Tulane StARR Program

PROGRAM SUMMARY This is the first renewal application for the Tulane StARR Program which successfully recruited a diverse cadre of 6 StARR Scholars who are actively engaged in mentored research training in heart, lung, and blood (HLB) diseases in the last 2.5-years. The long-term goal is to increase the number and diversity of highly trained,

independent, interdisciplinary board-certified physician scientists engaging in HLB research. Key components of our successful mentored research and career development StARR program include: 1) Boot Camps and didactics tailored to specific Scholar needs; 2) individualized career development training; 3) StARR Physician

Scientists seminar series; 4) Work-in-Progress sessions; 5) required grant writing, project management, and mentoring workshops; 6) mentored interdisciplinary research; 7) responsible conduct in research training; 8) institutional resources; and 9) a planned transition for StARR Scholars to fellowship training, K38, K12, or K-like

programs,. The innovative approach involves tailoring the program to Scholars needs using self-efficacy surveys and individual development plans (IDP) and using a network mentoring model for each Scholar Oversight Committee (SOC) which includes expertise in both basic and clinical science and clinical care, as well as

participation by the Residency Program Director to ensure appropriate integration of clinical and research rotations. Scholars are immediately exposed to research, are guided to establish a scholarly track record early, and participate in national scientific meetings. New components of Tulane StARR 2 include expanding capacity

by increasing faculty Preceptors and Tulane Research Centers in expanded fields of HLB; building Scholar competence in team science and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in research; and advancing understanding of the interplay between HLB with social determinants of health (SDOH).The Scholars will learn cutting-edge

research methods and skills from Bench (cellular, molecular, and genetics), to Bedside (clinical research and clinical trials) to Population (epidemiology, prevention, and implementation research) and conduct mentored research projects in established laboratories/research groups led by 52 outstanding NIH-funded Preceptors in a

mentored, interdisciplinary environment that addresses NHLBI priorities from a lifespan perspective. With strong institutional support and approval of the training by the American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Pediatrics, we propose to train 8 (6 new, 2 carryover from Tulane StARR 1) resident StARR Scholars (4

medicine residents and 4 pediatric residents; 50% women and 25% underrepresented groups (URG)) for 18 months (in 6-month Research Blocks in PGY 2, PGY3, and PGY4 with 80% effort dedicated to research) over the 4-year residency program while maintaining Continuity Clinics. Ongoing and comprehensive evaluation will

assess and guide improvements to the StARR Program’s effectiveness in 1) bridging research training and research independence; 2) ensuring board eligibility for medicine and pediatrics residents; and 3) increasing the number and diversity of physician scientists translating science to improve human health across the lifespan.