The Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) program at UCLA Medical School

The Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) program at UCLA Medical School enables MDs who desire academic or research positions to upgrade their scientific skills. In this program, PhD candidates have already received their MDs, finished their internships, and, in some cases, completed their medical residencies. Therefore, upon completion of the PhD, most of these people move directly into faculty positions in academic medicine. This is a cooperative program involving all clinical departments at UCLA. The Director of STAR program at UCLA is Dr. Linda Demer, an MD/PhD and chief of the Division of Cardiology.

Caltech became part of the STAR program in 1997, with one student currently on campus. Caltech STAR students receive Caltech PhDs and can enroll in any the Institute's divisions.