Stanford’s Physician Scientist Training Residency Translational Investigator Program Helps Doctors Pursue Medical Breakthroughs

What’s the most exciting thing you’ve ever done? For Stanford physician-scientist Judith Shizuru, it’s development of an antibody-based therapy to replace bone marrow transplantation. In her role as clinician and researcher, her work is nothing shy of revolutionary: she’s changing how we treat diseases.

You can be part of these exciting changes in medicine, too: Stanford has a training program designed specifically for residents interested in becoming both doctors and investigators. If you have the curiosity and drive to translate science from the bench to the bedside, you’ll want to consider Stanford’s Translational Investigator Program (TIP).

Here, Dr. Shizuru discusses how translational research is finding a “sweet spot” and says, as a result, she can see “there’s a new era coming.”

TIP provides unparalleled training for individuals planning research-intensive careers. It integrates clinical and research experience beginning in internship (PGY-1) and extending to the completion of a subspecialty fellowship program.

Successful candidates enjoy:

• • Intensive mentorship opportunities and membership in a robust community of physician-scientists.
• • Salary at the full ACGME level according to PGY status from internship/residency through the clinical and research years of the fellowship. (For the research years, this ACGME salary is approximately $80K/year.)
• • Additional supplements include up to $9,000 in housing and educational stipends.
• • Guaranteed fellowship slots for all participants contingent on a solid clinical performance during residency. (Applicants are also free to apply to other fellowship programs if they wish.)

Interested candidates apply through ERAS to the “Stanford Internal Medicine Residency Program” (Categorical Program). At the time you are invited to interview, you will be asked about TIP. Please express your interest at that time.

Here’s how the TIP interview process works:

• • If you wish to interview with TIP, you will have a 2-day interview, rather than a single-day interview. Day 1 is the standard interview day for the residency program, and Day 2 is an interview day specifically for TIP.
• • Your TIP interview day will be designed to expose you to the extremely rich and vibrant scientific community at Stanford, and we will focus the day on your specific areas of interest. For example, you will be able to interview with one or more subspecialty areas (e.g. cardiology, oncology, etc.) of your choosing, and whenever possible we will facilitate interviews with specific faculty you wish to meet. Shortly after your TIP interview day, we will let you know if you have been accepted. Acceptance into TIP includes acceptance into the subspecialty fellowship program(s) you interviewed with, assuming a solid clinical performance during residency. We do not have a separate match number through NRMP for TIP. If you interviewed with TIP and have been informed that you were accepted into the program, you will automatically become a member of TIP if you match at Stanford for your residency training.
• • Apply to TIP

Stanford’s TIP program has a long and proud history of training premier physician-scientists who have become leaders in fields throughout Internal Medicine. In addition to the intensive mentorship opportunities for all Internal Medicine residents, members of TIP are welcomed into the robust community of physician-scientists at Stanford and will be paired with faculty mentors who best suit their career interests.

On finding mentors for candidates

As Dr. Ravi Majeti says in the video above, “We have pioneering research scientists in a wide range of disciplines. The amazing thing about these investigators is not their individual accomplishments but that they see their role in a broader community of translational investigators whether it be in immunology, bioengineering or stem cell biology (some of the real strengths of Stanford Medicine). And certainly our trainees have the opportunity to get involved in those programs and projects during their research years.”

In addition to opportunities specific to TIP, trainees benefit from an incredible network of fellow residents in other programs, as well as Stanford’s proximity to Silicon Valley, one of the world’s largest hubs of innovation.

You can learn more about resident, campus and Bay Area life here:

• • http://medicine.stanford.edu/residency.html
• • http://medicine.stanford.edu/residency/resident-life.html
• • http://medicine.stanford.edu/residency/resident-life/activities.html

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