Harvard Anesthesia Research Training Fellowship

About the Fellowship

The Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital—in collaboration with other Harvard Medical School-affiliated anesthesia departments—offers qualifying anesthesiologists the opportunity to train for two or three years under the mentorship of exceptional researchers as part of a post-doctoral research training program supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

Participants in the program would have the option to join a research group at:

• Mass General
• Harvard University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Harvard School of Public Health

The Program Goals

This post-doctoral research training program aims to develop physician-scientists who have the determination, creativity, training and experience to launch successful academic research careers in areas of importance to anesthesiology and perioperative medicine.

The program is individualized to meet each trainee’s needs, based on their interests, chosen field, past experience and education. One or more faculty mentors will be identified in consultation with the program director and a group of senior faculty advisors.

Areas of Research

The program offers participants experience in a wide range of sciences that comprise the interdisciplinary field of anesthesiology. These include, but are not limited to:

• Bioengineering
• Biochemistry
• Biophysics
• Comparative outcomes
• Endocrinology
• Epidemiology
• Genetics
• Metabolism
• Molecular biology
• Neurobiology
• Pharmacology
• Physiology
• Quality and safety
• Toxicology

Course Work

In addition to research work under the primary mentor, trainees are required and/or urged to complete courses in the areas of:

• Responsible conduct of research (required course)
• Statistical analysis and reproducibility of results (preferred workshops or courses)
• Scientific writing (preferred workshops or courses)

Additional graduate-level studies are tailored to trainee background, needs and goals, and may include completion of graduate degrees—such as a Master in Public Health or Master of Science—or certification in clinical research or biostatistics.

Training Duration and Effort

The duration of the research fellowship support is two to three years. A longer commitment is usually needed to fully prepare for independent research, typically with subsequent support from Mentored Research Training Grants or K-series National Institutes of Health (NIH) Career Development Awards.

Research fellows must spend at least 80% effort on research and career development activities.

Clinical Activities During Research Training

During the research fellowship, each trainee will hold a clinical appointment at one of the Harvard Medical School-affiliated academic anesthesia departments. Trainees may spend up to 20% effort on activities that utilize and advance their clinical skills and knowledge. The NIH allows trainee stipends to be supplemented from non-governmental (usually clinical) funds for allowed clinical activity.

Qualifications and Criteria

Trainees must have a clinical appointment in one of the Harvard Medical School-affiliated anesthesia departments. Candidates from outside the Harvard-affiliated hospital system may seek a clinical appointment through one of the department chiefs.

NIH policies allow only citizens of the United States and its territories and permanent residents to receive training funds.

This program and the Harvard Medical School-affiliated anesthesia departments are strongly committed to enhancing diversity in academic anesthesiology. Interested individuals from racial/ethnic or socioeconomic background groups that are underrepresented in medicine and academia, women and those with disabilities, are enthusiastically encouraged to apply.

Additional criteria used to select research trainees include:

• Eligibility for the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) exams or ABA certification (required)
• Acceptance and support from an approved research mentor (required)
• Motivation to prepare for a long-term scholarly career in scientific research relevant to clinical anesthesiology and perioperative medicine
• Plans for both research activity and career development. These must specify anticipated accomplishments during fellowship training and post-fellowship career plans
• Previous records of academic and clinical performance
• Evidence of previous research aptitude, independent and critical thinking, and creativity

Inquiries and Applications

Applicants are encouraged to submit written application drafts (without all supporting materials) at least four months before the target start date for training.

View application instructions

Send applications and questions to:

Stuart Forman, MD, PhD
Program Director, Harvard Anesthesia Research Training Fellowship
Department of Anesthesia Critical Care and Pain Medicine
Jackson 444
Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114

Email Dr. Forman

Ken Solt, MD
Associate Program Director, Harvard Anesthesia Research Training Fellowship
Department of Anesthesia Critical Care and Pain Medicine
Jackson 444
Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114

Email Dr. Solt