The STARS (Students and Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship) program sparks grassroots, student-led and faculty-supported initiatives to advance health care value in medical education. First launched in Canada in 2015, the U.S. program began in 2017 with 50 students from 25 medical schools. Today, STARS has engaged more than 800 students from over 60 schools nationwide and is proudly delivered by the nonprofit Costs of Care.

STARS empowers participants to “lead from where you stand”—developing curricula, student groups, national challenges, award programs, podcasts, journal clubs, and other innovative projects that amplify high-value care education. Along the way, students and faculty strengthen their own career development while advancing our shared mission to provide the best care at lower cost for patients.

Through the annual STARS Leadership Summit, learning collaborative calls, and national gatherings, STARS participants share experiences, celebrate successes, and build a resilient community of learner-leaders. The STARS network keeps growing—and we can’t wait for you to be part of it!