The purpose of the Penn GI Basic Science Track is to train physician-scientists as leading investigators across subspecialities of gastroenterology and hepatology. The Basic Science Track has been supported by a T32 grant from the NIH/NIDDK for approximately 50 years and has a long track record of developing successful physician-scientists. All trainees on this track are expected to perform at least 2 years of laboratory-based research and/or pursue formal training in translational research or bioinformatics, with the ultimate career goal of becoming an independently funded investigator.
Program Structure
- First year fellowship will be dedicated to clinical service, including inpatient GI consult services and outpatient endoscopy. Basic Science Track fellows will be supported and encouraged to initiate planning with potential laboratory mentors in the winter/spring of their first year.
- Second- and third-year fellows have 75% protected research time with funding from the Basic Science T32 Training Grant. ACGME requirements for clinical training are met through several weeks of inpatient service along with outpatient endoscopy and clinic.
- Continued T32 support for an additional year is typically available for those intending to pursue independent funding.
- An expectation of the trainees on the Basic Science Track is the submission of grant applications to the NIH, national societies, and/or foundations for career development award funding.
Program Benefits
- Supportive leadership and strong track record of funding success, including NIH K-awards, AGA Research Scholar Awards, AASLD Research & Career Development Awards, Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards, and eventual independent funding such as NIH R01 awards.
- Basic Science fellows are encouraged to search for primary research mentors from any department within the University of Pennsylvania including outside of the GI Division/Department of Medicine; a number of our Basic Science fellows are currently in non-GI labs. The large number of Centers and Institutes at Penn is an example of the wide range of research expertise on campus.
- All basic science fellows are supported by a research committee comprising track leaders and leading investigators in the field, with semi-annual meetings to foster career development and planning.
- Weekly GI scientific conferences with leading researchers in GI and related fields are offered through a seminar series hosted by the NIH P30 Digestive Disease Center. Fellows have the opportunity to have lunch with visiting seminar speakers.
- Basic Science fellows meet quarterly with track leadership to discuss career development opportunities and track-specific improvements in the fellowship.
- Fellows in the basic science track who are interested in translational research can pursue a Master of Science in Translational Research (MSTR) degree. The MSTR is a two-year program designed to provide fellows with in-depth training in methodology, fundamental skills, and necessary principles to become a well-rounded translational scientist. The program provides multidisciplinary mentorship, immersive professional seminars, and dedicated course work to accomplish these goals.
- Fellows pursuing bioinformatics research can obtain formal training through a Master of Biomedical Informatics (MBMI), supported by the T32 training grant. The MBMI is a two-year program that provides state-of-the-art graduate-level educational and training opportunities in biomedical informatics.
- Opportunities for additional funding during fellowship are encouraged (e.g. Penn Measey Physician Scientist Training Award) with the potential for increased salary.
- Additional funds for research supplies and travel are provided through the T32. Childcare cost support is also available to fellows on the T32.
Application Information
Please note that Penn has three (3) distinct fellowship tracks - Basic Science, Clinical Epidemiology, and Clinical Scholar. Applicants interested in the Basic Science Track should designate this on their ERAS application. Due to specific requirements for each track, applicants will not be allowed to interview for multiple tracks, and track switching during the fellowship is not permitted.
For questions about the Basic Science Track please contact:
Jonathan Katz, MD; Director, Penn GI Basic Science Track
jpkatz@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Testimonials from current and recent graduates of the Basic Science Track fellowship program:
Aaron Hecht, MD, PhD
Chief GI Fellow
Member: Basic Science Track, Physician-Scientist Program
Mentors: Gary Wu MD, Mark Goulian, PhD
Applying to Physician-Scientist Programs as an MD, PhD, I was looking for a GI fellowship with both a rigorous clinical environment and a commitment to basic science research. Having built a clinical foundation during the first year of fellowship, the Basic Science Track has provided outstanding interdisciplinary mentorship, opportunities to engage the scientific community, and the resources to work towards independence as an investigator. The program has also allowed me to grow my leadership skills as chief fellow, organizing a research Grand Rounds, and mentoring students in the lab. Support from the T32 has been invaluable in protecting my time as I strive to start my own lab, and I continue to be impressed by the environment Penn provides to early career physician scientists.
Nicole Belle, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
As a newly graduated MD PhD student, I wanted to match at a program that offered excellent clinical training, opportunities to explore clinical sub-specialities at the highest level and to continue to ask questions with translational implications at the bench. Penn checked all those boxes, so I ranked Penn first. However, at the time what I did not quite appreciate was how much excellent mentoring factored into academic career success. At Penn, I have found mentors at all levels; from intern year, as I tried to figure out what sub-specialty I wanted to pursue, to now as an assistant professor setting up my own research program, I have been able to put together teams of other Penn faculty who have invested in my success.
Bryson Katona, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Director, Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Program
After completing my GI fellowship at Penn through the Basic Science track, I was not only extraordinarily prepared as a clinical gastroenterologist, but I simultaneously had ample opportunity during fellowship to develop a research program that led to a K08 award and enabled me to launch my own investigative career. Between the wealth of faculty experience, support for basic science investigation, and countless available resources, there is no better place for a budding physician-scientist to pursue a gastroenterology fellowship than Penn.