The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics offer the Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) program, a unique training pathway for residents interested in careers as physician-investigators. The Mount Sinai StARR program, begun in 2024, is sponsored by R38 grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
For internal medicine, this American Board of Internal Medicine-approved pathway integrates a four-year internal medicine residency with 18 months of 80 percent protected time for research and research-related activities during PGY3 and PGY4. The Mount Sinai StARR program is designed primarily for residents who have not had extensive prior research experiences but are highly motivated to gain the skills, mentorship, and exposure needed to pursue a future career as a physician-investigator.
StARR residents develop an individual development plan and receive personalized career development mentorship throughout the program. Each resident will have an experienced, NIH-funded research mentor to provide guidance in the design and execution of a research project in clinical, translational, or basic science research, within the scope of the mission of NHLBI or NIAID. Additionally, StARR residents have access to coursework and structured research and training at the Icahn School of Medicine to build foundational research skills. Dedicated funds are available for StARR residents to support their research expenses and conference travel. Importantly, StARR residents are uniquely eligible to apply for the NIH early career K38 Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar award.
The R38 StARR program does not have a separate National Resident Matching Program number. Residents who wish to pursue this pathway apply after joining our residency program. Please contact Emily Gallagher, MD, PhD, Director of the Physician-Scientist Residency Program and PI on the R38 awards with any questions.