interview Process

Most applicants apply in conjunction with the clinical fellowship application so their fellowship interview day may include interviews with research faculty.

Program Structure: Clinical vs. Research

In the first year of fellowship, activities are usually 100% clinical. The remaining years are divided, 25% for clinical activities and 75% for research and pursuit of an advanced research degree (MS or PhD).

Program Duration

The duration varies depending on clinical requirements, the type of advanced degree, prior research experience, and graduate department requirements. In general, STAR fellows must declare their intention to pursue a specific degree in their first year of STAR fellowship. Changing degrees or educational programs requires approval from the STAR Directors and the new graduate program.

Mentor Selection

This is required only for the MSCR track. For the other tracks, STAR fellows may choose mentors during their first year.

Funding Requirements

No, additional funding is not required.

Application Timing

Applicants from medicine specialties usually submit applications at the time of their clinical subspecialty fellowship application. Many of the divisions in medicine have a place on the ERAS fellowship application to select consideration for the STAR Program. Interviews for the clinical fellowship and STAR are then coordinated for the same interview date. Candidates planning a career in the subspecialties of Medicine or Pediatrics generally apply to the STAR Program in conjunction with their specialty clinical fellowship application. In the surgical specialties (i.e. Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ophthalmology), in Pathology, and in Dermatology, applications are typically submitted at the time of residency application. Selection criteria include academic achievement, research experience, and clinical performance.

Mentorship and Support

Physician-scientists in the STAR fellowship pathways can count on personalized scientific mentorship from their thesis advisor, career guidance from directors of the STAR Program, and peer advice from the >50 other physician-scientists in the program. In our supportive research community, mentors closely guide trainees throughout all stages of their careers extending well into the junior faculty stage and beyond. Whether they need support finding their niche, competing for funding, securing letters of recommendation, or negotiating a faculty position leading to research independence, the STAR career mentors are there to help them achieve their goals.

Dedicated Research Time

Training in the STAR Program guarantees physician-scientists dedicated research time that, in many ways like a sabbatical, allows fellows to find their scientific identities and develop their investigative niche. This protected research time and mentoring prepares STAR physician-scientists to develop outstanding grant applications.

Funding Support

The STAR program commits to funding full salary and tuition support for physician-scientist trainees to complete their PhD and reach their maximum potential at our world-class research institute and its premier academic health system. Linda L.

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