The application period is now closed.

The Program

Eligibility Criteria

Total Awards

Use of Foundation Funds

Timeline for appointments

How to Apply

The Program

For more than three decades, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars program has fostered the development of physicians who are leading the transformation of U.S. health and health care through positions in academic medicine, public health and other leadership roles. Clinical Scholars will learn to conduct innovative research and work with communities, organizations, practitioners and policy-makers on issues important to the health and well-being of all Americans.

The goal of the program is to integrate Scholars’ clinical expertise with training in program development and research methods to help them find solutions for the challenges posed by the U.S. health care system and the health of U.S. communities. The program offers master’s degree graduate-level study and research in a university-based, post-residency training program. The Clinical Scholars program generally involves two years of study with generous protected time for research.

Scholars train at one of the following participating institutions:the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of Michigan; the University of Pennsylvania; and Yale University. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Scholars also train at their affiliated VA medical centers. Although their programs vary in design and emphasis, each institution has developed a core structure that introduces scholars to the methods used in health care research, and each offers formal coursework, individual mentorship and guidance in project development.

Up to 20 Clinical Scholars will be selected. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is funding up to 10 positions. The VA supports 10 additional positions each year through VA Medical Centers affiliated with the participating universities. The universities provide participating Scholars with stipends that are comparable to stipends for similar post-doctoral research training positions at each institution. The VA stipends in some cases will be higher.

We expect Scholars to complete graduate-level projects in their area of interest. To date, Scholars have conducted studies in diverse health-related fields, such as problems of health care delivery and financing, clinical decision-making, social determinants of health, biomedical ethics, medical history and health policy. Two newer aspects of the program include leadership training and learning about community-based participatory research. Each Scholar is supervised jointly by the directors of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars program at the participating university and by faculty preceptors from the Scholar’s chosen priority area. Up to 80 percent of a Scholar’s time is protected for scholarly work. Twenty percent of a Scholar’s time should be spent on clinical activities. With approval by the national program office, training site program director, the national advisory committee, and fellowship director, it may be possible for the time in Clinical Scholars to be credited as research time in another fellowship. This must be discussed at the time of application.

Scholars also have the special opportunity to be mentored by one of the members of the program’s distinguished national advisory committee (NAC). The NAC is composed of national leaders from a range of disciplines. The program assigns each Scholar a NAC mentor, who will discuss career development and other issues, to complement the mentors at the participating university. NAC mentors meet with the Scholars in person at the program’s annual meeting and are available throughout the year as needed. Scholars from the four participating universities participate in an annual national meeting to foster networking and in-depth discussions of research and of change in health care systems.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars program is a core element of the Foundation’s rich history of human capital programs and projects. Our Human Capital Portfolio seeks to build and maintain a strong and diverse leadership and workforce in health and health care, and to help develop specific fields. For over 35 years, the Foundation-funded Clinical Scholars program has trained more than 1,100 physicians from varied disciplines, many of whom have become national and international leaders in health and health care. The VA has provided financial and in-kind research support for over 30 years for this program. Former scholars are engaged in academic medicine, government and medical practice. Many serve as leaders of health care institutions and delivery systems in a variety of public and private settings; others are contributing to the formulation, conduct and evaluation of health-related public policy; and many continue active research careers on important topics in health and health care.


Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars program, physicians may be in training or have been trained in any medical/surgical specialties and be eligible for an unlimited medical license in the United States upon completion of training. In addition they must:

• be committed to a career in academic medicine, public health, health policy or another career congruent with the program’s purposes and priorities in developing physician leaders and skilled researchers;

• be highly regarded by those responsible for their clinical training;

• intend to complete the clinical requirements of their residency training by the date of entry into the program (except for surgeons); and

• be a U.S. Citizen, Resident Non-Citizen National or Resident Foreign National. (Permanent residents must submit a copy of Green Card.)

Both MDs and DOs are eligible to apply.

Applicants whose stipends will be supported or supplemented by other sources will not be considered except for active duty military personnel. All funding decisions are made by RWJF and the VA.

Applicants cannot be related by blood or marriage to any Officer* or Trustee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, or be a descendant of the Foundation’s founder, Robert Wood Johnson.

* The Officers are the Chairman of the Board of Trustees; President and CEO; Chief of Staff; General Counsel; Secretary; Assistant Secretary; Treasurer; and Assistant Treasurer of the Foundation.

We are committed to a program that embraces racial, ethnic, gender and disciplinary diversity, and we encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and clinical disciplines.

Desirable attributes of applicants include:

• demonstrated interest in improving health or the health care system;

• exhibited leadership capabilities, including setting high personal goals and motivating others;

• demonstrated ability to develop new ideas and to implement them;

• ability to interact and communicate effectively with others;

• record of consistent accomplishment of projected activities;

• previous research experience, published or unpublished; and interest in, and/or experience with, community organizations.

Total Awards

We will select up to 20 scholars in 2012 for appointments beginning July 1, 2013.
First year scholar stipend is $64,500 with an increase the second year. In some
cases VA stipends may be higher. Additional financial support is provided for research
projects and professional travel.

Use of Foundation Funds

RWJF makes grants to the four participating universities in accordance with our regular funding guidelines. Under the program, the universities provide scholars with their stipends and health insurance for the 10 RWJF- funded scholars and the VA provides the stipends and health insurance for the VA-funded scholars as well as faculty support, clinical resources and research databases for all scholars interested in the VA patient population.

Timeline for Appointments

The application process begins 18 months before candidates seek entrance into the Program. Appointments are effective July 1 each year.

• November 7, 2011 - The application period opens.

• February 29, 2012 – All applications (and reference letters) must be submitted online by this date. All reference letters should be submitted online early as possible in the application period to ensure that interviews can be arranged and completed.

• Mid-March 2012 – Applicants will hear directly from the training sites to which they applied whether they are invited to come interview. Once contacted, candidates will be responsible for making arrangements with appropriate program sites for interviews. Applicants not selected for an interview at all sites where they applied will not move forward in the application process.

• April 13, 2012 – On-site interviews at the programs must be completed.

• April 24, 2012 – Submission deadline for candidate's site preferences and revised personal statements.

• By June 30, 2012 – Candidates will be notified of the decisions on their applications. (The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation does not provide individual critiques of applications submitted.)

• Selected Scholars will receive a phone call from their site and a subsequent official letter of acceptance will be both emailed and sent in the mail from the National Program Office.

• Applicants who are not selected or given alternate status will be sent an official letter that will be both emailed and sent in the mail from the National Program Office.

• July 1, 2013 – Entry of selected Scholars into the Program at participating universities.

How to Apply

The application period is now closed.

Kristin Siebenaler, deputy director
Phone: (919) 843-1351
rwjcsp_admin@med.unc.edu

All applications are reviewed by the university program faculty and the program’s national advisory committee. RWJF does not provide individual critiques of applications submitted.

We recommend applying to more than one site originally to increase chance of admission.

Important:
You must have received agreement from your references to write a letter on your behalf and be prepared to submit their names and their contact information (email, phone number, and mailing address) during the application. (They will receive an automated email when you submit your application.)

Your online application will include the following: