Physician-Scientist Training Program (PePSTP)

WashU Medicine and its Department of Pediatrics have a long and successful history of training pediatric physician-scientists. Our Pediatric Physician-Scientist Training Program (PePSTP) focuses on the critical period from completion of the combined MD/PhD degree through the clinical and mentored post-doctoral research training years. The PePSTP combines the outstanding clinical training environment of St. Louis Children’s Hospital with rigorous scientific training in the world-renowned laboratories across WashU Medicine.

Preferential access to subspecialty fellowships

Individualized training experience

Enhanced Transitional mentoring

Educational funds + salary enhancement

4.4

Average MD/PhD interns per year

87%

InDividual K award success rate

trainees inducted since 2012

The PePSTP at WashU Medicine was formalized in 2011, and the program has received substantial external support since 2013 from the Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation, in memory of Oliver Langenberg, a St. Louis businessman and philanthropist who led the foundation for 50 years and died in 2012 at the age of 99.

The ultimate goal of the program is to ensure the successful launch of pediatric trainees into research-intensive faculty careers in academic medicine. Successful applicants will generally have both MD and PhD degrees, or be MD’s with a Master’s degree or other substantial research experience (including publications). Trainees in the PePSTP are encouraged to consider participating in the Accelerated Research Pathway (i.e., fast-tracking) as defined by the American Board of Pediatrics; to date, 68% of our PePSTP trainees have elected to follow the ARP. Presuming successful progress in the residency phase, trainees enjoy preferential access into any of the clinical fellowships offered within the Department of Pediatrics. Fellowship research training (beginning in Year 4 if on the ARP, Year 5 if on standard track) can be conducted within any laboratory across the broad biomedical research landscape of WashU Medicine.

Facts & features

Quick facts

Our Pediatric Residency Program averages 4.4 MD/PhD interns per entering intern class
The PePSTP has inducted 39 trainees since 2012, has graduated 19 trainees and has 10 trainees currently in the program
Overall, the Department of Pediatrics has a K08 success rate of 90% and K-to-R success rate of 60%, both far above national averages

Key features

A flexible, individualized training experience combining both clinical and research training.
Enhanced mentoring to optimize transitions from clinical to scientific training and into the first academic faculty position.
Preferential access into any of the subspecialty fellowships at Wash U and SLCH.
Discretionary educational funds and salary enhancement (see below).

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include graduates with a combined MD/PhD degree, or an MD degree and a strong record of scientific experience, including publications. PePSTP trainees must fulfill all eligibility requirements for our Categorical Pediatrics training program. The most competitive candidates will have a strong commitment to a research career in academic medicine (including subspecialty fellowship training following residency) and an outstanding academic record.

Under-represented in medicine (URiM) Students: Learn more about the Kornfeld Post-Bac initiative seeking to address limited representation of minorities and disadvantaged populations in medicine and the biomedical workforce.

Financial support

PePSTP Trainees are guaranteed funding for both their clinical training years and their years of post-doctoral research. Senior fellows are encouraged to seek additional extramural funding (e.g., NIH K awards) to facilitate a subsequent transition to their first academic faculty position.

PePSTP Trainees receive additional funds to support their career development that include:

Internship (Year 1) – $3,000 for the purchase of computers, software, books
Years 2 and 3 – $2,000 per year for travel to national meetings or purchases of software or books
Years 4, 5 and 6 – $10,000 annual supplement to salary (reflected in the stipends shown below)

Stipends^*

Year 1	Intern	$69,842
Year 2	Resident	$72,940
Year 3	Clinical Fellow	$75,889
Year 4	Research Fellow	$89,309
Year 5	Research Fellow	$92,783
Year 6	Research Fellow	$96,152

^{* For the 2025-26 academic year, on Accelerated Research Pathway}

Program leadership

**Program directors, Michelle Gill and David Hunstad**

David Hunstad, MD

PePSTP Co-director
Email: dhunstad@wustl.edu

Michelle Gill, MD, PhD

PePSTP Co-director
Email: m.gill@wustl.edu

Danielle Fraser, MBA

Residency/PePSTP Coordinator

Email: dfraser@wustl.edu

How to apply

Learn about the additional information needed when applying for the PePSTP via the pediatric residency application process.

Learn more