NIH T32 postdoctoral research fellowship

Comprehensive Anesthesia Research Training Program

Funding source

Since 1996, the UCSF Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care has received funding from the NIH to support an institutional training grant (Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award T32 GM08440) with the purpose of training postdoctoral scholars to conduct research in the broad areas encompassed by the discipline of Anesthesiology.

Goals and objectives

The primary goal of the program is to provide rigorous training in research fundamentals and techniques in areas of concern to clinical anesthesiologists and the larger practice of medicine. Training is offered in clinical, translational, basic and computational research and includes hands-on research, coursework in biostatistics, grant writing, and ethics, and other support required to obtain the skills necessary for academic achievement. 

Program environment

Trainees will work directly with experienced and renowned faculty researchers, all of whom are independent investigators with a track record of mentoring. The program mentors include both anesthesia faculty, as well as faculty in other clinical and basic science departments engaged in research that is relevant to anesthesiology and the perioperative sciences. Trainees will select a primary faculty research mentor, as well as an advisory committee comprised of faculty investigators with deep scientific expertise complementary to that of their primary mentor. 

The program is structured around five integrated tracks:

  • Critical Care and Immunology
  • Neurosciences and Pain
  • Omics, Bioinformatics, and Medical Informatics
  • Health Outcomes, Disparities/Equity, and Implementation Science
  • Molecular Biology and Biomedical Imaging

Appointment structure

Trainees will enter the program in one of four ways:

  • As residents: This entry point is available to CA-4 residents within the AIRR track of the UCSF Anesthesia Residency.
  • As faculty (Clinical Instructors): This entry point is available to both internal and external candidates that have finished their residency training and will do some clinical work (20% effort without call) during the T32 fellowship.
  • As postdoctoral scholars: This entry point is available to candidates who will do 100% research during the T32 fellowship.
  • As NIH Fogarty GloCal Fellows: This entry point is available to postdoctoral scholars as well as internal and external candidates that have finished their residency training. The GloCal Fellowship will support the first year of training (100% research) at one of 21 international collaborating partner sites, after which time fellows who are non-anesthesiologist postdoctoral scholars can continue in the T32 with 100% research time. Anesthesiologist fellows can transition from GloCal to the T32 with 20% clinical time (as Clinical Instructors) in subsequent years. 

Residents and Clinical Instructors on the T32 who do not possess a PhD are eligible to participate in the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Physician–Scientist Fellowship Program concurrently.

Program benefits

Fellowship Features:

  • $5,000 annually for conference travel, coursework, or other research expenses
  • $3,000 annually for childcare costs
  • Training activities include grant writing, bioethics, research presentations, career development plans, and regular dinners with other research trainees and junior faculty
  • Ability for anesthesiologists to maintain their clinical skills through 20% clinical work (no call) and volunteer shifts

Fellow requirements

  • Candidates must be able to commit 2-3 years to the training program.
  • Candidates must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (in possession of a valid Alien Registration Receipt Card, or "green card") at the time of appointment.
  • Candidates must have received an MD, PhD, or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution.

Outcomes

Former T32 trainees have gone on to successful academic research careers. Over ten alumni are on the faculty of the UCSF Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and others have joined academic anesthesiology departments at other institutions, including UCLA and Washington University in St. Louis. Our alumni have a strong track record of publication and have received extramural research career development awards and independent research grants from the NIH, Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER), International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS), and more.

Contact

For more information about the training program and to request an application, contact:
[email protected]