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.

1. Completion of the online common application form
2. 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.
3. Two letters of support from faculty who can comment on your academic performance and  potential for clinical research
4. A personal statement
5. A copy of your curriculum vitae
6. A copy of your medical school transcript
7. 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.
8. 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.

1. 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
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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)
5. Curriculum Vitae
   You will need to upload a copy of your CV (PDF) to submit your application. (Limit to 2 pages, 12pt. font)
6. 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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