"I can’t imagine a better place than Vanderbilt to train as a pediatrician and scientist. When I was interviewing for residency, it was very important to me to identify a program that had mentorship and programmatic support for every stage of physician scientist training. I was also particularly interested in the ABP’s Accelerated Research Program given my plans to complete clinical training in Pediatric Infectious Diseases and to conduct basic research during my fellowship. It was immediately clear during my residency interview that Vanderbilt was had an established track record in leveraging accelerated and integrated research pathways to successfully train pediatric scientists, and there was profound career development support for physician-scientist trainees from early residency to first faculty position. Vanderbilt also went out of their way to customize my interview visits to ensure that I was meeting with potential research mentors and members of my intended clinical fellowship. I also appreciated that the residency program prioritized resident wellness, community-building, and individualized learning. In retrospect, these aspects of the program felt like a “cheat code” for a training pathway that can be particularly daunting.

"While I will always cherish my time as a Vanderbilt resident and fellow, I am even more grateful now that as a faculty member I have the opportunity to further strengthen the pipeline for pediatric physician scientists. Whether you are an MD/PhD graduate who is laser-focused on a research-intensive career, or someone who is curious about incorporating basic, clinical, or translational research into their career to improve the lives of children, Vanderbilt is the perfect training environment."

Jim Cassat, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Program Director, Childhood Infections Research Program (CHIRP) T32
Co-Training Director, Vanderbilt Pediatrics K12 Program
Vanderbilt Pediatrics resident 2008-2010
Vanderbilt Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinical Fellow 2010-2014 

"Being part of the Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) at Vanderbilt was truly a transformative experience that significantly shaped my career trajectory. Coming into my Pediatrics residency, I knew I wanted to continue developing my research skills as an aspiring physician-scientist and being part of the PSTP allowed me the flexibility to do so. As part of the PSTP, I was fortunate to participate in the Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (R38 StARR Program) which allowed me protected research time during my clinical training. This offered me a unique blend of pediatric training and practical research opportunities that enhanced my scientific productivity. The R38 Program also allowed me to work closely with esteemed mentors, establish collaborations, and present my work in multiple conferences. In addition, I gained experience in writing research grants, leading to submission of an R01 supplemental grant that allowed funding for an additional research year. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity and would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to advance their career and strengthen their research skills."

Isabel Vallecillo-Viejo, MD, PhD
Vanderbilt Pediatric Residency Class of 2023
Allergy and Immunology Clinical Fellow, The National Institutes of Health (NIH - NIAID)

"The Physician Scientist Academic Community (PPSTP) provided me the opportunity to seriously consider a career as a physician-scientist and take meaningful steps towards that goal. My research endeavors have allowed me to engage with patients on a level deeper than what is allowed with a single patient encounter. Through this work, I am able to take a step back and take a more "big picture" approach to treating patients and helping them through their disease process. For example, while I am learning how to develop meaningful patient-physician relationships within palliative care, I am also studying the intricacies of developing that bond by studying parental distress after prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease. By applying the scientific method to this problem, I aim to make it more replicable and accessible to the physician community at large."

Kelly W. Harris, MD, MS
Vanderbilt Pediatric Residency Class of 2020
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

"I had a great experience with research as a pediatric resident at Vanderbilt. I found that faculty were eager to talk to me about potential projects resulting in a lot of options when it came to finding a project that was a good fit for me. Setting up research electives was an easy process, and I was even able to schedule multiple research electives in a row to maximize my research time. The program also provided financial support for me to present a poster about my research at a conference."

Stephanie L. Rolsma, MD, PhD
Vanderbilt Pediatric Residency Class of 2019
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center