HUSBAND BRAG: So DH's program automatically builds in two years of research (5-6), but not all residents do true research. Some will actually do their fellowship during those two years or extra electives, things like that. The hospital has a program called the Clinical Investigator Training Program which takes two to three residents/year in the entire hospital, not just his department. Basically the program pays your salary for those two years instead of your department, you take classes on applying for grants, write a master proposal and do research. Bascially it is everything you need to know to run your lab someday. DH started working on his proposal in the fall and did interviews in December, we found out this week he was selected. I'm very proud of him, this will TRULY make his two research years, PURE research. They can't pull him back on service, etc. They can put him on back up night call but they RARELY get called in. His department chair read his proposal and said "if you can figure that out, it'll make you famous" We'll see about that. I had to laugh though, in his acceptance e-mail it said: "in conjunction with a residency program in Neurosurgery which will be extended to a new completion date of June 28, 2013." I about fell over. Of course that is a typo, in most programs it does extend the program by two years but since neurosurgery already has the two years built in, it doesn't. :> Thank goodness b/c 7 years + a fellowship is more than enough, I can't do 9 years + fellowship.