Residency track designed for future leaders in academic surgery who aspire to combine surgical excellence with rigorous scientific investigation
Residents passionate about making basic, translational, or health services & implementation research a cornerstone of their surgical careers — particularly those with prior research experience or advanced training who are ready to make an immediate impact.
Strong preference is given to applicants with substantial prior research training (e.g., a PhD, master’s, or significant research time). While exceptions may exist for applicants with demonstrable commitment and potential, SSTP is designed for those who already have a research foundation to build upon.
Yes. SSTP trainees may join any lab across the University of Chicago. Those with a primary lab outside of the Department of Surgery will receive dedicated mentorship from the director of their respective SSTP track, ensuring they remain fully supported and connected to the surgical science community throughout their training.
SSTP provides access to a dedicated research technician who will continue supporting your research work during clinical years, ensuring continuity and protecting the momentum of your projects.
You are encouraged to attend the conferences most relevant to your science, whether surgical meetings, basic science conferences, or interdisciplinary symposia. The annual conference funding is intentionally flexible to support this.
SSTP integrates research without extending overall training length for most participants; flexible scheduling is tailored to individual goals.
SSTP graduates are given strong preference for faculty positions at the University of Chicago. While a faculty appointment is not guaranteed, our goal is to create a meaningful advantage for our trainees when faculty opportunities arise, and to support their transition to independent careers wherever they land.
SSTP applicants are matched based on their research interests. We work with trainees to identify experienced primary and secondary mentors from the Department of Surgery and across the university research community.
For details, mentorship inquiries, or questions about the application process:
The University of Chicago Department of Surgery is proud to announce the launch of our Surgeon-Scientist Training Pathway(SSTP), a highly selective residency track designed for future leaders in academic surgery who aspire to combine surgical excellence with rigorous scientific investigation. As part of a historic national pilot led by the American College of Surgeons and the American Surgical Association’s Blue Ribbon Committee II, SSTP offers an integrated, mentored pathway for residents seeking careers as independent investigators.
Our SSTP is modeled after successful Physician-Scientist Training Pathways (PSTPs) — and is designed to attract exceptional applicants with the ‘sincerity of intent’ to make research the cornerstone of their academic surgical careers.
The Ideal Candidate
SSTP is designed for residents who are deeply committed to building careers as surgeon-scientists. The strongest applicants will typically have:
Prior advanced research training — such as a PhD, master’s degree, postbaccalaureate research experience, or substantial laboratory/research time prior to medical school.
A meaningful publication record or demonstrated productivity in a research setting.
A clear vision for how research will form the foundation of their surgical career.
Research Opportunities Across the University
One of the most distinctive features of UChicago’s SSTP program is that trainees are not limited to surgical laboratories. SSTP residents may join any lab or research group across the entire University of Chicago — including basic science departments, engineering, public health, social sciences, and beyond. This university-wide access allows trainees to pursue the research that best aligns with their scientific interests and career goals, regardless of whether it is housed within the Department of Surgery.
Trainees who wish to establish their primary lab outside the Department of Surgery will not do so without support. Each trainee's research will fall into one of three research tracks, each of which has an SSTP track director who will provide dedicated mentorship to ensure that every trainee — regardless of where their primary laboratory is located — remains connected to the surgical science community, receives career guidance tailored to a surgeon-scientist trajectory, and has access to the full resources of their respective track. The three research tracks are:
Wet-lab research in molecular biology, immunology, cancer biology, and microbiome sciences.
Partnerships: Duchossois Family Institute (DFI), University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC), Polsky Center, Argonne National Laboratory, Hyde Park Labs.
Resources: shared laboratory space for RNA sequencing, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, organoid development, metabolomics, flow cytometry, small animal imaging core, state-of-the-art microscope core, support for investigator-initiated trials, commercialization, and multiple patient biobanks.
Dry-lab research across multiple translational domains, including: biomechanics, biophysics, biomaterials, nanotechnology, computational science, and data-driven health research.
Partnerships: Physical Sciences Division, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago Quantum Institute, Midway Three Research Computing Center.
Impactful research addressing healthcare access, workforce, cost, quality, equity, and policy, with a focus on implementation science and population health.
Partnerships: Public Health Sciences, CHeSS, Booth School of Business, University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Resources: National datasets including Marketscan, ACS quality registries (Cancer Registry, NSQIP, TQIP, NCDB, VSQIP), HCUP databases, weekly multidisciplinary meetings, career development grant mentorship, and SIHSR didactic curriculum.
One highly competitive SSTP position is designated annually via NRMP, appearing separately in the general surgery match.
MD and/or MD/PhD applicants with a demonstrated commitment to a surgeon-scientist career, especially those with prior advanced research training or a strong publication record.
Individualized career development plans, formal mentorship, protected research time during flexible training years, and access to grant-writing, research-in-progress, and leadership seminars. SSTP residents will enter a 2- to 3-year dedicated research period after completing the clinical PGY2 or PGY3 year.
Financial and logistical resources, departmental support for career development activities (e.g., workshops, technical training), conference attendance, and stipend during the research years.
Conference Attendance
SSTP residents will present their work and grow their professional networks at conferences most relevant to their research — not just surgical meetings. Trainees may attend and present at a broad range of scientific conferences, including specialty-specific meetings, basic science conferences, and cross-disciplinary symposia aligned with their research area. Conference attendance is encouraged and will be covered.
Maintaining Research Momentum During Clinical Years
A key feature of the UChicago SSTP is its commitment to ensuring research does not stall during clinical rotations. SSTP trainees will have access to a dedicated research technician who can continue laboratory or project work on their behalf during their senior clinical years. This allows residents to maintain active research programs, sustain momentum on ongoing projects, and generate data for grant applications that can be submitted immediately upon completing surgical training—a major advantage over traditional training models.
Scientific Engagement & Community
SSTP trainees join a rich and structured community of physician-scientists at both the local and national level, providing the collegial support, mentorship infrastructure, and career development resources that are essential to succeeding as an independent investigator.
University of Chicago CAPs Program
Locally, SSTP trainees are fully integrated into the University of Chicago’s CAPS (Clinician-Scientist Advancement Program), a dedicated training community for physician-scientist residents and fellows across the institution. Membership in CAPS provides SSTP trainees with:
Structured grant review exercises that simulate the NIH peer review process, helping trainees sharpen their grant writing and critical appraisal skills ahead of K and R award submissions.
A curated curriculum of seminars, workshops, and mentored discussions covering key milestones in the surgeon-scientist career path — from building an independent research program to navigating faculty negotiations and securing extramural funding.
A cohort of fellow physician-scientists across departments and specialties, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, mutual support, and long-term collegial relationships.
Access to institutional resources, including research mentorship networks, pilot funding opportunities, and invited speaker series.
American College of Surgeons Surgeon-Scientist Program
At the national level, SSTP trainees become members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Surgeon-Scientist Program — the premier national network for surgeons pursuing research careers. This affiliation connects trainees with:
A national cohort of surgeon-scientists across all ACS pilot training programs, enabling cross-institutional collaboration and networking.
National symposia and scientific meetings dedicated to the surgeon-scientist community.
Shared resources, best practices, and career development programming developed collaboratively across leading academic surgery programs.
Visibility and recognition within the national surgical science community, positioning graduates for leadership roles in academic surgery.
After SSTP: Launching Your Independent Career
The University of Chicago is deeply committed to the long-term success of SSTP graduates. Completing the SSTP is not simply the end of training — it is the beginning of a surgeon-scientist career, and we invest in setting our trainees up for that transition.
Preferred Pathway to a UChicago Faculty Position
SSTP trainees who excel clinically and scientifically are typically viewed as highly desirable for future faculty positions, including in our own department. Departmental commitment to a future UChicago faculty position can potentially occur before the end of general surgical training, even if the trainee pursues fellowship training at another institution.
For those who do join the UChicago faculty, this support includes:
Protected research time and startup resources to establish an independent laboratory or research program.
Ongoing mentorship from senior faculty through the grant submission process (K awards, R01s, and beyond).
Integration into the UChicago research ecosystem, with access to the full range of institutional resources, collaborators, and core facilities.
A clear and supported pathway toward tenure-track or research faculty appointment.
Application Process:
NRMP: SSTP listed separately; instructions and FAQs available through the centralized ACS Surgeon-Scientist Pathways hub (coming soon).
Internal Selection: Review by SSTP leadership team and Department of Surgery.
External Collaboration: Networking with ACS, NIH, and pilot institutions.
Join us at the forefront of surgical science. Transform your career with the University of Chicago SSTP.
Leadership
In addition, the program is overseen by faculty directors representing three core research domains (listed above): Biological Laboratory Sciences, Biophysical Translational Sciences, and Surgical Implementation & Health Services Research.
