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DORIS
DUKE
CLINICAL RESEARCH
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS
Program Description
There
is a long tradition at the Yale University School of Medicine supporting
the concept of medical student research. The Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship
(DDCF) Program at Yale will offer students the opportunity to pursue a career
in clinical research by completing a one year combined didactic and mentored
clinical research training program for students from any medical school in
the U.S. Yale University School of Medicine, a national leader in clinical
and basic science research, ranks fifth nationwide amongst U.S. medical schools
in total NIH funding, and ranks third in the percentage of graduates who select
careers in research. With a world renowned faculty, a long tradition of a required
M.D. thesis in the curriculum, two NIH-funded Clinical Research Centers and
expanding programs in clinical and translational research, Yale offers extraordinary
opportunities for DDCF Fellows.
Physician-scientists are essential to
the broader goals of scientific medicine and are essential to improve the
health of the American people by applying science to clinical care. Yale
currently has 137 NIH-funded Center Research Grants and Training Center
Grants using multidisciplinary approaches to clinical research which promote
cooperative interactions among clinical investigators and basic scientists
in a manner that enriches the effectiveness of ongoing research and promotes
new research directions. The activities comprise a multidisciplinary approach
to the biological, biomedical, behavioral, and epidemiological problems
characterizing a specific research area. Yale's commitment to training in
clinical research reflects the understanding that physician-scientists are
the critical element in maintaining the School's international leadership
in research and education.
Students
supported by the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship Program will have
full access to all Yale School of Medicine educational offerings in clinical
research. The program seeks to train students in critical thinking; to provide
them with methodological skills; and to expose them to a wide range of topics
so that they are prepared for the creative challenges in clinical research.
All students will be required to begin their year of fellowship by taking
the Principles of Clinical Research course in the summer. Two additional
courses will be required, including an Introduction to Biostatistics and
Practical and Ethical Issues in Clinical Investigation. Students will also
have the option of taking additional elective courses.
Application Information
Interested students should complete the Doris Duke Common Application Package at http://www.ddcf.org/mrp-crf. The Doris Duke Common Application formal deadline is January 6, 2010. Items 1-6 below are to be submitted on line when you submit the Doris Duke Common Application Package. Items number 7 and 8 are to be sent to our office via email to donna.carranzo@yale.edu.
- Completion of the online common application form
- A letter of support from the Dean's office of the medical school in which you are currently matriculated. Please include MCAT scores in your Dean’s letter.
- Two letters of support from faculty who can comment on your academic performance and potential for clinical research
- A personal statement
- A copy of your curriculum vitae
- A copy of your medical school transcript
- A two-page description of your proposed project if a potential Yale faculty sponsor is identified. The description should include the aims of the research program, previous work done on the same or related problems by other investigators and by the applicant's faculty sponsor, contemplated method of approach to the problem with a description of the overall design, significance and relevance of the research, ethical aspects of the proposed research, and literature cited.
- Names of 4-5 potential faculty research mentors. (see Mentor Selection section below for further information)
Detailed instructions are provided below for each of the six items listed above required by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in the Common Application Package. Read the FAQs at http://www.ddcf.org/page.asp?pageId=296 before starting to prepare your application for helpful guidance on questions about the program, application process and eligibility, as well as for students who are considering applying to schools at which they are not matriculated.
- Online Application Form
Complete all sections of the online application form, which requests the following information:
Your contact information
Education history
Areas of clinical research you are interested in during fellowship year
School(s) to which you are applying
Description of prior research experience, if applicable
- Letter from the Dean
Request the letter of support from your Dean on the online application form well in advance of the deadline. Your Dean will receive an e-mail from ddcfcrf@aibs.org and will be asked to submit the letter through the online DDCF Application system by January 6, 2010. Some schools request specific information about you in the Dean's letter, so please check each school's additional requirements before requesting the letter from your Dean.
- Letters of Support
Request the letter of support from your references on the online application form well in advance of the deadline. Your references will receive an e-mail from ddcfcrf@aibs.org and will be asked to submit the letter through the online DDCF Application system by January 6, 2010. Because some schools have specific requirements for the letters of support, it is advisable to check each school's additional requirements before requesting the letters.
- Personal Statement
You will need to upload a personal statement (PDF) to submit your application. Your statement should contain a description of a) your reasons for undertaking clinical research; b) your plans for future professional or graduate education as well as your long-term career plans; and c) your current research interests, and the areas or questions that you would like to explore through the fellowship. (Limit to 1.5 pages, 12 pt. font)
- Curriculum Vitae
You will need to upload a copy of your CV (PDF) to submit your application. (Limit to 2 pages, 12pt. font)
- Medical School Transcript
Request your medical school transcript well in advance of the deadline. You will need to upload a copy (PDF) to submit your online application.
Eligibility & Selection Criteria
All applicants should have completed two
or more years of medical school prior to beginning the Doris Duke Fellowship.
Students in good standing, enrolled at any accredited U.S. medical school,
are eligible to apply. A completed application, official medical school
transcript, and two recommendation letters will be required for consideration.
Interviews will be conducted in February
after all applications are received. Up to five candidates from other
schools will be invited to Yale to interview with the Program Advisory
Group and meet with potential mentors. Dr. Forrest and the Program Advisory
Group will make final selections. One to two student Fellows will be selected
from this group.
Mentor Selection
Applicants are not necessarily expected
to select a mentor as part of the application process. It is to your
advantage, based on your research interests, to review potential research
mentors at Yale Medical School and their projects and publications.
You should also list on your application the names of 4-5 potential
faculty research mentors. You can add this to your personal statement
or include it as a separate component of the application packet. When
we receive your list of 4-5 names, we may contact the faculty to arrange
possible interviews. In most instances, these interviews are arranged
after selection of the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellows. For potential
research mentors, you may access the Faculty
Research Directory to
view a list of potential mentors and research projects. An abbreviated
hardcopy of the Faculty Research Directory will be available through
our office in October 2010 and will be sent to all Doris
Duke Clinical Research Fellowship applicants. CRISP (Computer Retrieval
of Information on Scientific Projects) is a searchable database of federally
funded biomedical research projects conducted at universities, hospitals,
and other research institutions. The website is: http://crisp.cit.niih.gov/.
Yale has more that 130 funded clinical investigators carrying out research
involving patients or human subjects or research with material of human
origin. Dr. Forrest will meet in person or by phone with all potential
applicants and direct them to appropriate members of the Program Advisory
Group for additional advice in matching with a mentor.
Financial Information
A stipend of $27,000 annually will
be provided to all Fellows. The policy of Yale University School of Medicine
is to charge medical students an extended registration fee of $400 during
the year of their fellowship. Applicants from other medical schools will
not be charged tuition and should consult with their home school for information
regarding tuition and fees. Funds are available to offset health costs,
recruiting visits, travel costs to national scientific meetings and, with
pre-approval, continuation of research after the fellowship year.

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