Physician-Scientist Development

Committed to Excellence in Medical Education and Scientific Advancement 

Our department is committed to providing exceptional undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. We’ve developed specialized programs to support the growth and development of physician-scientists:

Accessible Summer Research Fellowship (ASSURE) Program 

We are dedicated to nurturing the future of anesthesiology, and to that end, we established the ASSURE fellowship program in 2021. This initiative provides college students from the St. Louis metro area with a unique opportunity to actively engage in fundamental, clinical, and translational research projects within our department. 

The ASSURE program is designed to be accessible to all, regardless of prior research experience. Under the guidance and mentorship of department faculty members, ASSURE fellows actively participate in research projects conducted in either a laboratory or clinical setting. They also attend journal clubs, partake in professional development activities, receive support for planning their graduate school journey, and, most importantly, gain valuable hands-on research experience. 

We firmly believe that today’s students are the cornerstone of future advancements in anesthesiology, and the ASSURE program is our commitment to fostering their growth and development in this exciting field. 

To learn more and apply, visit: assure.wustl.edu 

Research and Residency 

To support aspiring physician-scientists, we offer two ABA and ACGME-approved tracks that seamlessly integrate significant dedicated research time into the residency experience.  

1. The Academic Scholar Advancement Program (ASAP) is an innovative, accelerated program that integrates internship, residency, clinical fellowship, and 23 blocks (1 block = 4 weeks) of dedicated research time into a five-year period. Unique among anesthesiology residency training programs, ASAP provides for rapid advancement through the clinical competencies and traditional program requirements via individualized, mentored instruction. This program offers substantial career acceleration for clinician-scientists interested in pursuing both clinical fellowship and research. 

2. Washington University (WU) Scholars is a flexible track that integrates approximately nine months of research time into a four-year categorical residency program with the potential to add an additional year of dedicated (80/20) research time. The WU Scholar program is compatible with clinical fellowship on a traditional timeline but does not require completion of the clinical fellowship. 

Applications for a residency position may be submitted via ERAS during the annual NRMP match. Learn more about our residency application.

Dedicated Support for Early-stage Physician-Scientists 

Physicians interested in dedicating the majority of their time towards building research programs as junior faculty after clinical training are encouraged to apply to our Early-Stage Physician Scientist Development Program. 

This comprehensive program can include access to protected research time through participation in our NIH T32 grant program. 

Central to the program is the Scholarship Oversight Committee, which was specifically formed to support early-stage physician-scientists as they navigate the transition from trainee to independently funded researchers. Composed of senior research faculty with diverse expertise, the committee conducts biannual thesis-defense style review sessions with its mentees. These sessions offer invaluable feedback on research progress and provide targeted guidance and support for career development activities.  

Physician-scientists appointed to the NIH T32 grant program will receive additional funding for their ongoing education and research.  

To apply, interested applicants can view the application form here. Applications are encouraged in the fall but are accepted on a rolling basis.