Physician Scientist Training Program

The Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine is committed to training the next generation of physician scientist leaders in Clinical Pathology and Anatomic Pathology. The program focuses on providing support and mentorship through the clinical and postdoctoral training years to prepare trainees for highly competitive tenure track academic positions as an independent physician scientist. Although the regular three-year Clinical Pathology and Anatomic Pathology Residency Programs include time for research training, the Department recognizes that serious basic science training requires substantial additional time. Thus, the Department supports PSTP trainees for up to an additional three years dedicated entirely to research training after completion of residency. During this post residency research training there are no required clinical activities. The PSTP combines the intensive clinical training environment of New York Presbyterian Hospital and the Weill Cornell Medicine with rigorous basic and translational science training in any laboratory at Weill Cornell Medicine, Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering or the Hospital for Special Surgery. Leading laboratories in these institutions represent a range of disciplines including cancer biology, vascular biology, microbiology, genetics, biomedical engineering, immunobiology, genomics, neurobiology, computational sciences, cell biology, and biochemistry.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include graduates with a combined MD-PhD degree or an MD degree and a strong record of basic science research experience. Applicants must fulfill all eligibility requirements for clinical or anatomic pathology training. The most competitive candidates will have a strong commitment to a research career in academic medicine and an outstanding academic and research record.

Program

The goal of the program is to train pathologist scientists who will work at the forefront of biomedical science while also engaging in the clinical practice of pathology. Trainees complete the clinical training required by the American Board of Pathology for board eligibility in clinical or anatomic pathology during the first three years of training. During this period, trainees also initiate their research programs by selecting their postdoctoral lab. Mentorship is crucial to the PSTP, and all trainees receive mentorship from program leadership in addition to their primary research mentor. Mentoring by PSTP program leadership initially focuses on support for selecting the postdoctoral research lab and then transitions to a focus on scientific progress and career development. There is structured support for the candidate to apply for transition to independence grants upon entering the postdoctoral research training portion of the program. At the end of residency, trainees embark on up to three years of full-time postdoctoral research training free of clinical commitments, though there are opportunities if the trainee wishes to continue some limited clinical activities.

Financial Support

Trainees are guaranteed salary support for three clinical training years and up to three postdoctoral training years. This salary support follows the established post-graduate clinical training salaries for the three clinical years. During the postdoctoral training years, trainees receive a salary supplement in addition to the PGY salary. In addition, senior trainees are considered for promotion to Instructor. Senior trainees are encouraged to obtain additional funding to facilitate their ultimate transition to their first academic position. Funding sources include K08 and DOD fellowships and private foundation grants, such as the Burroughs Wellcome Award. Trainees will be closely mentored as they prepare these proposals.

Application Process

Applicants interested in being considered for the PSTP in either Anatomic Pathology or Clinical Pathology should all apply to the general AP/CP Residency Program in Pathology at Weill Cornell (ACGME number: 300-35-11-253. NRMP number: 1492300C0). Applicants to the program will be sent a  questionnaire when they are invited for an interview, and this questionnaire includes a chance to indicate interest in the PSTP track. These applicants should provide an additional brief (not longer than one page) summary of their short- (training) and long- (independent faculty) term research interests.

Interview Process

Select applicants to the PSTP will be invited for a two-day interview, which will be comprised of one day focusing on interviews with clinical faculty and a separate day focusing on interviews with research faculty in the candidate's research interest area. Later in the interview process, candidates may be asked to present a virtual research seminar covering their thesis work. The interview process is designed to be transparent, and candidates are encouraged to contact program leadership regarding any questions at mag3003@med.cornell.edu.

Pathology & Laboratory Medicine 1300 York Avenue New York, NY 10065 Phone: (212) 746-6464
Surgical Pathology: (212) 746-2700