Rehab Medicine Scientist Training Program (RMSTP)

About RMSTP

Where is the evidence base for rehabilitation treatments? How can we support the value of rehabilitation with payors and policy makers?

Rehabilitation research is the key, and well-trained rehabilitation researchers are needed for the job!

RMSTP will grow your career and rehabilitation research by helping you compete successfully for NIH and other research funds, and contribute original research to the advancement of the specialty. This renowned AAP program achieves that through multidisciplinary mentoring, networking and workshops. RMSTP has had tremendous success in creating high-quality physician-researchers - many of whom have become today's leaders in physiatry.

2025 RMSTP Fellows

Congratulations to our 2025 fellows for their acceptance into the program:

Levi Bale, MD; University of Washington School of Medicine
Naciye Bilgin-Badur, MD, PhD; Montefiore Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Jason Caffrey, MD, PhD; Baylor College of Medicine
Alejandra Cardenas Rojas, MD; Johns Hopkins University
Jennifer Dens Higano, MD, MPP, BA; Mayo Clinic
Matthew Glenn, MD MS; NYU Grossman School of Medicine / NYU Langone Health
Samantha Koerber, MD, MPH; University of Colorado
Constantine Nicolozakes, MD, PhD; Northwestern University / Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Anand Patil, BS, DO; St. Luke's Rehabilitation Medical Center
Drew Redepenning, MD; UPMC
Colleen Schneider, MD PhD; University of Colorado
Jason Silver, MD, PhD; University of Washington
Katy Stauffer, MD, MS; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Cara Vernacchia, DO; University of Colorado
Samantha Wu, MD; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Resources

RMSTP participants can access Workshop materials, complete Progress Reports, and find RMSTP Tuition information here.

Published: December 2024

RMSTP Lectures to Watch before the Workshop

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Published: November 2024

RMSTP Links

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Program Vision & Structure

Program Vision

If rehabilitation physicians treat problems in human function, then one might define rehabilitation physician researchers as scientists of human function. Yet there is no one type of training experience or skill set 'appropriate' for all rehabilitation physician researchers. The goal of RMSTP, therefore, is to expose physicians who want a rehabilitation research career to tools and knowledge bases that are closely related to the problems of human function that they wish to understand and to help them transform these tools into the building blocks of a rehabilitation research base. RMSTP also seeks to expose trainees and junior faculty to opportunities for ongoing collaboration with investigators in related disciplines so as to continually enrich the collaborative stream of research and create an environment in which mentorship is consistently present.

Structure

RMSTP has four application phases intended for rehabilitation physicians from all backgrounds in different stages of their career: pre-applicants, applicants, funded fellows and graduates. As part of RMSTP, we offer a Research Career Development Workshop at the AAP's Annual Meeting. At this workshop, you'll receive intensive education and networking in each of the four phases of RMSTP through lectures, small group interactions and individual meetings. The workshop provides individualized support to define candidates' research domains, select appropriate mentors and plan for maximal productivity in research training and funding proposals. The workshop is only for individuals accepted into the program.

Cost: AAP Members: $400 for Residents/Fellows or $750 for Practicing Physiatrists

*Not included: Cost of the AAP’s Annual Meeting Registration

Who Should Apply?

How to Apply

Pre-Applications

Pre-application is strongly encouraged to attend the annual RMSTP Workshop, offered in conjunction with the AAP’s Annual Meeting. Attendance at the workshop is strongly recommended (but not required) in order to submit a Phase I application for funded fellowship training. Pre-applicants can be residents, fellows or junior faculty interested in becoming involved in rehabilitation research.

Requirements:

Signed letter of support from your Department Chair (including commitment to fund RMSTP fees, trainee’s registration and travel to the AAP's Annual Meeting, AAP membership, if selected; and willingness to provide flexibility to the trainee to develop the Phase I application during the latter part of the PGY-3 year)
Personal statement (1 page max) specifically describing the candidate’s area of research interest, future career goals, prior research and related academic experience
Current curriculum vitae (CV)
Mentor's NIH-style Bio Sketch
What year will or did you complete your residency?
If selected, when do you propose to start Phase I training?
Are you a resident planning on doing a fellowship between your residency and RMSTP? If yes, please explain and identify when you would be ready to start the funded RMSTP fellowship.

