Doris Duke
Clinical Research Fellowship
for Medical Students
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
International Opportunities
Background
The University of Pennsylvania has a very robust clinical activity at the Princess Marina Hospital, the main hospital 
in Botswana, with the constant presence of Penn faculty, residents, and medical students. Supporting this activity is a Penn funded administrative support core, which takes responsibility for housing of the Penn community at the Princess Marina hospital. Complementing the Penn clinical activity are numerous ongoing research projects related to HIV/AIDS at both the Princess Marina Hospital and the University of Botswana. The two Doris Duke International Clinical Research Fellows will participate in these research opportunities in Botswana. More info about the Penn program in Botswana is available at http://www.pennbotswana.com.
Three of the members serving on the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship Advisory Committee are faculty in the Infectious Disease Division, conducting research in Botswana. They will work with the Program Director to oversee plans for the fellowship year. They are:
- Dr. Harvey Friedman, Division Chief, Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/idd/Friedman.html
- Dr. Greg Bisson, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/idd/Bisson.html
- Dr. Robert Gross, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/idd/Gross.html
Students interested in the year out research program in Botswana should contact Dr. Bisson to inquire about specific research project opportunities and faculty collaborators.
Additional Fellowship Year Details
- Fellowship begins July 1.
- Fellows are assigned two mentors, one based at Penn and one based in Botswana. In addition, both fellows in Botswana will meet regularly with a Penn faculty member based in Botswana to review progress on their projects and discuss other clinical research topics.
- Summer and early fall are spent in Philadelphia with international and domestic Fellows, taking Fundamentals of Biostatistics course, attending journal clubs and preparing for work in Botswana, including writing a research protocol.
- Fellows spend early fall through mid-spring conducting research in Botswana.
- Fellows return to Philadelphia in mid-spring and remain in the program until the end of June completing data analysis, manuscript writing, and participating in ongoing activities of the domestic Clinical Research Fellowship at Penn, including the annual research meeting.
- Housing in Botswana and health insurance is provided without cost to the Fellow.
Application information
http://www.med.upenn.edu/ddcrf/application.shtml
Updated May 16, 2008