RESIDENCY

Physician-Scientist Pathway (PSP)

Overview
The Physician-Scientist Pathway (PSP) within our residency program provides exceptional trainees with the opportunity to pursue dedicated postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Penn-affiliated faculty. PSP residents complete all residency training requirements and, if desired, fellowship training.

This pathway is designed for physician-scientists who aspire to lead independent, extramurally funded research programs while continuing to contribute meaningfully to patient care.

Key elements of the PSP include:

  • The PSP can be combined with any core clinical track: AP, CP, AP/CP, or AP/NP.
  • Trainees may conduct postdoctoral research with any Penn-affiliated faculty member.
  • Departmental salary support for two years of protected postdoctoral research without clinical service requirements.
  • Individualized mentoring committee for each PSP trainee throughout the research phase.

Requirements
Applicants must have a dual degree MD/PhD background or an MD degree with a substantial and demonstrated track record of basic science work.

Application and Selection Process

  • Interested candidates should apply to their chosen core residency track through ERAS and email the current PSP Director, Malay Haldar (mhaldar@pennmedicine.upenn.edu), to express interest in the PSP.
  • In the pre-interview questionnaire, applicants should indicate interest in the PSP and list several faculty members whose research aligns with their interests.
  • Selected candidates will participate in two interviews (separate days): one for the core residency program and one dedicated to the PSP.
  • The PSP interview includes meetings with faculty mentors and a short presentation of the applicant’s prior research.

Research Opportunities at Penn
PSP trainees can pursue their research with any Penn-affiliated faculty. The Department itself is consistently ranked in the Top 3 in NIH research funding with a strong focus on neurodegenerative diseases, immunobiology, cancer biology and therapeutics, and HIV immunology. The Department also focuses on molecular and genomic pathology in support of precision medicine and computational diagnostics. It is also expanding clinical services and research in apheresis and cellular therapeutics and provides support for Penn-developed personalized cancer immunotherapy.

Placement of Graduates
 PSP graduates have an outstanding track record of academic placement. Many alumni remain as faculty within the University of Pennsylvania Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine or at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Others have accepted faculty positions at leading institutions nationwide including Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Washington University, Vanderbilt, and other preeminent Universities. Several alumni have gone on to become chairs of the pathology department at universities including NIH, University of Arkansas, and Roswell Park Cancer Center. For a more comprehensive listing, please visit the recent residents placement section.