Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program

The UCLA DGSOM STAR program is designed for highly qualified fellows committed to careers as physician scientists, and offers tailored career development pathways for doctoral/ postdoctoral research training via one of the following tracks:

  1. Basic/Translational Science (PhD): Fellows receive graduate training in any of the multiple basic science departments within the UCLA School of Medicine, School of Engineering, College of Letters and Sciences, or at the California Institute of Technology.
  2. Health Services/Outcomes (PhD): Fellows receive graduate training at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health or the Pardee Rand Graduate School.
  3. Post-Doctoral Research Training: A 2-3 year post-doctoral fellowship is offered for those who begin their fellowship with MD/PhD degrees.

The benefits of the STAR program include:

  1. Fully funded advanced formal training in the form of a PhD or postdoctoral fellowship
  2. Protected research time during fellowship with a path to transition to junior faculty
  3. A formal curriculum including seminars and workshops in grant writing, career development, etc.
  4. Monetary support available for medical school loan interest payments and attendance at scientific conferences.
  5. High success rates in obtaining NIH K or equivalent career development award funding and in continuing in career research positions. The STAR program has an impressive track record with 80% of STAR graduates continuing in research positions, either in academia or industry.

Successful applicants will have demonstrated a sustained interest in research, as evidenced by a track record of publications and support from research mentors. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply for the STAR program concurrently with applying for the clinical PCCM fellowship program, although STAR applications are also accepted during the first year of the clinical fellowship.

The STAR curriculum generally begins the fall quarter of the 2nd year of fellowship, with an average time to completion of 4 years. Because fellows can graduate from the clinical PCCM fellowship when they are within one year of graduation from the STAR program, this often results in an extra year of fellowship training, with the extended time dedicated primarily to research with minimal clinical obligations. However, STAR fellows with high research productivity can graduate in the traditional three years.

For more information, please visit the UCLA Star Program.