Pancreatic Surgeon Research Training Fellowship

The Pancreatic Surgeon Research Training Fellowship is offered by the Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care (BCCPC) at OHSU. The purpose of this fellowship is to train surgeons (who have completed their residency) in translational research focusing on diseases that involve the pancreas. The ideal candidate would be a surgeon with fellowship training focused on hepatopancreaticobiliary diseases and has yet to established clinical or scientific independence.

Over a twelve-month intensive, goal oriented basic and translational training experience, the trainee will emerge with an active independent line of investigation and with accompanying highly vetted grant applications. The goal of this program is to assist in the career maturation of surgeon-scientists by facilitating success at the current stage of greatest attrition. Of those advanced trainees with a career in being an independent investigator, the path to acquiring independent funding remains precarious. By launching new surgeon-scientist careers that focus on malignant and benign pancreatic disease, we ultimately aim to advance durably the understanding of pancreatic biology, disease, and therapies beyond an individual project grant.

Fellows will be placed in a pancreatic disease research lab and mentored to develop their own projects and work towards applications for external funding. Training components may include journal clubs, physician shadowing, OHSU School of Medicine cancer courses, or grand rounds.

FY24 Award Opportunities:

• Up to one, 1-year fellowship will be awarded each year. Salary will be $150,000 for the year, with addition of fringe benefits.
• BCCPC will also provide relocation cost support up to $10,000.
• Fellowship period will begin August 1st, 2024.
• These funds are made possible through philanthropic support to the Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care.

Prerequisites:

• This award is intended to foster the growth of surgeon scientists in the field of pancreatic translational research.
• Applicants must have a medical doctoral degree (MD or DO).
• Eligibility is limited to medical trainees who have completed a surgery residency. Some prior experience in the conduct of bench research would be preferred.
• Candidates who have accepted another concurrent postdoctoral fellowship, NIH K award, or other career transition award are not eligible.

How To Apply:

Key Dates: Application deadline: June 1, 2023; Award start: August 1, 2024.

Application Requirements

1. Title page. Include applicant name and contact information, potential OHSU mentor if known, title of research project, and brief summaries of proposed project and training plans. (1 page)

2. Research Goals, training plan, and personal statement (3 pages). Please fully address the following:

• What research goals do you aim to accomplish?
• How will these stated goals materially contribute to any of the three focus areas for pancreatic disease of the Brenden-Colson Center (Early Detection, Advanced Therapy, and Quality of Life)?
• Explain how the Brenden-Colson Center and OHSU is an appropriate environment to help you realize your stated goals.
• Describe how your background will enable you to accomplish these goals or how your background helped you develop these goals.
• Include a detailed training plan. Describe the specific training or education that you plan to pursue during the fellowship. Explain how these new areas of training and exposure will complement your prior area(s) of expertise and how these new areas of training will enable you to reach your research goals and further your pancreatic translational research career. Bench scientists must include clinical exposure as part of their training plan, and clinicians should include basic science or population science research training.
• Describe any portion of the research or training that will be performed at an outside university, hospital, or research institution.
• Include a timeline with milestones (e.g., for training goals) and deliverables (e.g., for research project goals) (does not count against the 3-page limit)
• Literature Cited (does not count against the 3-page limit)
• Lay summary with impact statement (½ page, does not count against the 3-page limit)

4. Letters of Support Three (3) letters of recommendation will be requested separately. These should be from previous mentors or others with the ability to comment on the applicant’s background and potential to take advantage of the opportunities offered in this fellowship and to grow into an outstanding researcher in the field of pancreas biology.

Format Specifications

• Use Arial 11-point font, single-spaced.
• Use 3/4-inch (0.75”) margins (top, bottom, left, and right) for all pages.
• Consecutively number pages.

Figures, Graphs, Diagrams, Charts, Tables, Figure Legends, and Footnotes

• You may use a smaller type size but it must be in black ink and readily legible.
• Do not include figures or other materials that are not inserted directly into the body of the application.