Application period is now open.

The Program

Eligibility Criteria

Use of Foundation Funds

Timeline for appointments

How to Apply

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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. Interested scholars will be considered for a limited number of opportunities for a third year of support.

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. 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 25 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars will be selected. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is funding up to 16 positions. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs supports eight additional positions each year through VA Medical Centers affiliated with the participating universities. The American College of Surgeons may support an additional position that is designated for a surgeon. (Surgeons are also eligible for RWJF- and VA-funded slots.) The universities provide all participating scholars with stipends that are comparable to stipends for similar post-doctoral research training positions at each institution.

We expect scholars to complete graduate-level research 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. 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 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 citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its territories.

Both MDs and DOs are eligible to apply.

Applicants whose stipends will be supported or supplemented by other sources will not be considered. All funding decisions are made by RWJF.

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.

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. The first year scholar stipend is $59,500 with an increase the second year. Stipends are comparable to stipends for similar research training
positions at each institution. Financial support is available at each university for expenses associated with scholars’ research, including travel.

>> Click here to view RWJF's Grant Results Report on the Clinical Scholars Program (March 2009)

Timeline for Appointments

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

• February 26, 2010 – All applications (and reference letters) must be submitted online by this date. All reference letters should be submitted online as early as possible in the application period to ensure that interviews can be arranged and completed.

• April 16, 2010 –On-site interviews at the programs must be completed. Program sites will contact candidates who are selected to interview at that site. Once contacted, candidates will be responsible for making arrangements with appropriate program sites for interviews.

• April 23, 2010 – Submission deadline for candidate's site preferences and revised personal statements.

• June 20–June 30, 2010 – Candidates will be notified of the decisions on their applications. (The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation does not provide critiques of applications submitted.)

• July 1, 2011 – Entry of selected Scholars into the Program at participating universities.

How to Apply


Application period is now open. The application period for 2011-2013 scholars will open December 7th, 2009 and will close February 26th, 2010.

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: