UC Davis StARR Training Program in Veterinary and Human Health - PROJECT SUMMARY The UC Davis (UCD) Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) Training Program in human and veterinary medicine will recruit outstanding residents with diverse backgrounds who have demonstrated keen interest and potential in pursuing a career as clinician-scientists. The program will include two postdoctoral Internal Medicine MD/DO residents and two postdoctoral DVM residents and will offer a formal Master’s in Clinical Research Training Program (MCRTP) supported by matching funds from the deans of the UCD School of Medicine and School of Veterinary Medicine. This is a special arrangement as there are currently no other StARR programs that cross-train medical and veterinary residents. UCD attracts an outstanding resident pool from both disciplines as potential candidates for the StARR program. Aim 1 will select the most suitable trainees through an extensive recruitment and competitive application process drawing applicants from both professional schools while promoting diversity and inclusion in research training in an intentional manner. Personalized research mentoring committees will be established to help achieve program goals, evaluate progress, and track scholar’s Individual Development Plans. We will train ten scholars during the first grant cycle. Aim 2 will perform a rigorous training that will propel trainees to successful research-intensive fellowships and subsequent independence as clinician-scientists. Residents will complete a mentored research project in a specific area supported by their mentoring committees with emphasis on the concepts of comparative medicine and One Health, basic and translational cardiopulmonary research methods, research communication, grant and manuscript writing, rigor and reproducibility in science, and team science. Faculty preceptors will direct research training in three primary areas: 1) Cardiopulmonary biology and molecular medicine, 2) Emerging infectious diseases and host responses, and 3) Data Sciences and Engineering in Translational Research. Aim 3 will enhance training and individual career development opportunities through advanced training in a Clinical Research Certificate program or an optional Master of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research program already attended by SOM and SVM junior faculty. Graduated StARR alumni will continue their engagement with the program as mentors to promote a sustained culture of resident research on their path to becoming clinician- scientists and academic leaders. Residents will be evaluated by competency-based milestones. Program metrics of success will include a) Scholarly productivity (publications, presentations), b) Diversity of trainees, c) Acceptance of residents into research-intensive fellowships or academic faculty positions, and d) Future T32, K and R grants. The existing highly collaborative environment between the Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine will provide the UCD StARR resident investigators with a creative and lively training and scientific milieu to help them become members of high-level translational science teams and successful clinician-scientist.
