Meet the new Edwards-Goodpasture PSTP Associate College Advisor: Megan Lancaster, M.D., Ph.D.
by Sara Stiens (M1)
Dr. Megan Lancaster, M.D., Ph.D., is a PGY-7 (post-graduate year 7) Cardiovascular Medicine Fellow in the Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) at Vanderbilt.
When asked what led her to pursue medicine and science, Dr. Lancaster responded in the way that many physician-scientists do: she couldn’t decide between the two. Dr. Lancaster studied math and biology in college before attending the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at Mount Sinai for her M.D./Ph.D.
Dr. Lancaster’s advice to current MSTP students is to fully explore the training opportunities afforded by their programs. “When you’re a student, people want to teach you things and show you things. Take advantage of that. Go to conferences, go to talks. Get help with things. Soak up as much as you can. Ask people about their careers, where they are, what they like and don’t like.”
After graduating from the Mount Sinai MSTP, Dr. Lancaster moved to Nashville for the Vanderbilt PSTP, attracted by the research and positive training environment here. Since starting with the PSTP, she has completed an internal medicine residency as well as a clinical cardiology fellowship. Currently, Dr. Lancaster is completing postdoctoral research in the Roden lab, where she uses genomic bioinformatics to study genes that are linked to cardiac arrhythmia.
In the future, Dr. Lancaster sees herself continuing in her current line of research. She would like to be a principal investigator and dedicate a significant amount of time to her research while maintaining clinical practice. And it sounds like she’s well on her way—Dr. Lancaster recently won a Young Investigator award from the Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome Foundation for her cardiology research.
Reflecting on having a career that combines science and medicine, Dr. Lancaster said that “being able to see actual movement from bench to bedside and bedside to bench and being part of that work” is an aspect of the career that she cherishes. “Discussing research with your patients and having them be interested in it and having it even direct their care is really rewarding.”
While she is busy working towards the next stage in her career, Dr. Lancaster is also enthusiastic about contributing to the development of up-and-coming physician-scientists. “Mentorship is huge,” says Dr. Lancaster. “It can make or break your career, having people care and point you in the right direction.” Dr. Lancaster will be serving as a mentor in the Edwards-Goodpasture college of the Vanderbilt MSTP. In this role, Dr. Lancaster will provide current M.D./Ph.D. students with invaluable insight into what it’s like to be an early-career physician-scientist.
Outside of being a physician-scientist, Dr. Lancaster is an accomplished powerlifter. She began powerlifting while she lived in New York for her MSTP training, and she has since set several state records in the sport.