Science in Residency Pathway
The Brigham has a long tradition of supporting the personal development of physician-scientists, and through the Science in Residency (SiR) pathway, we continue to keep that tradition alive.
Our goal is to provide an interface between the exemplary clinical care within the Internal Medicine residency program and the incredibly rich basic and translational research environment that exists here at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Pathway Features
Elective Time
SiR members will have the opportunity to combine their elective blocks during the third year of residency, giving members an extended elective block to engage in investigative research.
Mentoring
An integral component of the SiR program is a dedicated mentoring infrastructure that is headed by program director Dr. Rebecca Baron and that draws from the scientific community at large between Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MIT, and other affiliated institutions.
Programming
The SiR pathway is dedicated to help facilitate interest and engagement in science, within Brigham and Women’s Hospital and in the greater Boston community at large. The tentpole feature is the SiR research course (“bootcamp”), with talks and seminars from leading physician-scientists across all disciplines. Other events include evening discussions, specialized noon conferences, and semi-annual dinners, culminating in the Resident Research Day symposium at the end of the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Applications for all residency pathways are circulated in fall of intern year. However, there are plenty of exciting opportunities to be involved in SiR events from week one of your Brigham residency, so just keep an eye on your email! For prospective students, if you have questions before, during, or after your interview, please contact us.
The SiR group provides mentorship, community, and many fantastic events for physician-scientists. Our goal is to help residents who are passionate about science engage their interests during residency, and additionally help them further develop their career paths.
The SiR Bootcamp is targeted to residents with a strong laboratory science background. It is designed to be an educational and immersive experience in basic science that comes right after your rigorous clinical intern year. It offers an exposure to a wide array of rigorous laboratory-based scientists from around the Boston community, and also provides structured career development advice for those who are thinking about clinical fellowship, post-doctoral research fellowship, and beyond.
No problem! No requirement to focus on a subspecialty is required! Rebecca Baron is our head faculty member, and will work with you to determine the right mentorship. If you are deciding between more than one subspecialty, then it may be beneficial to have a mentor in each. If you decide not to subspecialize, we will find you a great mentor who fits your research interests.
Of course! The goal of this pathway is to facilitate mentorship and guidance for residents interested in careers as physician-scientists who seek laboratory-based careers. If you short track, you will still benefit from the two-week research bootcamp course and all the conference series and networking opportunities during your time in residency.
The research elective course in junior year will substitute for one elective. You will still be granted a second elective block in junior year that can utilized as you see fit (clinical elective, research, etc). For senior year, you will still be given the same amount of elective time as all residents, but you will have the opportunity to group these into four-week blocks to facilitate meaningful laboratory research.
Yes. The grouped senior research time will only be granted to residents who intend to engage in laboratory-based research their senior year to allow for a more meaningful research experience. If you choose to spend your elective time in other ways, you will be given the normal distribution of elective time granted to seniors.
No formal research background is required. However, SiR is designated for residents who intend to pursue laboratory-based research careers. Although the majority of people in the pathway have engaged in prior laboratory-based research, this is not a requirement. If you see yourself pursuing this mode of research or you seek to gain more exposure, than we welcome your participation!
The SiR pathway is specifically geared towards the advice and mentorship of residents who intend to pursue laboratory-based careers, and the career development and lecture series will be focused on the basic sciences. While we welcome all residents, this would be less useful for those interested in research careers in the clinical, epidemiological, or educational realms. We are also closely aligned with the Clinical Investigator Pathway within the residency, which provides more of an emphasis on clinical-based research careers.
Events
SiR Bootcamp
The SiR program hosts various events throughout the year, from formal lectures and mentoring meetings, to informal dinners. A brief overview of these events is provided below.
Evening Discussions
This is a monthly lecture series during which an invited physician-scientist gives a one-hour talk on a weekday evening. Typically, during the first half-hour he or she talks about their background, training, and career development, while the second half focuses on their research. They vary throughout the year and sometimes include more specific topics, such as mentoring, funding, and writing grants. As always, snacks are provided!
End of Year Symposium
In collaboration with the Internal Medicine Resident Research Day, SiR members present their work to the Department of Medicine.
Semi-Annual Dinners
Every year we have two residency sponsored dinners. They serve as a time to build community and foster discussion among SiR members.
Pathway leadership
Rebecca Baron, MD
Associate Program Director for Research and Scholarship
Director, Science in Residency Pathway
James Smithy, MD, MHS
Chief Medical Resident
Current Residents
PGY-3

Amanda Garfinkel
Medical School: Weill Cornell Medicine

Amin Nassar
Medical School: American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine

Michael Litt
Medical School: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Jonathan Kotzin
Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Allison Chang
Medical School: Harvard Medical School

Trevor Barlowe
Medical School: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
PGY-2

Zachary Yochum
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Durga Thakral
Medical School: Yale School of Medicine

Yakir Reshef
Medical School: Harvard Medical School

Christiaan Rees
Medical School: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Tess O’Meara
Medical School: Yale School of Medicine

Cody Nelson
Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine

Heardley Moses Murdock
Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Kristen Mengwasser
Medical School: Harvard Medical School

Annelise Mah-Som
Medical School: Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine

June-Koo (Jake) Lee
Medical School: Seoul National University College of Medicine

Min Young (Megan) Jang
Medical School: Harvard Medical School

Yun-Han (Hannah) Huang
Medical School: Weill Cornell Medicine

Eran Hodis
Medical School: Harvard Medical School

Benson George
Medical School: Stanford University School of Medicine

Ron Gejman
Medical School: Weill Cornell Medicine

Emma Fink
Medical School: Harvard Medical School

Ryan Denu
Medical School: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Bryan Ciccarelli
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Anna Borton
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Sarah Abou Alaiwi
Medical School: American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine