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Application Process and Instructions

Dates and Deadlines

January 6, 2010

All application materials due to the University of Pennsylvania

March 10, 2010

Interview Day for selected candidates

March 19, 2010

First offers

April 2, 2010

Outstanding offers must be accepted or declined, and acceptances become binding.

Step 1 - Doris Duke Common Application Package

All students interested in the domestic and/or international Penn DDCRF program should complete all items on the Doris Duke Common Application Package at http://www.ddcf.org/mrp-crf, which includes:

  1. Completion of the online common application form
    - Under Medical Education on the online application form, please enter your individual MCAT section scores (Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Writing) in addition to your overall score. Fellow and colleague
  2. A letter of support from the Dean's office of the medical school in which you are currently matriculated
  3. Two letters of support from faculty who can comment on your academic performance and potential for clinical research
  4. A personal statement
    - Applicants are encouraged to be as specific as possible when describing potential research interests and projects
  5. A copy of your curriculum vitae
  6. A copy of your medical school transcript

Detailed instructions are provided below for each of the six components listed above required by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Read the Penn FAQs and the DDCRF FAQs before starting to prepare your application for helpful guidance on questions about the program, application process and eligibility.


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, and description of prior research experience, if applicable.


- Under Medical Education on the online application form, please enter your individual MCAT section scores (Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Writing) in addition to your overall score.


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.


* Penn students should ask their Advisory Dean for a letter.


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 additonal 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)


- Applicants are encouraged to be as specific as possible when describing potential research interests and projects


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

Step 2 - Penn-Specific Program Application Materials

All students interested in the domestic and/or international Penn DDCRF program should submit the following materials to the Penn DDCRF program to be received by January 6, 2010:

  1. Under Medical Education on the online application form, please enter your individual MCAT section scores (Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Writing) in addition to your overall score.
  2. In addition to the two letters of support required for the Common Application, we welcome and encourage you to send us up to 2 additional letters of support. These letters must be mailed by you or your reference on official, signed letterhead in a sealed envelope OR emailed by your reference on official, signed letterhead. The letters must be received by January 6, 2010 to be included in your application.
  3. Names of 2-5 potential faculty research mentors and a brief explanation (1–2 sentences) of their research that interests you. (see Mentors for further information) This list may be mailed OR emailed to the Penn DDCRF program.

Mailing address:
Amy Nothelfer
Suite 100 Stemmler Hall
3450 Hamilton Walk
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6087
nothelfe@mail.med.upenn.edu

 

Note: When mailing materials through the United States Postal Service, please consider that it can take up to 3 days for the mail to get through the University of Pennsylvania mail system to Stemmler Hall.

Step 3 - Interview Day

After the application deadline, the Penn DDCRF Advisory Committee and Program Leaders review applications and select candidates, who will be invited to interview on March 10, 2010. Invitations are emailed in mid-February. At that time, the Committee and Program Leaders will identify potential mentors for the candidates to interview with, using the candidates list of potential faculty research mentors as a guide.

Step 4 - Selection

After the Interview Day, the Penn DDCRF Advisory Committee and Program Leaders review the information on the candidates, projects and mentors. The Committee and Program Leaders make a final decision on the selection of candidates and their project/mentors.

Step 5 - Offers

First offers will be emailed on March 19, 2010. Candidates on the waitlist will not be notified, as we send further offers immediately after receiving declines.

 

 

Updated November 17, 2009