The Center for Surgical Training and Research (CSTAR) in the U-M Medical School Department of Surgery has a 1- and 2-year surgical education research fellowship.
CSTAR fellows are passionate about surgical education research. In this fellowship, trainees will gain the ability to become independent surgical education investigators by intensive mentorship by CSTAR faculty and project-based learning on high-impact research projects.
Our researchers combine the best in traditional educational work (assessment, curriculum development, recruitment, leadership development, and faculty development) as well as several new, cross-disciplinary programs that:
- Bridge the gap between surgical education research and health services research
- Address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in surgical education
- Apply improvement science methodologies to develop new national evidence-based standards for surgical training
Eligibility Requirements
The CSTAR Fellowship is offered to trainees during dedicated academic development time within surgical residencies or fellowships. Although a two-year commitment is preferred, trainees in specialty programs which allow for a one-year commitment may also be considered. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident – interested trainees should apply.
Application Deadline: December 31, 2025
Applications must include:
- Letter of interest (1-2 pages) describing previous experience, plan for concurrent academic research and mentorship, career goals, and how the Fellowship will advance these goals
- Curriculum vitae
- Letter of support from Department Chair and/or Program Director, with documentation of support for salary and benefits during the fellowship
Please email application documents to: [email protected]
During their CSTAR Fellowship, fellows will be immersed in the methods, challenges, and opportunities for the surgical education field. They will learn through the practical experience of working on multiple high-impact surgical education research projects. In addition, fellows will participate in group education sessions and receive one-on-one mentorship related to surgical education research. Most fellows also pursue a Masters in Health Professions Education or the ASE Surgery Education Research Fellowship.
Competence will be developed across 5 core domains:
Education Theories
Research Methods
Research Scholarship
Curriculum/Program Development and Evaluation
Self-Leadership
To augment a credentialed or certificate granting program (e.g. MEd, MPH, MHPE, SERFF), fellows will also participate in a weekly formal CSTAR seminar. Topics include:
Educational theories
Research methodologies
Feedback
Assessment
Program evaluation
Planning a study
Curriculum development
Survey design
Teaching methods (i.e. deliberate teaching, teaching to large and small groups)
Writing abstracts
Mentoring
Aligning research with peer-reviewed publications
Literature search and systematic reviews
In addition, faculty and fellows will present research-in-progress (e.g. abstracts, manuscripts, grants) to garner feedback from the CSTAR collaborative. This small group active learning method will serve to extrapolate concepts from the formal curriculum and apply them to practical projects.
The curriculum will alternate weekly between the formal content and research-in-progress.
Center for Surgical Training and Research researchers are uniquely positioned for high-impact work thanks to internal and external grant support and an all-star cast of mentors and staff. Furthermore, all CSTAR researchers, including CSTAR fellows, have unique access to multiple sources of learner and patient data not found at any other institution.
Professor of Learning Health Sciences
Medical School
Expand your career trajectory in a high-volume academic medical center that also supports and excels in a wide range of basic science, translational and clinic outcomes research programs.
We find a new reason to love Ann Arbor nearly every day — year-round outdoor activities, cultural experiences, a growing food scene, and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere are just a few that come to mind. Explore all that Ann Arbor and our surrounding communities have to offer.
