The Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Research Education of Surgical Trainees (GHREST) program brings together the extensive multidisciplinary gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary (GI/HPB) expertise at the Indiana University School of Medicine to create a multidisciplinary, two-year research training program consisting of (1) a Health Services and Outcomes Research (HSOR) Track and (2) a Basic Science and Translational (BTS) Research Track.

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Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Research Education of Surgical Trainees (GHREST) Program

The Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Research Education of Surgical Trainees (GHREST) program combines the extensive multidisciplinary gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary expertise at the Indiana University School of Medicine to create a multidisciplinary, two-year research training program. The program has two tracks: a health services and outcomes research track and a basic science and translational research track.

Surgeon-scientists are an underrepresented population in academic medicine, and federally funded surgeon-scientist-led research has declined over the past decade. Substantial challenges are faced by surgical trainees seeking research training. Importantly, surgical resident training programs with ample protected time for dedicated experiential research training have effectively contributed to the pipeline of successful, independently funded surgeon-scientists. These researchers have meaningfully impacted surgical patient care and scientific knowledge.

The GHREST program will draw upon the Department of Surgery’s 30-year experience of training in basic science and translational research and the 15-year health services and outcomes research resident training collaboration between the Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center (SOQIC) and the Regenstrief Institute. Since 2011, SOQIC has trained nearly 50 surgical research trainees who have gone on to gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary-focused academic careers.

Apply Today

Interested applicants should contact the principal investigator, Troy Markel, MD.

Curriculum

Learn more about the immersive multidisciplinary and experiential research training.

Meet the Team

Meet the executive team, mentors and past trainees of the GHREST program.

GHREST program is unique compared to other T32 grants

First, our program has a long-standing track record of recruiting excellent trainees from across the country, not only from our institution but also from other nationally reputable surgical training programs.

Second, the GHREST program collaborates closely with the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

Third, trainees receive an exceptional, high-impact research experience, as seen in the prominent trainee first-author publications in journals such as JAMA and NEJM. The commitment to academics is clear, as nearly all graduates have pursued academic positions in respected departments across the U.S. Several former trainees have returned to our team in faculty positions.

Objectives

The ultimate goal and objectives of the GHREST program are to ensure an increase in the number of surgical trainees who successfully pursue and achieve academic careers as independently funded gastrointestinal and digestive disease surgeon scientists. Indiana University School of Medicine is uniquely positioned to ensure the success of the GHREST program, given its substantial gastrointestinal and digestive disease research programs, exceptional track record of mentorship and multidisciplinary trainee research training.

Objective 1

Recruit and train diverse, exceptional trainees in the design and conduct of rigorous, high-impact gastrointestinal and digestive disease research in their selected areas of focus (e.g., prevention and screening, diagnosis and treatment).

Objective 2

Provide trainees with robust surgical gastrointestinal and digestive diseases research training, career development and leadership skills through a didactic core curriculum, tailored mentorship, robust research experience and early introduction into professional networks and societies.

Objective 3

Leverage the oversight by external advisors and rigorous program evaluation to ensure trainee acquisition of state-of-the-art research core competencies, ability to conduct and disseminate impactful surgical gastrointestinal and digestive diseases research and establishment of a career development support network.

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GHREST Program Timeline

The GHREST program is a two-year intensive research training experience with 100% protected time. Trainees receive multidisciplinary mentorship and tailored instruction, including a Master’s degree option. The core curriculum covers study design, ethics, communication and career development, with hands-on research projects leading to national conference presentations and high-impact publications. Trainees engage in dynamic workshops, seminars and professional society opportunities and benefit from expert guidance and continuous program enhancement.

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Proud Partnership with SAGES and ASMBS

We proudly leverage our unique partnership with SAGES and ASMBS to train surgical fellows. In this role, fellows will work with top surgeons nationally to develop clinical guidelines and learn systematic reviews and GRADE methodology. This collaboration helps identify research priorities and offers direct interaction with SAGES and ASMBS executive leadership for national-level mentorship. Fellows can engage in multi-site research projects and access key quality improvement data through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. This partnership provides unparalleled career development and networking opportunities.

Learn more about our past trainees

See who our former trainees are, where they went and what they trained in.

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