Applications for pre-applicants to participate in 2025 are no longer being accepted.

Pre-applicant applications will open again in August 2025.

Applicant / Funded Fellow

Applicants and funded fellows are strongly encouraged to attend the annual RMSTP Workshop, offered in conjunction with the AAP’s Annual Meeting. Attendance at the workshop is strongly recommended (but not required) in order to become or participate as a funded RMSTP fellow.

Most applicants will advance from the Pre-Applicants phase into the Applicant phase, then advance to the Funded Fellow phase. However, if you wish to join the 'Applicant' or 'Funded Fellow' phase directly, please also submit a letter of support from your Department Chair* including written commitment on behalf of the department or candidate to pay RMSTP fees, registration and travel to the AAP's Annual Meeting, and AAP membership.

Requirements:

Candidate’s current bio
Bio for candidate’s primary mentor
Personal statement (1 page max) with description of scientific area of focus
Scientific aims page
*Candidates applying directly to the 'Applicant' phase (not advancing from 'Pre-Applicant' phase) must also submit a letter of support from their Department Chair.

Applicant and funded fellow applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Contact Mary Czerniak, Program Coordinator at (215) 663-6592 or Email

Apply Now (Applicant and Funded Fellows only)

Application Phases

Applicant Phase

Once approved for this phase of participation, trainees will have the opportunity to request RMSTP review of 2-3 career development grant applications annually (2 new applications or 1 new application and 2 revisions) by the RMSTP Advisory Board. Teleconference groups will be formed of trainees aiming for a similar date for their initial application. For each year of participation, trainees will identify the anticipated submission dates of grants and will receive RMSTP due dates in return (at least 9 weeks ahead of the due date). The applications will be assigned to a minimum of 2 peer reviewers knowledgeable about the candidate's scientific area as well as one of the RMSTP directors. An optional post-review phone meeting is available to discuss the implications of the reviews. As a condition of participation in the 'Applicant' phase, each trainee will provide a copy of each final submitted grant application and a copy of the resulting funding agency peer review comments.

Eligibility: To advance to the 'Applicant' phase from 'Pre-Applicant', candidates must submit their current NIH biosketch, a NIH biosketch from their proposed primary mentor, a description of their area of scientific focus, and a specific aims page. For participants who want to join the RMSTP Applicant phase directly, they must submit everything listed in the previous sentence and a letter of support from their Department Chair. The Chair's letter must commit either the candidate or the department to pay the cost of the program. Candidates remain involved as 'Applicants' until they receive career development funding or withdraw from the program. As part of their participation in RMSTP, trainees will cite the RMSTP's mentorship as an additional component of their grant-funded career development plan.

Cost: AAP Members: $400 for Residents/Fellows or $750 for Practicing Physiatrists
*Not included: Cost of the AAP’s Annual Meeting Registration
*Physician researchers who are not physiatrists will be charged AAP member rates

Funded Fellow Phase

Once funded, trainees will be moved into quarterly teleconference groups based on their start date. They will continue with quarterly calls for the first 3 years of funded training. In addition, trainees will have the opportunity to request RMSTP review of 1 grant annually by the RMSTP Advisory Board. This grant can be to any funding mechanism. Trainees will identify the anticipated submission dates of grants, and will receive RMSTP due dates in return (at least 9 weeks ahead of the due date). The applications will be assigned to a minimum of 2 peer reviewers knowledgeable about the candidate's scientific areas for written peer review. An optional post-review phone meeting is available to discuss the implications of the reviews.

Eligibility: To advance to the 'Funded Fellow' phase from 'Applicant', candidates must receive extramural funding for their training. For participants who want to join RMSTP in the 'Funded Fellow' phase, they must submit their current bio, a bio of their primary mentor, a funded-specific aims page, and a letter of support from their Department Chair. The Chair's letter must commit either the candidate or the department to pay for the program. Trainees continue for at least 3 years.

Graduate Phase