Department Name

Applications from house officers in the Department of Surgery, General Residency Program to participate in a 1-3 year structured laboratory experience can be obtained from:

Application for Department of Surgery General Residency Program

These applications need to be completed and returned to either the General Surgery Residency Office, or to Dr. Moldawer or Dr. Behrns.  In general, these applications are to be submitted in the fall of the year prior to requested fellowship period.

Applications from qualified candidates outside the Department of Surgery can be obtained by contacting Dr. Moldawer directly at:

moldawer@surgery.ufl.edu

The faculty of the Department of Surgery recognizes the importance of mentored research in the training of general surgery house officers.  Although such an experience can be obtained during clinical training, the faculty believe that all general surgery house officers would benefit from and should a consider a one to three year dedicated research experience in the laboratory of a peer-review funded investigator.  The Department of Surgery offers a number of research opportunities within the Department and in the College of Medicine.

Choosing the right research experience:  The decision to participate in a mentored research experience should be made by the house officer in consultation with his or her faculty mentor, the Chairman and the Department of Surgery Research Advisory Committee.  That decision should be based on the career objectives of the house officer and his or her past research and clinical experiences.

The duration of the research experience should depend on the overall career goals of the house officer. Individuals who plan to pursue either a career in private practice or specialty training in a surgical subspecialty may choose one or two years of research to obtain the skills and experiences necessary to successfully compete for those positions. Individuals seeking an academic career, with the ultimate goal of establishing their own research program and/or competing for peer-reviewed funding, may require two or three years of research with a formal didactic component.  To provide opportunities for house officers to pursue advanced degrees, the Department of Surgery works closely with the College of Medicine.

Funding:  House officers interested in pursuing academic careers in trauma, burns, critical care, or other inflammation-related disciplines may be funded by the Department of Surgery through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32), which provides several two to three year mentored research fellowships.  A similar training program in surgical oncology from the National Cancer Institute is pending.  For promising individuals who select a career in clinical research, the Department participates in the College of Medicine program, funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, which leads to a Masters of Science degree in Clinical Research.  This Advanced Postgraduate Program in Clinical Investigation (K30) is designed to provide didactic training, practical guidance and mentorship from a multidisciplinary team of researchers.  Exceptional candidate with long-standing interest in basic research and appropriate past experiences may apply for admission to the doctoral degree program in the Graduate School.

Post-doctoral research fellowships :  The Department of Surgery also seeks qualified MDs and PhDs from the University of Florida, as well as other US and foreign institutions, for post-doctoral research fellowships. 

Deadlines:  Applications to participate in the T32 training program funded by the NIH must be received by the Department of Surgery by December 1 for the academic year beginning July 1.  Applications to the Graduate School are due February 15 prior to the academic year beginning in August.  For General Surgery House Officers, all applications, including those for the T32, K30 or Graduate School, require prior approval by the Department of Surgery Research Advisory Committee.