Medical Student Training in Aging Research Program
The University of Texas Medical Student Training in Aging Research (UT-MSTAR) is a multisite program involving the four largest medical schools in Texas: UT Southwestern (UTSW), UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSA), UT Health Houston (UTH), and UT Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). The program leverages the extensive research programs on aging at these institutions, which cover the translational spectrum, and benefits from well-established institutional collaborations in research and education on aging and geriatrics.
Objectives
- Expose first year medical students to the excitement of ongoing aging research;
- Encourage medical students from all backgrounds to consider pursuing, and to plan for, a research career in biomedical, behavioral, social, clinical, or health-services research areas; and
- Increase the pool and diversity of physician scientists engaged in research in those areas necessary to improve the health and independence of older adults and reduce health disparities.
Development
UT-MSTAR provides an early opportunity for students to develop a genuine interest and skills that will enable them to select a career in aging research and geriatrics. First year (rising second year) medical students will engage in an eight-week intensive, multi-institutional, mentored summer research training program on aging that entails the following activities:
- Completing a mentored research project – typically a freezer study or secondary data analysis
- Group didactics, including responsible conduct of research, topics in aging research, basic statistics, reproducibility, scientific writing and presentations
- Attending select seminars on aging research and geriatrics
- Clinical exposure to geriatric patients by shadowing geriatricians and clinician-investigators in aging
- Presenting the project at the UT-MSTAR annual consortium meeting and at a national conference on aging
Students are expected to learn basic research skills, methodologies, and technical expertise in aging research, increase their positive attitude and perceptions towards caring for older adults, develop a long-lasting connection with their mentors, and eventually pursue a career in aging research.
- Clinical Rotations
Students spend two half-days on clinical rotations per week throughout the eight-week summer experience. Clinical experiences are outlined below.
Geriatric Care Center (outpatient geriatric ambulatory care): Students are paired with an attending seeing primary care and urgent care visits in the Geriatric Care Center.
Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health (outpatient perioperative care for older adults): Patients are referred to the POSH clinic for comprehensive geriatric assessment, discussion about surgery and optimization prior to surgery. Students see patients with an attending.
Eisenberg Inpatient Wards (acute care for elders unit): Students pre-round with an intern and resident, attend Internal Medicine morning report, and round with the attending on the inpatient service.
Inpatient Geriatric Medicine Consults: Inpatient rotation where students round and see patients with the consults team which includes the attending, a nurse practitioner, and Internal Medicine or Psychiatry residents.
Care of Vulnerable Elders (COVE) House Calls (Home-based primary care visits in the community or at a local assisted living facility): Students accompany attendings who see older adults in their homes.
Therapy (physical or occupational therapy experience): Students rotate with physical or occupational therapists at the inpatient rehabilitation unit at Zale.
Wound Care: Lecture on wound care delivered by a geriatric medicine nurse practitioner.
Polypharmacy: Lecture on polypharmacy delivered by a pharmacist.
- Educational Didactics
Students attend didactics for 1.5 hours per week. Didactic topics include one lecture for each of the 4Ms, hands-on physical exam review and practice, and case report discussions. Didactics are led by Deborah Freeland, M.D. Three additional didactics are provided by interdisciplinary team members:
- Social Determinants of Health (delivered by social worker)
- Wound Care (delivered by a geriatric medicine nurse practitioner)
- Polypharmacy (delivered by a pharmacist)
In the second month, students have a session to practice their presentations prior to the final presentation to their research mentors and the Geriatric Medicine division faculty. There is also a session on how to write an abstract.
- Mentors
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine, General Internal Medicine
Area of Research: Health Services Research, Health System Science
Assistant Professor
Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology
Area of Research: Normal and Malignant Hematopoiesis
Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Cardiovascular Health in Women
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Cardiovascular and Peripheral Artery Disease, Hospital Process Measures and Quality of Care
Assistant Professor
Internal Medicine, General Internal Medicine
Area of Research: Health Policy, Value-based Care, Hospitalization in Cancer Patients
Professor
Psychiatry | Neurology
Area of Research: Major Depressive Disorder, Treatement-Resistant Depression, Aging, Dementia
Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Cardiovascular Aging, Heart Failure, Exercise Physiology
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine, Rheumatology
Area of Research: Rheumatology, MSK pain, Behavioral interventions
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Heart Failure, Frailty and Geriatric Syndromes, Cardiac Rehab
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine, Geriatrics
Area of Research: Geriatrics, Health Disparities, Hospice/Palliative Medicine
Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Heart Disease in South Asians, Lipid Disorders
Assosiate Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Cardiovascular Aging, Heart Failure, Exercise Physiology
Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Heart Disease in Older Adults, Omics of Heart Failure
Assistant Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Animal Models of Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation
Professor
Internal Medicine, Nephrology
Area of Research: Chronic Kidney Disease, Implementation Science
Professor
Internal Medicine, Cardiology
Area of Research: Hypertension, Disparities, Medication Adherence – Health Services and Outcomes Research, Stroke
Professor
Urology
Area of Research: Urinary Tract Infection, Incontinence, Prolapse
Requirements
Candidates: First-year medical students interested in aging research
Duration: Eight-week period over summer break
Total stipend: $4,704 (provided in two payments at the end of each month)
Deadline: February 21, 2025 at 5 pm CST
Contact Us
Division of Geriatrics
UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75390-8889
Phone: 214-648-9012
Fax: 214-648-2087
Email
Site Lead
Site Lead
Libby Burks
Administrative Assistant